How to legally change your name in Kenya

People change their names for various reasons; thus, you may find that the name you are calling your friend or colleague is not their birth name. There are people who may adopt a nickname as their official name, because essentially, they are commonly referred to that name. There are many reasons that many cause you to change your name.

Changing a name in Kenya is a process, rather than a one-stop shop. Any person is free to change either their first, middle or last names any time as long as, it’s not meant to deceive, defraud or avoid an obligation. In doing so you will need the services of a lawyer to effect the change the use of a legal document called a ‘Deed Poll’ at the Principal Registry office.

Circumstances under you may change your name

There a couple of reasons that may prompt a name change.

1. There are anomalies in your identification documents, for instance your national ID or passport.
2. If you are undergoing gender reassignment.
3. If you are a single/unmarried mother, and your child was registered with his/her father’s username and the child wants to change the username.
4. If you get married and wish to adopt the name of your spouse, in this case the spouse has to give consent for the change to take place.
5. If you feel you have an embarrassing or unpleasant-sounding given name, and you wish to change it.
6. If you get a divorce, and on marriage you adopted name of your spouse. In this case you will need; a certificate from an advocate that you are living separately from your spouse, certificate of marriage or evidence of marriage together with decree absolute or certificate of divorce.

Restrictions to changing your name

There are a number of restrictions that may prevent you from changing your name or adopting a particular name, prompting the registrar to decline your application.

1. If the chosen name(s) is vulgar, offensive or blasphemous.
2. The name includes; numbers, symbols or punctuation marks.
3. The proposed name is impossible to pronounce.
4. The name incites/promotes criminal activities, racial, religious hatred or use of controlled drugs.
5. If the name ridicules people, groups, government departments, companies or organizations.
6. If the name creates an impression/belief that you have an inherited/conferred title, honour, rank or academic award. A change of your first name to the following names may be rejected;

• Baron
• Baroness
• Captain
• Doctor
• General
• Lady
• Lord 
• Prince
• Princess
• Professor
• Sir
• Viscount

Requirements for changing your name

In order to change your name, there are a name of documents you must provide depending with the circumstance prompting the change

1. Deed Poll
2. Fingerprint printout
3. Birth certificate or baptism certificate
4. Two passport size photos
5. Copies of your parents’ IDs
6. Letter from your area chief
7. School leaving certificate
8. Parental consent to marriage
9. Marriage certificate
10. Divorce certificate
11. A sworn affidavit by a witness who has known you for at least 10 years

Process of changing your name

Changing your name is a process, here is the procedure you will follow.

1. First, go to the Registrar General’s Department. There you will have a copy of the Deed Poll drafted, which will take 5-21 working days to produce. You will be required to pay a fee of Ksh 500 payable upon registration.
2. Complete a deed poll prescribed as Form 1 of the Regulations to the Act, accompanied with the birth certificate of the applicant.
3. Make an application for registration, prescribed as Form A in the Registration of Documents (Forms) Regulations.
4. Your application must be accompanied with a statutory declaration prescribed under the Act (Form 6). The declaration must be sworn by a person who knows you personally by the name you want to change and must be a resident in Kenya.
5. All the required documents must be presented to the Registrar of Documents for registration.
6. Once satisfied with the application, the registrar will cause the deed poll to be advertised in the Kenya Gazette.
7. At this point, the name change will take effect.

How to change your name on the National Identity Card

After the name change has been effected by the registrar, you are free to effect the change on your national identity card in line with the Registration of Persons Act.

1. Obtain the deed poll on change of name (Form 1) from the Registrar General’s Office, fill it and to the Registration Officer. This form gives the particulars of the change.
2. Your application must be accompanied by the following documents depending with the type of name change;
   • Deed Poll
   • Birth certificate
   • Copies of parents’ ID
   • Sworn affidavits
   • School Leaving Certificates
   • Confirmation letters from an administrative office
   • Marriage certificate
3. You will have to surrender your current ID card and pay a fee of Ksh 1,000.
4. The registration officer will sign and issue you a certificate in a form prescribed in the Fourth Schedule.
5. Your photo will be taken for processing of the new ID.
6. The registration officer will then forward the application form, photo and surrendered ID to the Principal Registrar.
7. The Principal Registrar will record the changes in the register of persons and cancel the surrendered ID card.
8. Upon expiry of 60 days from the date of issuance of the certificate by the registration officer, you will go to the officer at the registration office specified in the third column of the certificate and surrender the certificate in exchange for a new ID.