[Cg107]

Hi,
I moved to Virginia Beach, VA from MI over 2 years ago with my now 7 year old son. His father does not pay child support, nor has he seen/spoke with my son in almost 6 years. I do not know where he lives or have contact with him. My son constantly has emotional issues about his last name being different than mine and now also tells me he hates when people call him by his first name, which is his fathers. I want to change his name and be done with his father completely. How do I proceed with this.
Please and thank you

[ScottGem]

You can try going to court for a name change. But you will have to make, at least, a good faith attempt to contact the father and get his agreement to the name change. This can become expensive.

As for terminating his rights, that's not going to happen. The courts will simply say that he isn't using his rights so why bother. You might find this helpful: https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/family...st-116098.html

[AK lawyer]

Pending a name change, consider this:

One can use any name as long as it isn't for the purpose of defrauding creditors. So he could, I suppose, keep his "official name", but go by something else [whatever first name he wants] [your last name]. You would register him in school, for example using his "real name", but (after explaining to the school), use the other name.