WESTERN Bulldogs fans relax – it's not a draftee, a new overseas recruit or the league's most experienced rookie lining up at full-back – it's still Brian Harris.

Nor is there a misprint on the team sheet, he's just changed his name.

Upon the birth of his son Cohen Ashton, the 2007 Charles Sutton Medallist Harris has  changed his name to Brian Lake.

Brian's former surname of Harris was his mother's maiden name, but with the arrival of little Cohen on December 23, he changed it to Lake to carry on the family name.

"At the time it seemed a simple thing to do but you forget how much paperwork is involved," Lake said.

"I wanted my son to have my name, so it was straight forward from that respect."

Cohen Ashton Lake's birth was an exciting time for Brian and partner Shannon O'Malley, coming just three days after the birthday of his half-brother Bailee, aged seven. Bailee is O'Malley's son from a previous relationship.

"This is all very new to me as I have been a father for four years now with Bailee but this whole newborn thing is different," Lake said.

"I've been getting up in the middle of the night to heat the bottle and help Shannon out but really she's the one that does most of it."

From now on Brian will be listed as Brian Lake (Harris) for historical purposes.