Change of Name

Definition of Change of Name

In accordance with the work A Dictionary of Law, this is a description of Change of Name : A natural person (i.e. a human being) may change his or her “surname simply by using a different name with sufficient consistency to become generally known by that name. A change is normally given formal publicity (e.g. by means of a statutory declaration, deed poll, or newspaper advertisement), but this is not legally necessary. A woman can also change her surname through operation of law on getting married. A young child, however, has no power to change its surname, nor does one parent have such a power without the consent of the other. (An injunction may be sought to prevent a parent from attempting to change a child’s name unilaterally.) When a mother has remarried after divorce or is living with another person, and wishes to change the name of the child to that of her new partner, a court order must be obtained and the welfare of the child will be the first and paramount consideration. A person’s Christian name (i.e. a name given at baptism) can, under ecclesiastical law, be changed only by the bishop on that person’s subsequent confirmation.

A *juristic person may change its name but may be subject to formal procedure before the change of name takes effect; for example, for a company limited by shares, a change of name is possible only on the passing of a special resolution of the Company at an extraordinary or annual general meeting.

Chapter VII

The chapter of the United Nations Charter that is headed: “Action with respect to threats to the peace, breaches of the peace and acts of aggression” and includes Articles 39-51 of the Charter. Those who devised the UN Charter were acutely aware of the failure of the former Covenant of the League of Nations in respect of *collective security, namely (1) that it left it open to member states to respond, or not respond, to the call for military aid and (2) It provided no machinery or system for organizing League forces in advance or for coordinating such responses as members might make. Chapter VII addressed such problems by empowering the Security Council to orchestrate such collective actions under Articles 42 and 43. Under Articles 43-47 advance preparation of collective action was to be made through a *Military Staff Committee. Article 51 creates a right to *self-defence for member states; controversially, it is held to have preserved the Wider scope of self-defence in customary international law.

See also enforcement action.