I'm a 20 year old single mother of a 2 year old little boy and when he was born I gave my son his father's last name thinking the father was going to be in his son's life. Turns out... he isn't and I want to change my son's last name. The father isn't coming around unless it is on his time and his rules and another thing is his name is on my son's birth certificate and I know for a fact he won't sign in order to get my son's last name changed to mine, and when he starts school I don't want him to have this huge long name I want it be shorter than it is now. Is there a way I can get my son's name changed to mine without having the father sign the papers? Someone please help!

No. Changing a birth certificate is a legal process and has to be done through a court. If the father won't consent, then it isn't going to happen.

However, a person can use any name they want to as long as there is no intent to defraud. So when you register him for school, explain to the school that he will be using your name for identifcation purposes. There should be no problem.