He used to go by Tyler Gold, but a 23-year-old Nebraska man shall henceforth be known by his official title of Tyrannosaurs Rex Joseph Gold. According to Nebraska's York News-Times:
Gold appeared in York County District Court Monday morning, before Judge Alan Gless who heard the unusual request.
In Gold's official filing with the court, he said he wanted to change his name "because the (T-Rex designation) is cooler. Also, as an entrepreneur, name recognition is important and the new name is more recognizable." He verbally repeated his reasoning during the court proceedings, while on the witness stand. [Emphasis added]
Gless ruled that because Gold had gone through all the right channels, and was not changing his name to evade creditors or law enforcement, the name change could go through.
Paleontology is a big deal in Nebraska, but few, if any, dinosaur fossils have actually been discovered there (the vast majority of the state's paleontological specimens date to no earlier than 35 million years ago). Funny to think that the region's first and only T. Rex would come to light in the 21st century. And also go by "Joseph." [York News Times via Brian Switek]