She adds that she had always “hated” the surname she inherited from her father, which included a profanity for which she was teased at school. “I didn’t want to be associated with that,” he says.

Changing her last name to match her mother’s was a relief and Maggie says she now feels “more like myself.”

“I wanted to be part of my mother’s family,” he says.

Dr. Becca Bland, a family counselor and estrangement coach, says that people who are estranged from a family member or are estranged may choose to change their last name as a psychological coping mechanism to “help separate themselves from something that could be problematic or traumatic.”

She says changing their name would mean they wouldn’t have to keep repeating a surname they may associate with bad memories or felt connected them to a family they didn’t identify with.

People who are separated from their parents can feel a range of emotions, including grief, loss and a sense of freedom, says Dr Lucy Blake of the University of the West of England, whose research focuses on family relationships. It can be an isolating experience because people worry about facing judgment from others, she says.

Blake dismissed criticism that some young people are cutting ties with their families “without much thought.” Research shows that adults who move away from family members often do so “with great care and consideration over time,” he says.

If people want to change their name in England and Wales, they have two options. The most economical option is through unregistered deed canvassing, which a person can perform themselves or through a private company for a fee. You can also change it by registered deed scrutiny, meaning there is a public record of it, through the High Court for £53.05 ($71).

If you were born or adopted in Northern Ireland, externalYou can change your name by public deed or by registering a name change in the presence of a legal representative, which costs £35.

If you were born or adopted in Scotland, you can change your name by submitting an application to National Records of Scotland., externalwhich costs £40.

Changing your last name can present some obstacles.

In England, Wales and Scotland, if you are under 16 you need consent, external of all people who have parental responsibility for you.

Maggie says she waited until she was 16 to make the change, when she didn’t need her father’s consent.

“It was very frustrating when I was so sure it was something I wanted to do,” she says.

You should also update government bodies and companies, including the Passport Office, the DVLA, the Student Loans Company, your banks and your GP.

For Hannah in California, changing her last name took about three months and cost hundreds of dollars, including a $400 filing fee and $130 to place ads in a local newspaper. He described this last requirement as “very outdated and strange.”