Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

No don't need to change names on the deeds.

Well, in the first place, you can't alter your deed. A deed is a legal instrument, and any alteration to a deed would be forgery. What you mean to inquire about is changing your names on the legal title. The title to real property is not a particular document so much as it is an intangible concept of legal ownership, determined, primarily, by reference to previously-recorded deeds.

If you were to change your names on title, this could be done by executing a new deed from yourselves under your prior names to yourselves under your current names, notarizing and recording the same. This could raise transfer tax and property tax reappraisal issues, but if you bought in 2005 that might not be a bad result.

What most people who change their names do is nothing. There is no legal requirement to do so, especially if you are receiving your tax bills without mix-up or delay. Note that when you sell, your deed to your buyer(s) will have to contain language such as "John Doe, who took title as Richard Roe, hereby grants to XYZ........." etc. This is covered in the Civil Code at section 1096, which you may want to look up for future reference.