Use names, legal names and paranoia
So I am basically too much of a scaredy cat to get a legal change of name just yet for a whole bunch of messed-up reasons, but I'm completely uncomfortable with my legal name and use it as little as possible. I keep ordering things online and registering for stuff as Mr Nick Kiddle, but I have weird feelings about it, like it's not really me and I'm somehow being deceptive...
I'm also frightened that I'm going to sign up for something as Nick when I'm supposed to use my legal name and I'm going to get huge red flags up against my name and end up in some kind of trouble with the law. That can't happen, can it? I mean, isn't a statutory declaration basically just telling everyone I'm doing this and making it formal? Is there any circumstance in which you're absolutely not allowed to use the name you go by generally?
I did have a weird moment a few months ago when I was collecting something I'd ordered off the internet from the post office and they asked me if I had "Mr Kiddle's ID" (because I don't look like a Mr, which is possibly a smart reason not to change yet). Luckily my bank card just says N Kiddle on it, so they accepted that as ID.
I'm also frightened that I'm going to sign up for something as Nick when I'm supposed to use my legal name and I'm going to get huge red flags up against my name and end up in some kind of trouble with the law. That can't happen, can it? I mean, isn't a statutory declaration basically just telling everyone I'm doing this and making it formal? Is there any circumstance in which you're absolutely not allowed to use the name you go by generally?
I did have a weird moment a few months ago when I was collecting something I'd ordered off the internet from the post office and they asked me if I had "Mr Kiddle's ID" (because I don't look like a Mr, which is possibly a smart reason not to change yet). Luckily my bank card just says N Kiddle on it, so they accepted that as ID.