[MontanaDream]

I recently emailed with a lady that told me that VA adoption agencies would give code names to the adoptees. It seems her sister was given a false name, but she somehow found her real birthname. Has anyone else out there encountered this? If so, how common is it?

[JNs_AdtrandFes_Bdtr]

Hello,
I was born and adopted in VA. I had a "code name," or a name given to me. My birthmom did not name me after I was born. Its in my medical records and my non-identifying information. I do not know how common it is but I did have one. Hope this helps.

[MontanaDream]

Ok- so you didn't have a birth name and the state gave you one. If you don't mind my asking, but what was it? What I know to be my birth name is just 2 names, no middle or maybe its no last name.
Do you know if by chance if they gave them only to the babies without birthnames?
Thanks so much!

[Jo Ellen]

I think this issue is more common than some people realize. My bmom was told she had to choose an alias name while she was in the maternity home then once I was born I was given the name baby girl with her alias last name. Then every document in my adoption file along with my hospital records has mine and her alias name. It makes me angry the agency or state had the nerve to deny my bmom her real name and the name she gave me to be put on the documents. It is maddning that they didn't stand up for what was right. To me that is lower than low. I am happy to know my bmom did give me a name and that is the name Jo Ellen that I use in honor of my bmom and bdad.

[MontanaDream]

That is unreal. The name "they" or someone gave me was Susan Blake. No middle or last or whatever. I don't have any documents except the paper that my aparents signed when I was given to them. I don't know which maternity home my bmom was in or what hospital I was born in. I was born in Richmond, but when I called CHS to get more info- I was told to call the Roanoke office- so I suspect my adoption was handled out of there. I have so little info that it seems impossible to search- my daddy died in 91 and my amom left before I was 2, so there is no one I can ask about my adoption. DSS won't give me my non id- they said that they have me in the system that I was born and adopted in VA but thats it. I do have a "heritage summary" from CHS, but I question the truthfulness of that. I just hope that someone somewhere see's my posting and it clicks.
Thanks!

[JNs_AdtrandFes_Bdtr]

Hello again,
They gave me the name Victoria L. Mann, I don't know if they give "code names" to babies who already have names but they have to for children who do not have one. I don't know if you know this or have tried but VA is a confidentiary intermediary state. So if you were adopted and born in VA you can go to the VA Department of Social Services website and fill out an Adoptee Application for Disclosure and see how you fair. Thats how I found out who my birth parents were. They do the work and contact them for you. If that does not work it is a start and if your birth parents do not want contact at least you know and/ or have tried one avenue.

Here's the link:
Adoption Forms/Applications - Virginia Department of Social Services

Good Luck!

[MontanaDream]

THANKS! I'll give that a try.

[California_Chris]

My mother is an adoptee, and her birth mother gave an alias in 1938 to St. Ann's Infant Asylum (a maternity home), which was then in Washington, DC. (It's now in Maryland.)

What's very frustrating -- and it would seem, illegal -- is that both St. Ann's and the Richmond Bureau of Catholic Charities passed off that assumed name the mother used as a legal name to another state office when the adoption happened.

I'm sure the birth mothers at that time were happy not to have their real names in some files...but I'm sorry, we cannot just put whatever name we choose into legal files because we don't want our real names to appear. Can you imagine what a mess state and federal records would be if that were an option?????