Preferred Name

Barnard College recognizes that some students prefer to identify themselves by a First Name and/or Middle Name other than their Legal Name.

Under Barnard's Preferred Name policy, any student may choose to identify a Preferred First and/or Middle Name in addition to the Legal Name. Students may request this service using this form. All requests are reviewed by the Barnard Registrar's Office.

The student’s Preferred Name may be used in many Barnard College and Columbia University contexts, as described below. For some other records, also described below, the College and Columbia University are legally required to use a student’s Legal Name.  However, whenever reasonably possible, a student’s “Preferred Name” will be used.

The Preferred Name will be used for:

• University ID card
• Class Rosters and Grading Rosters (myBarnard and SSOL)
• Courseworks
• Courseworks discussion groups
• Barnard and Columbia Public Directories (unless the student has asked that information be blocked)
• Communications (for example, if Barnard sends mail to the student at the student’s home address, it will be addressed to the preferred name)
• Diploma

The legal name will be used for:

• Office of International and Intercultural Student Programs
• Office of Financial Aid
• Bursar’s Office
• Federal or State Requests for Information (including tax forms)
• National Student Clearinghouse
• Transcript
• Academic Certifications (of enrollment, good standing, degree completion)
• Athletics rosters
• Furman Counseling Center
• Primary Care Health Service

A student who wishes a change of legal name should follow the legal process for such a change and provide documentation to the Registrar’s Office.

If you wish to add a Preferred Name to your record, please complete the form.

Print the form, sign it, and submit it to the Registrar’s Office, 107 Milbank.  Your request will be reviewed and, if it is approved, the change will be made within one week.