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Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help

Angelicanka Posted:

Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help

I need help ladies. I was about to take FH name (we got our license yesterday) and I freaked out. I felt so physically ill that I got back online and changed it to hyphenated instead. It felt like such a relief, but now I don;t know what to do about paperwork. When do you sign both names, which do you use daily , do you have people refer to you by both? Did you change all of your documents? Please help!

JennNicole Posted:

Re: Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help

I sign both if I don't than I just use the first L of my Maiden name than his full Name dropped my middle Initial.

Hope that helps
apriladam9206 Posted:

Re: Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help

The people I know that have it--sign both names

rmsgirl Posted:

Re: Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help

I hyphenated mine. On legal stuff, I always sign both. I'm just started changing over my work stuff. I still use my maiden name sometimes.

I hyphenated because I'm a teacher and didn't want to go back and change my certifications and degrees. Also, 'adding' his name just seemed easier emotionally than 'losing' mine.

melbalalala Posted:

Re: Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help

Hyphenated here. Use both, sign both, people call me by both. Each name is only two syllables so that helps

The hardest part? Giving my name over the phone and saying Doe-Smith, with a hyphen. Or Doe HYPHEN Smith.
Angelicanka Posted:

Re: Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help


Posted by rmsgirl

I hyphenated mine. On legal stuff, I always sign both. I'm just started changing over my work stuff. I still use my maiden name sometimes.

I hyphenated because I'm a teacher and didn't want to go back and change my certifications and degrees. Also, 'adding' his name just seemed easier emotionally than 'losing' mine.



I'm a teacher too. Since you hyphenate, you don;t need to change your degrees and certifications?

DId you changer your driver's license, passport, credit cards, bills?
JennNicole Posted:

Re: Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help

not right away but eventually you should Best part of being hyphenated
rmsgirl Posted:

Re: Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help

I don't think they need to be changed, but you might want to check with your district just to make sure.

I just figured that if I ever have to send transcripts or copies of my certificate to someone for employment purposes, it could be confusing to interview under one name and then have the paperwork arrive in another name. At least with the hypen, both are included.

I work in a private school. Most of the women on staff still have everything in their maiden name. Some of them have been married for 30+ years.

We use first names in my current school (it is a preschool). If I end up teaching again in a school where the kids have to use titles, I will probably just use the Ms. or Mrs. and an initial. I think the whole thing could get cumbersome for little ones.

Edited to add: I did change my ss#, credit cards, banks, driver's license, etc. Still have to get my passport done.
Angelicanka Posted:

Re: Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help


Posted by rmsgirl

I don't think they need to be changed, but you might want to check with your district just to make sure.

I just figured that if I ever have to send transcripts or copies of my certificate to someone for employment purposes, it could be confusing to interview under one name and then have the paperwork arrive in another name. At least with the hypen, both are included.

I work in a private school. Most of the women on staff still have everything in their maiden name. Some of them have been married for 30+ years.

We use first names in my current school (it is a preschool). If I end up teaching again in a school where the kids have to use titles, I will probably just use the Ms. or Mrs. and an initial. I think the whole thing could get cumbersome for little ones.

Edited to add: I did change my ss#, credit cards, banks, driver's license, etc. Still have to get my passport done.





Do you think it complicated some things for you to have a hyphenated last name?
bettybcafe82 Posted:

Re: Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help

The only thing I changed to my married name is one credit card and utitiy bills..everything else, still maiden

and I find myself still using my maiden name vs. married name..dont know why..
jeanyus27 Posted:

Re: Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help


Posted by bettybcafe82

The only thing I changed to my married name is one credit card and utitiy bills..everything else, still maiden

and I find myself still using my maiden name vs. married name..dont know why..



did you do SS or DMV?

I'm having such a hard time of letting go of my last name. Dh wants me to change it so badly! Maybe if i hyphenate it won't be so bad. But i know he's not thrilled about that either. I would still like to use my maiden name for work. I don't know!
Angelicanka Posted:

Re: Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help


Posted by jeanyus27


Posted by bettybcafe82

The only thing I changed to my married name is one credit card and utitiy bills..everything else, still maiden

and I find myself still using my maiden name vs. married name..dont know why..



did you do SS or DMV?

I'm having such a hard time of letting go of my last name. Dh wants me to change it so badly! Maybe if i hyphenate it won't be so bad. But i know he's not thrilled about that either. I would still like to use my maiden name for work. I don't know!



bump for more input
rmsgirl Posted:

Re: Hyphenated Last Name-Please Help

I don't think it complicated things too much for me. Some people still call me by my old last name and some people call me by DH's last name, but it doesn't really bother me one way or the other. I am careful to keep my legal paperwork consistent, though. Although DH would have supported me if I had decided to keep my own name, we both wanted there to be some connection between our names, especially for when we have children.

It did take some time to get used to the new name, though. There are still times when it sounds odd to me, although that is less frequent now. The name thing did freak me out in the beginning, too! It was like, 'Oh my god this is for REAL!'

Take some time and think things over about what will work best for you. You can't change the rest of your paperwork until after the wedding anyway and it will take some time to complete the process. What about the change is your biggest concern?

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