Update Name & Personal Information - Office of the Registrar

There are multiple options for displaying your name and personal information on records, rosters, and other university systems. Students can update the following details in CalCentral:

Provide their lived name (a self-chosen personal and/or preferred professional first, middle, and last name used instead of a legal name).
Select which name (lived or legal) they want each delegate to see.
Indicate their gender identity, sexual orientation, and pronouns.

Display Name in the Campus Directory

Students have the option to select how personal data is displayed in the directory by using a drop-down menu for each field. Display options include:

Public (everyone can see this field; this is the default setting)
Logged in (only those logged in via CalNet can see this field)
Not visible (no one can see this field)

Please note: If a student does not identify their lived name, the name field will default to the legal name. Once you make these updates in CalCentral, the information will be synced across multiple university systems, and you will see it reflected in your directory listing, bCourses, Google Workspace (bConnected, bCal, bMail, bDrive), and more.

How to Update Name & Personal Information

Current Students: How do I review my display name or update my lived name?
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Unless you have identified your lived name, the name field will default to your legal name. To view your name data or change your lived name, follow these steps:
- Log in to CalCentral.
- Click your Avatar (in the top right corner).
- From the dropdown menu, select Personal Profile to review how your name is displayed.
- To update lived name: Starting from the Personal Profile tab, click on the lived name value. Make edits to your first, middle, and/or last name, then click save. You cannot use special (non-ASCII) characters in your lived name.
For information about how your name appears on your diploma, visit the Diplomas page. If you need to update your legal name, follow the directions below for how do I change (or correct) my legal name?

How do I change (or correct) my legal name?
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If you have access to CalCentral, you may change your legal name on university records by submitting a Legal Name Change Petition eForm. We have step-by-step instructions for how to petition legal name change as a current student and legal name change as an alumni. The turnaround time for changes to your name is up to 5 business days from when your paperwork is received by our office.

If you are an alumni without access to CalCentral, see the directions below for how to change (or correct) my legal name without CalCentral access.

How do I change (or correct) my legal name without CalCentral access?
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- Alumni who graduated in Fall 2016 and later can complete this form to change their lived name or request a change of legal name. Note: The linked form may take a few moments to authenticate and load.
- Alumni who graduated before Fall 2016 must mail in a completed Petition for Change of Name after Awarding Degree (PDF) along with proper documentation.

How do I update my Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and/or Pronouns?
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To view and update your biographical data, including your gender identity, sexual orientation, and pronouns, follow these steps:
- Log in to CalCentral.
- Click your Avatar (in the top right corner).
- From the dropdown menu, select Personal Profile.
- Click the Biographic tab. The Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation fields are initially populated with information provided on your university admission application. You can update these at any time.
Selecting pronouns is highly recommended. You can add and update your pronouns at any time. Once selected, they will be displayed below your name on:
- CalCentral > My Academics > Academic Profile
- CalCentral > My Academics > Semesters card > View Academic Summary
Review the information icons (“i” icons) in CalCentral to learn more.

How do I manage my delegates and which name they see?
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Add and manage your delegates under CalCentral > Avatar > Personal Profile > Delegate Access.
- Any delegate you added prior to Oct. 8, 2023, will default to displaying your legal name, but you can update the name that displays to your delegates at any time.
- Any delegate you add on or after Oct. 8, 2023, will include the selection of either the legal or lived name to display to the delegate.
Regardless of the choices above, delegates will see your legal name in the payment system accessed via CalCentral > My Finances > Billing Summary > Make Payment button or View PDF Statement link.

My name is a mononym (only one name). How can I save my name in CalCentral?
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First and last name values are required in CalCentral. Populate your mononym in the last name field and enter a period “.” in the first name field.

If I have a role as a student and a staff member (e.g., student workers, Graduate Student Instructors, Graduate Student Workers), where can I update my name?
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For students who have a dual role as students and staff, CalCentral is the primary location for updating their name and biographic data. However, for employee-related updates such as benefits selections or direct deposit information, please log in to the UCPath system.