The Name Matched the ID… But what about the AKA and can I Legally Notarize?

Written By Dena H. Spinks

A Real-World Notary Situation: What Would You Do?

By Notary Know How / Dena Spinks / 10/22/2026

As notaries public, we are often reminded that our primary responsibility is to properly identify the individual appearing before us. But what happens when the signer's identification matches part of the name on the document, yet the notarial acknowledgment includes another name that the signer cannot substantiate?

I recently encountered this exact situation during a mobile notary assignment in Oneonta, Alabama.

And it turned into a valuable learning experience!

The Assignment: A Name That Raised Questions

I was contacted by a company requesting that I travel to Oneonta, Alabama, to complete a notarization for a client.

For privacy purposes, we'll call the signer Sarah Mitchell.

The documents identified the signer as:

Sarah Mitchell, AKA Sarah Elizabeth Mitchell and the signature line included both names.

The notarial acknowledgment also included both names.

As part of my preparation for the appointment, I spoke with the signer and discovered something that concerned me.

She informed me that her government-issued identification showed Sarah Mitchell, but she informed me that she had no identification containing the middle name Elizabeth.

This immediately raised a question:

Could I properly notarize an acknowledgment identifying her as Sarah Mitchell, AKA Sarah Elizabeth Mitchell, when her identification only supported the name Sarah Mitchell?

I wasn't comfortable making assumptions.

My First Step: Research Alabama's Notary Laws and Training

Before contacting anyone for guidance, I went directly to the resources available to Alabama notaries.

First, I reviewed the Alabama Probate Judges Association Notary Public Training.

This is the state-required training developed by the Alabama Probate Judges Association and the Alabama Law Institute.

I carefully reviewed the information available to me, looking for guidance about name discrepancies, AKA designations, and the wording of notarial acknowledgments.

Although the training discusses properly identifying signers and completing acknowledgments, I couldn't find an answer addressing my specific situation.

Next, I consulted the Alabama Secretary of State's Notary Public section.

I reviewed the available notary information and guidance, again searching for clarification on how to handle an acknowledgment containing an AKA name that wasn't supported by the signer's identification.

Unfortunately, I still couldn't find a specific answer to my question.

At this point, I knew I needed additional guidance before proceeding. After my inital search I was sure that there was nothing I could do for her since she had no supporting ID to show ‘Elizabeth’. I thought I would then reach out the the NNA to see what they had to say about it.

My Next Step: Contacting the National Notary Association

After reviewing the Alabama resources, I contacted the National Notary Association (NNA) and explained the situation.

I described the name appearing on the signer's identification, the additional AKA name appearing in the documents, and the fact that the notarial acknowledgment included both names.

During our conversation, the NNA representative discussed three possible options for resolving the situation.

Option 1: Correct the Notarial Acknowledgment

The first option discussed was to strike through the unsupported AKA language in the notarial certificate and initial the correction.

This would leave the acknowledgment identifying the signer by the name supported by her identification: Sarah Mitchell.

However, it is important to understand that any correction to a notarial certificate must be permissible under applicable law and accurately reflect the notarization performed.

The notary should also coordinate with the document preparer or receiving agency when appropriate to ensure the corrected certificate will be accepted. I did contact the document preparer and they are refusing this option at this point.

Option 2: Have the Signer Provide Additional Identification

The second option was for the signer to produce acceptable identification supporting the additional name.

For example, if she possessed another valid, government-issued identification document showing Sarah Elizabeth Mitchell, that could help establish the connection between the names. I did reach out to her, she said she didn’t have any but would keep looking.

Of course, the identification would still need to satisfy Alabama's applicable requirements.

Option 3: Have the Document Preparer Redo the Documents

The third option was to contact the document preparer and request revised documents removing the unsupported AKA designation.

The preparer could then provide a new document package with an acknowledgment identifying the signer appropriately.

This option would avoid the need for the notary to make corrections directly to the existing certificate.

It would also ensure that the individual or company responsible for preparing the documents made the necessary changes.

At first the hiring company said the document prepare was unwilling to do this but as time went on they changed their mind and were preparing to do just that. I clearly expressed to them that it was not legal for me to notarize an acknowledgement certificate that lists the signer as Sarah Mitchell, aka: Sara Elizabeth Mitchell if there is no supporting indentification to prove her ID.

The Important Distinction: The Document vs. the Notarial Certificate

One of the biggest takeaways from this experience was the importance of distinguishing the name appearing in the body of a document from the name appearing in the notarial certificate.

A legal document may contain an AKA designation for various reasons.

However, the notarial certificate serves a different purpose.

When completing an acknowledgment, the notary is certifying that the properly identified individual personally appeared and acknowledged executing the document.

The notary must be careful not to make an unsupported representation about the identity of the person appearing before them.

In other words, we shouldn't assume that an AKA designation in a document automatically establishes proof of both names.

What Alabama Notaries Should Remember

Alabama Code § 36-20-73.1 establishes requirements for positive identification during acknowledgments, including identification through personal knowledge or examination of government-issued photo identification for ordinary in-person notarizations.

The Alabama Probate Judges Association training also emphasizes the importance of positively identifying the signer before completing a notarization.

However, these general requirements do not necessarily provide a specific answer for every name discrepancy a notary might encounter.

An absent middle name does not automatically mean that two names identify different people or that notarization is prohibited.

The important questions are whether the signer's identity has been properly established and whether the notarial certificate accurately reflects the act being performed.

The Real Lesson: Don't Guess. Research. Ask Questions.

This assignment reminded me that being a knowledgeable and professional notary doesn't mean we will always have every answer immediately. Even experienced notaries encounter situations that require additional research.

What matters is how we respond. We should never be afraid to stop and ask questions when something doesn't seem right. The goal isn't simply to complete the assignment. The goal is to complete the assignment correctly, legally, and with integrity. And sometimes that means researching state law, reviewing training materials, contacting reliable professional resources, and communicating with the document preparer before proceeding.

The real kicker!

The hiring company notified me that the document preparer was now okay with me doing a strike through on the aka portion. So I was able to go to the appointment. When I got there and reviewed the signers ID, guess what, it said Sara Elizabeth Mitchell. The signer was totally wrong. Their ID did have the full name!!!!!!!!! Next time I will make them pull out their ID and tell me how their name is listed! LESSON LEARNED!!!

Now, Let's Hear From You!

Imagine you receive an assignment with the following information:

  • Signer's identification: Sarah Mitchell

  • Document name: Sarah Mitchell, AKA Sarah Elizabeth Mitchell

  • Notarial acknowledgment: Sarah Mitchell, AKA Sarah Elizabeth Mitchell

  • Additional identification: None showing Elizabeth

What would you do?

Would you request a corrected certificate, seek additional identification, or ask the document preparer to issue revised documents?

Have you encountered a similar situation?

Share your experiences in the comments!

At Notary Know How, we believe real-world experiences are some of the most valuable opportunities for professional learning.

Notary Know How — Empowering Notaries Through Knowledge, Confidence, and Community.

Educational Disclaimer: This article describes an actual notarial situation using a fictional name and summarizes options discussed during a consultation with the National Notary Association. It is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Notaries should follow the laws of their commissioning state and seek qualified legal guidance when necessary.

SOURCES:

Dena H. Spinks
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