To obtain a legal name change in Wisconsin, an applicant must submit a petition to the court. The applicant must publish a notice of the hearing in a newspaper once a week for three weeks prior to the hearing date, however the publication requirement can be waived for the applicant’s safety. Any person required to register as a sex offender many not chnage their legal name. (Wis. Stat. Ann. § 786.37 & Wis. Stat. Ann. § 985.07)
For instructions on legal name changes for minors under 18 in Wisconsin, see NCTE's Name Changes for Minors in Wisconsin resource.