How to Use Your Middle Name on Legal Documents

"John Drake Smith" is more memorable than "John Smith."

People choose to use their middle names on legal documents for a variety of reasons. For example, people with common names, such as John Smith or Jennifer Jones, may choose to include a middle name to differentiate themselves from other people. Jennifer Flor Jones is more distinguished and memorable than plain Jennifer Jones. Others use their middle name because the name itself is important, such as the name of a favorite relative or a famous person. Whatever your rationale is, the key to using your middle name is consistency.

Instructions

1. Ensure that your middle name appears on your driver's license and other forms of identification. Notaries and other legal personnel usually check ID when you sign a document and some will not allow you to sign with your middle name if it does not appear on your legal ID.

2. Inform the court, bank or other legal party to use your middle name when they create documents with your name on them. For example, have your checks and credit cards created with your middle name. Never introduce yourself or fill out a document without your middle name included. If you are consistent and all your documents have your middle name, other parties will be more likely to use your middle name as well.

3. Sign your name with your middle name included each time you are asked to sign. This not only gets you into the habit of signing your name with your middle name included, but it may prompt those creating and filing documents on your behalf to ask if you'd like to use your middle name on all future documents in their systems.

References

• Family Education: Why Middle Names are Important
• Name Nerds: Middle Names