Many people go to court to ask to have their name changed. Usually the
reason has to do with a specific need to change a name, such as to
protect oneself from a stalker, or in most cases, because the name is
an embarrassing name (e.g. A guy with a girl's name or some name like
"Brainless".)
Anyway, I was thinking that maybe as a means of getting at one's
original name, perhaps some adopted persons, after reaching age 18,
assuming they will not anger their adopted parents (or they are
already passed away or if they were really abusive and they would not
care if they hurt their feelings then) could argue before a judge for
a name change. And it sounds not too unreasonable a request. In fact a
judge might even be sympathetic if an adopted person asked to have
their name changed to the one their original birth certificate.
First, they could argue they have a right to that name. That the
adopted parents only had the right to force them to use the adopted
name while they were a minor.
Second, just as some name might cause mental harm (such as an
embarrassing name) so too an adopted person might argue that it hurt
them mentally not to be using the name given them by their
birthmother.
Third, they could argue that while the parents gave them up at
adoption, there are grandparents, and other relatives that have the
family name that they should be entitlted to, even if it did not give
them rights of inheritance.
Now this might just be a means of last resort for an adopted person to
try if all else fails. Admittedly, it could also mean a lot of
paperwork to change (for employer, friends, spouse, tax returns, etc.)
But it may be one way to get one's orginal name and thus have a
starting point for finding a b-parent.
I just changed mine too. Same proccess, different state!!!