Preferred Name

UNA allows any student to request a preferred name to reflect in CANVAS and for the class roster. Electing to use a preferred name will not change your legal name.

What is a Preferred Name?

A preferred name is a name that students plan to go by on campus. Other than cases where legal name is required, this is the name that will be sued in different instances such as CANVAS and class roster.

Your legal name would continue to be used in the following places:

• Academic Records
• Transcripts
• Financial Aid and Scholarships Documents
• Any legal document produces by the University
• Degreeworks
• Mane Card

REQUEST FOR CHANGE

A request to add a preferred name to be used for CANVAS and class roster should be emailed to registrar@una.edu. Please include your legal name, new name, L#, and UNA email address when making a request in the following format:

Current Legal Name: FirstName Lastname

Requested/Preferred Name: Newname Lastname

L#:

UNA email address:

Please note: There are limits to what you may select as a campus name. Character limits and character restrictions apply. At this time, middle names will not be changed on the roster without a legal name change.

**ETS should be contacted for a request name change. If there is a legal name change or change to a student's name in Banner, it will automatically update in Canvas, and ETS will not need to be contacted.

LEGAL NAME/GENDER CHANGE

The legal name or gender of a student cannot be changed unless a certified copy of a court order and a new birth certificate documentating the new name and gender change is provided. The request and documentation should be submitted to the One Stop Office, First Floor, Wendell Gunn Univeristy Commons or by email, registrar@una.edu.

Any questions may be directed to the Office of the Registrar at 256-765-5300 or via email at, registrar@una.edu.

Preferred Name FAQs