This content is being reviewed in light of recent changes to federal guidance.

Name Changes

Resources and Options

Adding/Changing Preferred Names

Employees may add or modify a preferred name in the HR/Pay system by emailing a request to  hrdept@ku.edu. The HR/Pay preferred name for non-student employees is used in Outlook, KU People Search and Teams; however, legal name continues to be used in other systems.

Preferred name and legal name are used as follows:

Preferred Name: A name that a person uses in day-to-day life, which may differ from their legal name. This name reflects the individual’s identity and is used in various university systems and interactions.

Legal Name: The name that appears on official government-issued documents, including birth certificate, social security card, drivers’ license or passport. This name is used for legal and administrative purposes. 

Support for Legal Name Changes

The following resources may be helpful for staff or faculty members looking to navigate legal procedures for changing their name: 

  • Kansas Legal Services — The  Adult Name Change Guide  from Kansas Legal Services provides comprehensive information on the process for legally changing your name in Kansas, covering the two main methods and key requirements. 

  • ACLU of Kansas — The ACLU of Kansas provides a  Resource Hub  with a growing collection of Kansas-specific resources, including guides on ID changes and other helpful content.   

  • Private Legal Counsel — You may also choose to consult with a private attorney specializing in name changes and related legal matters. The Kansas Bar Association offers a  Lawyer Referral Service  to help you find a qualified attorney. 

Updating Your Legal Name in Employee Systems

The State of Kansas requires that an employee's legal name as it appears on their Social Security card be used for payroll purposes in HR/Pay, which also feeds names into other systems, such as MyTalent. This means your legal name is displayed in those systems. Updating a legal name in HR/Pay requires a Social Security card that reflects the updated legal name. If you have an updated Social Security card with your new legal name, contact HR by either emailing kuhronboarding@ku.edu for instructions or bringing your card with you to 101 Carruth O’Leary Hall to begin the process.

Updating Your KU ID Card

Faculty and staff are able to get a KU Card using their chosen/lived name (referred to in the  Policy Library  as "preferred name") instead of their legal name when obtaining their initial KU Card or when requesting a replacement.

When  requesting a replacement card, your legal name will automatically populate on the webform; however, there is a field called "Preferred Name For Card" where you can type in the name you would like included on the replacement card. A legal name change is not required to obtain an updated KU Card with preferred name, although a fee may be charged for the replacement card.

Updating Your E-mail Name

Faculty and staff can change their email address (called an "alias") in  MyIdentity Services. Please note that the email address is separate from the name that displays when someone receives an email from you. If you want to change the display name on your KU email and you have not entered a preferred name, contact KU Information Technology Customer Service at  itcsc@ku.edu  or  785-864-8080. 

Updating Insurance Cards

You can upload your Order of Name Change document into the State of Kansas Employee Health Plan  MAP portal  in the "Document Upload" section at the bottom of the Account Overview main page. After uploading the document, you will need to submit a Communication Form: 

  1. Select the "Mid-Year Benefit Change" tab
  2. Select the "Start New Request" blue button
  3. Select "Communication Form" and check the box for "I have read and agree to the User Agreement and Attestation"
  4. Type a brief message requesting an updated insurance card with new legal name and reference that you uploaded an Order of Name Change document.
  5. The State Employee Health Plan send the updated name information to relevant vendors (e.g., dental, healthcare, vision, etc.) and the vendors will send new cards to you. 

New Diploma with Name Change

If you graduated from KU, you can request a replacement diploma with a name change through  Enroll & Pay. When requesting the replacement, there will be an option to update the name printed on the diploma (see page 3 of the  PDF instructions document. Uploading an Order of Name Change is not required to change your name on your diploma. There is a fee for a replacement diploma.