I changed my name to Sawan Gosrani by UK Deed Poll
Posted by 7 on Dec 13, 2008 in Uncategorized
Yes. You read that correctly.
My previous name was Sawan SHAH. Shah is a general community name for a collection of surnames. My family surname (the one my grandfather and those before him used) is GOSRANI.
I’ve been debating about it for a while and I finally did it. I finally locked into my heritage.
Sometimes you don’t realise how much value there is to a family name. The name “Gosrani” for me signifies all the hard work and dedication my ancestors put in to building the family and supporting the family. It signifies to me a lineage which is defined compared to using a surname. It tells me that my children will carry on the family name and it means that I need to set a good example for them to follow so that people everywhere can say “Those are Sawan Gosrani’s children. Look at how polite, smart, and caring they are.”
I know how happy my parents used to get when someone commented positively about myself or my brother Suraj. This is how I want to feel with my children.
It’s funny but since I commited to changing my name, my whole outlook in life has changed. I will now do whatever it takes to sustain my family’s needs. I now feel like I have a greater sense of responsibility because it’s now not just my name on the line, but the family’s name. And I know I will uphold the good name of my family.
I’ve met many people who knew my grandfather and he was such an amazing man. Everyone, even to this day, still say “Oh yes. I remember your Grandfather. Jethalal Gosrani, what a great guy. So smart and he did so much for others.” This is the name I want to carry on.
It’s very easy to change your name by Deed Poll. You go to a number of official websites, get the forms sent to you, fill them out, and send them back. Simple! I would say however, do it if you’re truly sure. Your name is your identity and people will surely recognise you by it. If you choose to change your name for good reasons and if you think it will make a positive change then I highly suggest it. You will have to send a letter to all the different organisations who hold details about you like the UKPA and DVLA, etc, but it’s worth it.
I’d also suggest doing it while you’re young (before you sign up for bank details, or anything else which will need changing) and I’d definetely suggest doing it before you get married (if you’re male, or a female who won’t be changing her name after marriage). It’s cheaper to change one person’s name by Deed Poll rather than 2. After marriage, if the lady (or the gent) changes their name to their partner’s name, documents will still need to be changed. If the name is taken upon marriage then it’s an automatic change and no Deed Poll is required, just a notification to the authorities.
Right. I’m off to write all my letters. 
See you all soon!
There’ll be another post about my experience in Mombasa soon as well… You can hear ALL about my trip in the next couple of posts.