Another applicant, a Queens resident, said he had changed his surname from one shared by a certain recently ousted dictator to something less Middle Eastern. ''People are conditioned to think of and categorize you'' on the basis of your name, he said in an interview, adding that he did not want his new name printed because he did not want his new friends to think he had deceived them.

For those seeking to make the switch, there are only a few restrictions. To change a child's name, both parents must agree, and if the child is 14 or older, he or she must also consent in writing.

Titles are not allowed. You cannot legally become the Sultan of Swing or the Queen of Chelsea. And you cannot take the name of a public figure if it is likely to cause confusion. ''Nobody would let you call yourself George W. Bush,'' said Ernesto Belzaguy, first deputy chief clerk of the civil court. ''You would really have to have a good reason for that.''

Even for less recognizable names, applicants must state a reason. These range from the practical to the unusual. Couples often change their names when they marry, and transsexuals often change their names to match their sexual identity. If a judge does not suspect the applicant of trying to commit fraud, he generally signs an order for the change.

Recently, a gray-haired man named Mordechai Engelman stood in line to apply to change his first name to Martin, the name on his driver's license and other documents. ''My mother told me my English name was Martin,'' said Mr. Engelman, who grew up in Brooklyn with a mother who spoke Yiddish and Hungarian. ''She is deceased, but I'm sure she'd be fine with it.''

A source book used by the court says names should not be changed for ''trivial, capricious, or vainglorious reasons.'' Apparently, that did not apply to A. Fluffy Bunny, a man who worked with children in a hospital and legally changed his name to match his professional persona.

Nor has it impeded other applicants with unorthodox requests. ''Let's see, there was Grey I's, and there was Human Being,'' said Nancy Santiago, a clerk, giggling as she scanned a list on her computer.