As an avid genealogist, I know these boards can help with all kinds of genealogy problems so I thought I'd describe a non-quite genealogy problem and see if I can get any feedback. As the story goes, my mother was born at home in Dunmore, Lackawanna County, PA in the early 1900s to a very Irish family. Her mother wanted her named Marie Anne. Her mother (Helen) was very ill from the delivery so her mother's sister registered the birth. Since my grandmother went against Irish naming convention, my aunt took it upon herself to register the name "properly," thus, my mother's birth name is Mary Helen. On her marriage certificate from Lackawanna County it is tweaked to Marie Helen. Her church records also show Mary Helen, except marriage of Marie Helen. All her adult life has been spent as Marie Anne including taxes, drivers license, social security, etc. My mother is over 85 and living in a nursing home. I've been pursuing various programs to help pay some of the costs. They are requiring birth and marriage certificates, etc. when I complete applications. Obviously the name difference is causing problems. In talking w/ Lackawanna County they advise that I must legally change her name to correct the forms. This entails hiring attorney, trips to PA, etc. Has anyone else run into this and how did you handle it?