Shortly after a baby is born, the mother is presented with a birth certificate to fill out and sign. This certificate lists the baby's date of birth, sex, name and parents. This becomes the primary identification of that child's United States citizenship for the rest of his or her life. Sometimes, however, errors are made or other circumstances arise requiring the child's name on the birth certificate to be amended. This isn't an impossible task, but there is a process to get it officially changed.
Step 1
Contact your state's Department of Health or your county's court registrar. One of these offices will be able to help you make the amendment. This may cost a nominal fee, depending on what state you are in and how soon after the birth you are requesting the amendment to be made. Most states have a grace period of varying lengths in which you can amend the birth certificate without a fee.
Step 2
Fill out a certificate amendment form. This form will have you list the original information on the birth certificate, identify what amendments you would like to take place (in this case, the name of the child) and your reason for making the change. It is fine to list "personal preference" or "typographical error" as the reason for the amendment. Present the original birth certificate at the time you turn in the application, or send in a photocopy of the original if you are applying for an amendment through the mail.
Step 3
Obtain a court order to replace the old birth certificate. Some states opt just to eliminate the original birth certificate and grant a new one rather than amend the old one. This has to be done through the court system, and the department of health or county registrar will be able to give you the appropriate forms to file for a court order. In some courts, the old birth certificate will be sealed, rendering it useless and confidential until deemed otherwise by a judge (a sealed document is done to preserve a document as future evidence if needed, or to maintain a paper trail).
