Trans Advocate
The LGBTQIA RC Trans Advocate, Angel Bernardino, can assist transgender and nonbinary students in navigating resources.
People change names for various reasons, but within the LGBTQIA community, most commonly name changes are made to have a name align with their gender identity. In this page we'll cover how to change your name and gender in various UC Davis systems.
UC Davis is actively working towards solutions to ensure that lived names appear seamlessly across all university systems as a part of the Gender Recognition and Lived Name Policy implementation. In the meantime, separate updates are required for separate systems. This guide is designed for UC Davis students who would like to replace their legal name with a lived name in university records, email display name/email address, zoom profile, medical records and/or UC Path. This resource outlines 8 separate topics and includes a brief outline of steps, important info, and links to further forms and IT knowledge articles.
Processes may differ for non-students. DEI hosts information for staff, faculty, alumni and affiliates.
Possible Changes Without a Legal Name and Gender Marker Change
1. Changing Your Name in Some University Records
A legal name change is not required to update your info in the directory. Only first names can be updated at this time. It takes up to 72 hours for university campus systems to update a lived name. Updating the directory will share your lived name in university records, except when a legal name is legally required (examples of this include where a social security number is utilized such as with financial aid, paychecks, etc). Future policy implementation will require that anyone who has access to information about someone’s legal name is required to keep it internal and confidential.
To update your lived name in some university records and documents, update the UC Davis directory utilizing the instructions from the Registrar and direct editing link for the directory.
Please note that professional students may need to complete additional steps or contact the school's registrar to ensure that all school lists and systems are updated.
After the 72 processing period, you may request a new Student ID AggieCard with your lived name at the Aggie Card Office in the Memorial Union. A $15.00 replacement fee will apply.
2. Changing Your Email Display Name
No legal name change is required to update an email display name. To complete the form, there is a requirement to have your lived name listed in the UC Davis directory (info in #1 above). Read more in the IT Service article about changing your name, email and LoginID.
To update the display name shown alongside your email address, complete form to modify your DavisMail display name.
3. Changing Your Email Address
Having your lived name listed in the UC Davis directory (info in #1) and a processed legal name change with the Registrar (info in #8) are required to update a UC Davis email address. After the form is processed, systems related to your email address will be disrupted for up to a week while everything is being updated. Please plan accordingly. Emails from the previous address will be forwarded to the new address for 180 days. Please note that changing/deleting a UC Davis email address will remove it from the central database, but may not update your address within separate records (such as a listserv). Read more in the IT Service article about changing your name, email and LoginID.
Complete the online form to change your email address.
4. Changing Your Zoom Display Name and Pronouns
There are no prerequisites needed to update your lived name in your Zoom profile. Updating a profile name in Zoom does not change your name in any other university computing systems. Updating your Zoom profile will allow the option to display your name and pronouns automatically in all future meetings (vs changing your name manually every time that a meeting is started). There is also a setting called “Share in a meeting or webinar“ which allows you to choose when you want to display your pronouns - including options like ‘Ask me every time’, ‘Always share’, or ‘Do not share’.
Follow the directions in the IT Service article to update your zoom profile.
5. Changing Your Name in Some Medical Record
To update your lived name on some medical records, log in to Health-e-Messaging. Select “Profile” on the left side menu and select edit next to categories like preferred name, gender identity, and pronouns to make changes. Contact Student Health and Counseling Services for further questions and support. A legal name change is required to update all medical records.
6. Changing Your Name in UC Path
After updating your legal name in UC Path, you may be required to send proof of the name change to Human Resources. A legal name change is not needed to update your preferred name (prefix, first, middle, last, and suffix).
Log in to UC Path and select “Employee Actions” in the left side panel. Click “Personal Information” and select the drop down arrow menu next to “Legal/Preferred Name”. You have the option to update a legal and/or a preferred name from this menu.
7. Changing Your Gender Marker
Students may currently update their gender designation between male and female via the Gender Change Form on OASIS. The non-binary option is not yet available but will be an option once implementation is completed, no later than December 31, 2023. To update your gender marker, log into OASIS, go to the “Forms & Petitions” tab, click the “Submit a New Form” button, and then select the Gender Change Form link. If you no longer have access to OASIS, use the Gender Change form PDF. No documentation of legal gender change is needed to update your gender marker on your UC Davis records.
Changes That Require a Legal Name and Gender Marker Change
8. Changing Your Name in All University Records
A legal name change process with the Office of University Registrar is required to update your lived name across all university records (including those that require a social security number). Instructions about processing your legal name change with the Registrar can be found in the section for name change on university record. Read more in the IT Service article about updating your campus directory listing.
Please note that professional students may need to complete additional steps or contact the school's registrar to ensure that all school lists and systems are updated.
Professional School Students
For professional schools (i.e., law, management, medicine, nursing, veterinary medicine), in addition to filling out the university’s name change forms, we also encourage students to reach out to their respective professional school's registrar's office to ensure your name is updated on all school lists and systems.