I applaud that understanding — especially when it comes to children’s connections to their biological families of origin, their rights, identities, history, and medical background.

Two days before my 30th birthday, my legal name change was finalized. I received a new birth certificate and an official Change of Name form.

I was never in care or adopted (that’s another harrowing story), but I legally changed my full birth name to something completely new — a name of my own creation. I even added a second middle name and chose a last name with zero connection to my biological family, living or dead.

The difference? It was my choice — fully informed and made with clear, willing consent. I knew what it meant, legally and emotionally. I had actually created my first name when I was 16. For the next eight years, I used it socially to see if it felt right — to make sure I truly was, say, “Sally Renee Joan Smith.”

I have no regrets.

But children aren’t afforded that kind of autonomy. They don’t have the ability to fully understand what a name change means, nor can they give proper consent. That’s why I believe adopted children’s names should not be erased. Not legally, not formally, and not informally — at least, not without their age-appropriate understanding and agreement.

If a child is named Trevor Michael Smith, he should remain Trevor Michael Smith. An adoptive family’s surname can always be added, creating a hyphenated name — like Trevor Michael Bell-Smith — without stripping away who he already is.

Names carry our history, our pain, our survival, our truth. Children should not have to give theirs up.