Legal Question in Family Law in New Mexico

Re: Surname Legality

I do not know of any law in NM that says what is a "legal" name for a child; thus, to that end, I suppose parents could name their child any name they so choose. My recollection of one of the more infamous names given by a parent to a child is the name "God" given by Grace Slick of the Jefferson Airplane to her child. That child is now in his/her 30's and I don't know if the person has changed the name or not.

In NM a person over the age of 14 can take certain steps to initiate a name change on their own. That person will still require consent of the parents. However, the direction the answer to your question takes at that point would require an extensive answer by a lawyer with a client. Name changing is a very personal thing and I would suggest that you contact a lawyer in your town and talk about what all would be involved in such an endeavor.

Good luck.