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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Helen Le Caplain & Courtney Pochin

Mum legally changes name to 'Unicorn Sparkles' as real one 'didn't spark joy' for her

When it comes to our names, we initially have no say in the matter as they are picked by our parents.

But as we get older and start to make our own choices, we can decide to change our names if we so desire.

One mum has shared how she decided to change her name by deed poll after watching Marie Kondo's hit Netflix show, as she realised the moniker "didn't spark joy" for her.

The parent-of-two, who is unicorn-obsessed, changed her name from Marie Naisbitt to Marie Unicorn Sparkles - as the thought it suited her better.

The change came in 2019 as the mum realised that she wasn't happy with her whole look, deciding to ditch dark clothing and dye her hair in vibrant multi-coloured shades.

She's ditched her married surname in favour of Sparkles (Kennedy News and Media)

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Marie Unicorn, who works as a medical secretary says she soon began to feel 'more her' as people started commenting that she even looked like a unicorn.

This convinced the 36-year-old to take the plunge and fill in forms to legally change her name.

At the time, her plumber hubby Patrick Naisbitt, 38, jokingly asked if she was having a midlife crisis, but fully supported her and told her to 'do whatever makes you happy'.

Three years on Marie Unicorn [this is her first name] hasn't looked back, and now daughters Elouise, 14, and 10-year-old Esme have even taken on the Sparkles moniker too.

Despite being fully supportive of Marie Unicorn ditching her married surname, Patrick has said he won't be changing his, with his wife joking 'he's a bore'.

Her kids have started using the same surname - but her husband won't (Kennedy News and Media)

While the family loves the new name, not everyone has been so sure about it - with some others unable to believe it's real.

After splashing out £25 to get her name changed by deed poll, Marie Unicorn contacted all companies and utility providers to update her details from Marie Naisbitt to Marie Unicorn Sparkles.

The majority have been plain sailing, with her driving licence, bank cards, finance information and work ID proving an easy transition.

But poor Patrick spent 20 minutes on the phone trying to convince a bemused car insurance provider that the name change wasn't a wind-up.

Marie Unicorn, from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, explained: "My driving licence has been super easy to change, everything else has been really easy too.

"We had a couple of issues with the car insurance, my husband changed it over because I was already listed as a named driver.

"He was on the phone for 20 minutes and he was arguing with the bloke because he was going 'no, behave, tell me really' and this went on for a while.

"It got really awkward, my husband was saying 'no seriously, check the driving licence'. We got it sorted at the finish.

"Everything's been changed now, I'm just waiting for my passport to arrive but the name change has been done."

The mum was inspired by Marie Kondo's Netflix show (Denise Crew/Netflix)

Marie Unicorn continued to say: "I changed my name as I just wanted to be myself.

"I had a business called the Unicorn Beauty Club and people used to call me 'the unicorn lady' because I'm obsessed with them.

"I've always loved unicorns. It always annoys me the thought that giraffes and owls exist but a unicorn couldn't.

"I used to collect unicorn things when I was younger, it just sort of got out of control when I got older.

"I love that they can be themselves and they're so magical."

She went on to share how watching Marie Kondo while going through a bout of depression spurred her on to make changes in her life.

"I went through quite a bad depression in 2018 and I just didn't feel like me. I wasn't happy so I decided to start making changes," she said.

"I saw Marie Kondo and she says if something doesn't spark joy, throw it out. That's what really inspired me and I started looking at my clothes and hair and thinking 'I don't like any of it'.

"I was wearing dark clothes and had straight black hair trying to look all sensible because I'm a mum but I wasn't being me.

"I started making little changes and that's where it spiralled.

"Marie Kondo hasn't just changed my wardrobe but my entire life, that one quote changed everything and has moulded the way I am now.

"My style before I changed was very mumsy. I've just bought a big pink shiny coat, I wouldn't have dreamed of wearing anything like this before.

"When I started dyeing my hair I started to think 'I'm starting to feel more me'. Then people said 'you really do look like a unicorn now' and that's when I thought 'I'm going to do it' [do the name change]."

It's been a few years now since the mum made the change and she says she now couldn't ever imagine changing her name back.

"I'll keep it for the rest of my life," she proclaimed.

"My name makes people smile and it makes me smile too. It's lovely when I go into the bank and they go 'oh wow', that's nice.

"I'm definitely keeping the name now, I'll be a Granny Unicorn Sparkles.

"We've talked about it with the kids as well and they've said 'we'd like to carry on the name'.

"Patrick did offer to become Sparkles to make me happy, bless him, but I turned round and said 'it wouldn't make you happy so no'.

"But he did offer, which I thought was really lovely."

Do you have a story to share? We pay for stories. Email courtney.pochin@mirror.co.uk

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