In chapter 6, we learned that james gatz changed his name. When and why did he do this?

His real name is James Gatz, and he was born to an impoverished farmer in North Dakota, rather than into wealth in San Francisco, as he claimed. He had his named legally changed to Jay Gatsby at the age of seventeen. Gatsby wanted to create a new identity for himself. He wanted to cut ties with his impoverished past and create an identity that is successful and new.