If you have legally changed your name since your original United States passport was issued, you should always correct the passport itself to help prevent any delays in travel plans that you have moving forward. To do so, you will need to complete a series of important steps and provide all relevant documentation to the appropriate agencies.
The first step involves completing the appropriate application form, which will vary depending on when your passport was issued. If your passport was recently issued less than one year ago, you will use form DS-5504. If your passport was issued more than one year ago, you will use form DS-82. If you have no document to support the legal change of your name, you will effectively have to apply for a new passport and use form DS-11.
You will also need to gather all supporting documents, including evidence of the aforementioned name change. This will include your passport, a passport photo and evidence of your name change. In the event that no evidence is available, you will need to provide three public records containing the date and place of birth that proves you have been exclusively going by your new name for a period of at least the past five consecutive years.