text: would changing my first name affect major parts of my life? i want to change my first name from corie to corianne.  it's more feminine and professional.  but my parents think if i change my name it will affect my credit, college transcripts, etc.  they said it would be hard in the future to get a job or a loan because changing your first name makes you look suspicious.  is this true?  i really want to go through with it but not if it's going to be a huge hassle. lol i changed my whole name once, completely different. i even eliminated my middle name entirely. all it takes (here in my county) is $75.00 and an appearance in a small claims court. you answer a few questions, such as why you are changing your name, if you are doing so to evade creditors (which the answer has to be 'no'), etc. after the judge grants you the change, you have to send in for a change on your birth certificate, social security card, and whatever else. it is really easy, and for such a small change as your's, it will be even easier. very few applications ask whether you have ever gone by another name. i work in healthcare so i had to disclose my other name once, but that was it. you know what? i changed my name back, a year later. i just decided to go back to my original name, and it was even easier than the first change. hopefully, it is the same in your area, but laws do sometimes differ.