A name change ad in a newspaper has one job: to state publicly that your old name and your new name belong to the same person. This guide to the name change ad format gives you the standard wording, four ready-to-copy samples, and the steps to give the ad without mistakes.
The ad must carry exactly the details from your notarised affidavit — old name, new name, father’s or husband’s name, address, and the affidavit date. Once that affidavit is ready, you can book your name change ad in newspaper online, and it will print in the city edition you choose.
What should a name change ad say?
In one sentence: it must state your old name, your new name, your father’s or husband’s name, your full address, and the date of your notarised affidavit — and declare that both names refer to one and the same person.
Here is the standard format. Copy it and replace the bracketed parts with your own details:
I, [OLD NAME], S/o / D/o / W/o [father’s or husband’s name], residing at [full address], have changed my name to [NEW NAME] vide affidavit dated [date]. Both names refer to one and the same person.
That is the whole of it. A name change ad needs no explanation, no reason for the change, and no extra sentences. Extra words only add cost, because the price depends on the number of words.
Can I copy a sample name change ad?
Yes. Below are four name change ad in newspaper samples, modelled on the standard format above. Each uses made-up names — replace them with your own details, exactly as they appear in your affidavit.
1. A self name change
I, Rajesh Kumar Sharma, S/o Mohan Lal Sharma, residing at 14, MG Road, Pune 411001, have changed my name to Rajesh Sharma vide affidavit dated 12 September 2026. Both names refer to one and the same person.
2. A surname change after marriage
I, Priya Nair (now Priya Menon), W/o Arun Menon, residing at 22, Lake View, Kochi 682001, have changed my name from Priya Nair to Priya Menon after marriage vide affidavit dated 20 September 2026.
3. A correction of a name wrongly recorded in certificates
I, Anil Verma, S/o Ramesh Verma, residing at 7, Station Road, Lucknow 226001, wish to state that my name has been wrongly recorded as Anil Kumar in my certificates. My correct name is Anil Verma, as per affidavit dated 5 September 2026. Both names refer to one and the same person.
4. A date-of-birth correction in marksheets
I, Sunita Devi, D/o Ram Prasad, residing at 3, Nehru Nagar, Jaipur 302001, wish to state that my date of birth has been wrongly recorded as 14 March 1998 in my marksheets. My correct date of birth is 14 March 1997, as per affidavit dated 28 August 2026.
What must match the affidavit word for word?
Every identifying detail: the old name, the new name, the father’s or husband’s name, the address, and the affidavit date. Spellings must be identical — a “Sharma” in the affidavit and a “Sherma” in the ad is exactly the kind of mismatch to avoid.
This is why the affidavit comes first. Write the ad from the affidavit, not from memory. If you are unsure about a spelling, read it off the sealed document.
How do I give a name change ad in a newspaper?
Learning how to give a name change in a newspaper is mostly about getting the order right:
- Ask your office first. Confirm how many newspapers it wants — many passport cases need two, one English daily and one regional-language daily — and which city edition. The rule depends on the office, so confirm it with them.
- Choose the newspaper and city edition. A classified ad prints only in the city edition that is booked. A “Delhi edition” may not reach Gurgaon or Greater Noida, so the edition must circulate in your own district.
- Fill in the format. Use the standard format above with your affidavit’s exact details. releaseMyAd gives you ready sample formats and publishes exactly the text you approve.
- Pay online. Most name change ads cost Rs 300 to Rs 700 plus 5% GST. The price depends on the newspaper, the city edition, and the number of words — and the price shown before payment is the price you pay.
- Wait for approval and printing. After payment, the ad goes for the newspaper’s editorial approval and prints on the next available date, often the next day when you book before the cut-off.
- Save the proof. Download the page from the newspaper’s e-paper, with its date and edition, or buy a printed copy. The GST invoice is emailed to you.
One thing to know: releaseMyAd does not provide, draft, notarise, or translate the affidavit or the legal wording. The affidavit is yours to arrange with a notary.
Which mistakes hold an ad up?
- Details that differ from the affidavit. Even one spelling change between the affidavit and the ad is a mismatch. Copy from the sealed document.
- The wrong edition. Booking a Delhi edition when your district is Gurgaon may mean the notice does not reach your own district. Check the edition before you pay.
- Publishing before asking the office. If your office wanted two newspapers and you published one, you will publish again. Ask first.
- Adding explanations. Reasons for the change, extra sentences, and decorative wording add words and cost without helping acceptance. Keep to the format.
Common questions
Is the affidavit needed before the ad?
Yes. A notarised name change affidavit comes first — you arrange it with a notary. Most offices accept it only if it is recent, often within six months. The ad announces a change already declared under oath.
How do I give ad for name change in newspaper if my office wants two papers? Book both. Many passport cases need one English daily and one regional-language daily. Each newspaper prints its own notice; confirm the requirement with your office before you book.
Who checks the ad before it prints?
The newspaper’s own editorial team. After you pay, the ad goes for their approval, then prints on the next available date.
Will my office definitely accept the published ad?
No one can promise that. Acceptance depends on your office’s rules, which is why you confirm the number of newspapers, the edition, and the affidavit’s recency with them before publishing.
What does the change of name in newspaper format look like in a regional-language paper? The structure is the same — old name, new name, father’s or husband’s name, address, affidavit date, and the declaration that both names are one person. Choose the edition your office asks for.
Write the ad from your affidavit, book the edition that reaches your district, and keep the printed notice safe. That is how to give name change in newspaper without avoidable mistakes — and when you are ready, the change-of-name ad booking page on releaseMyAd is where you place the order.
