Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

JNMWineBride Posted: Aug 31, 2006 10:20 AM

Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

What is everyone doing with thier last names/or for past prides what did you do?

I would really like to keep my last name either by hyphenating or as a 2nd middle name. Does anyone have any pros and cons to mention for each of these ideas?

I definitely want to take my FH's last name in some way, since we are going to be a family, but I can't totally give up my maiden name - it's too big a part of who I am - I love my name!

NY031978 Posted: Aug 31, 2006 10:22 AM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

in my case im taking his last name...i really dont want too! haha but since we gave our daughter his name i figured id just do the same! otherwise id prob hypenate it!

ChrisnAmy Posted: Aug 31, 2006 10:47 AM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

Changing my name to his!

at least I will get to keep my same initials!

ABC!

GabrielleandJohn Posted: Aug 31, 2006 10:51 AM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

Kinda of off the topic'

My sister wasn't comfortable having our name 'disappear' (we are seven girls no boys). So she took her husbands name but gave her 3 children our last name as their middle name.

Just an option to keep in mind if you decide to take his name.

LaurenluvsTJ Posted: Aug 31, 2006 10:59 AM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

Well, I got married three months ago and still haven't done anything. I felt the same way you did, but now that we've been married awhile, I think I am going to take his name, I really want to feel more like a family, and when we have kids one day we will all share the same name. Doing the middle name thing is a pain, you have to go to courts to do that, and hyphenating is just to much work. I have to come to realize that changing my name won't change who I am in the slightest bit. So now I just have to get my azz to SS and DMV and get it done!

MattandTricia07 Posted: Aug 31, 2006 11:00 AM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

We have this sort of family thing that you use your maiden name as your middle initial. You don't hypenate your name, but just use the letter. So my intials will go from PKL to PLT.

CLMon7906 Posted: Aug 31, 2006 11:10 AM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

Taking his last name, unfortunately, it's a giant PITA to change my daughter's name, so I keep getting called Mrs. herlastname....and it was NEVER my last name so it irritates me. GRRR. [she has her birth father's last name]

july06bride Posted: Aug 31, 2006 11:11 AM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

I hyphenated... I felt as an only child I wanted to keep my fathers name and also be able to keep the italian last name..and I wanted to of course add dhs last name

ewickens Posted: Aug 31, 2006 11:12 AM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

i'm taking FH's last name as soon as I possibly can!

frosty Posted: Aug 31, 2006 11:13 AM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

I kept my name. We aren't having children, so that is not a concern for us.

kittythestray Posted: Aug 31, 2006 11:13 AM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

As Shakespeare once said 'What's in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other word would smell as sweet.'

I am happily taking his last name.

cindyandkevin Posted: Aug 31, 2006 11:18 AM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

I gladly took his name and started the process the day after we got back from our HM!! It doesn't change who I am or the accomplishments that I've made in the slightest bit.

M&LSept1606 Posted: Aug 31, 2006 11:58 AM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

I was so against changing my name. But, now with 16 days to go I can't wait to have my new 'generic' name.....

FH name is a name like 'smith' or 'jones' mine is long and Italian.

beaviss80 Posted: Aug 31, 2006 12:15 PM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

i'm taking fh's last name but keeping mine for my career

kittymannering Posted: Aug 31, 2006 01:12 PM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

Keeping my name. Too much of a pain to change it -- It's not just SS & DMV, but also all accounts & work & 401k's and property & past graduate degrees. I'm in awe of all you people who's brave enough to face that much paper work. How do you guys manage?

melbalalala Posted: Aug 31, 2006 01:14 PM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

Im 99% sure that Im hyphenating. I would love to keep my last name but that will be too confusing when we have kids.

stephanielyse Posted: Aug 31, 2006 01:20 PM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

I kept my name. Sometimes I wish we had a name that we shared, but honestly, when does it come up? Never. When we have kids they will have my last name. But if you want your husbands name, I think YourLast HisLast w/ no hyphen is the best (especially if either of you has a long last name, you don't want to have to write both all the time)

dani18 Posted: Aug 31, 2006 01:23 PM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

i'm keeping mine as a middle name....i can't part with it. I think i'll miss my last name if i get rid of it completely. PLUS I HATE my middle name....so its the perfect substitution.

kathrynlinton Posted: Aug 31, 2006 02:25 PM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

Posted by dani18

i'm keeping mine as a middle name....i can't part with it. I think i'll miss my last name if i get rid of it completely. PLUS I HATE my middle name....so its the perfect substitution.

Legally you can only do this with a court order. FYI

Now my mom just uses her maiden name as a middle name and never officially changed it.

I was going to do this too, but I ended up just taking DH's name. Although, I haven't gotten to hte DMV yet (what? we are only married 6 months and I had time to get pg, but whatever) so I kind of just say MaidennameNewlastname and no one looks at me weird.

CLMon7906 Posted: Aug 31, 2006 02:29 PM

Re: Changing your name?? Other options - pros & cons

Posted by kathrynlinton

Posted by dani18

i'm keeping mine as a middle name....i can't part with it. I think i'll miss my last name if i get rid of it completely. PLUS I HATE my middle name....so its the perfect substitution.

Legally you can only do this with a court order. FYI

Actually, whatever you tell them when you get your marriage license is what you can do without 'going to court' so if you want to do the middle name thing, you have to tell them that when you get the marriage license. Girls who've wanted to hyphenate were told the same thing...they can only do what is on the marriage license or go through the whole bit through the 'courts' and that's a messy, expensive option....we've been working on my daughter's name and it just costs too much money and takes too much time.