Changing signature

[Lucca]

What are the legal and practical ramifications of changing your signature? Do I need to have a legal name change first? And can I sign with just my new first name? I don't like signing my last name with my current signature, it just takes too long. (I saw a video from Molly Burke a while ago, who is blind, and she signs her name with just her cursive initials since it's hard to write anything longer when you can't see. I thought that that would be super convenient for anyone, regardless of sightedness.)The guideline I've always read is that a signature can be literally any mark on a page as long as it's consistent, but that doesn't really tell me how to change my signature in a legally valid way. I mean, the first time I use my new signature, it's by definition not consistent with my old one.

[Jani]

A signature is just a representation of your name.  By "signing" you are attesting to that which came before (i.e. a letter, or a post on a forum).  Sometimes you must sign your full legal name (for a contract) but otherwise your signature is what it is.   If your name is Jane Doe and you sign J. Doe or JD that is OK.   I have blended my first initial and last name together for years and it became known as my signature.  I actually used a version to sign artwork when I painted years ago.  I think the goal is to be consistent and not flip flop around.  Practice until you arrive at something your like.  

 

Jani

[TommieAnne]

Even your "normal" practiced signature changes ever so slightly from time to time, sometimes drifting off towards the illegible. Pick a signature that you can identify as yours and stick with it.

For legal docs, signing your full name for example, you can include your nickname or other name in quotes. For FBI purposes that's an AKA (also known as) and is perfectly appropriate.