One of the more difficult questions youâll face is âWill I change my name?â There are three main options from which most women choose: Keeping their maiden name, taking their spouseâs name, or hyphenating to combine the two. I am trying to renew my passport at the moment. Divorce Decree), then you can start using your maiden name again. I suppose I'm trying to figure out if I can using my maiden name professionally WITHOUT legally changing it, or if I HAVE to use my married name all the time because that's my legal name. Jo-Anne Stayner of I'm a Mrs. Name Change Service recommends that people who are legally changing their name make sure they’re 100 percent certain of the spelling and format of their new name. that if the name you are using doesn't match your birth certificate, and you don't have a name change decree or a marriage record, the government will make you jump through an awful lot of hoops. If you have legal documents like a will or trust, you’ll want to look into changing them as well. c. 208, § 1A) (CJD-101A), or Counterclaim for Divorce (CJD-202). First, apprise the Social Security Administration of your new name, then notify the IRS and the DMV—you may need to get a new driver’s license. To be fair, most people in the world donât blink an eye at my hyphenated name, but once in a while people â especially if they have to get me to spell out my name or enter it into a computer â will act as if I chose my extra-long, punctuation-having name just to make life harder for them. Itâs not the end of the world, but itâs annoying, especially since most people stop when I get to the end of the first half and attempt to move on. Iâm Nigel Pipp-Haverstock â you know, of the Sheffield Pipp-Haverstocks.â (So, basically, a P.G. I looked into changing my last name legally and I don't have the money and cant take the time off work right now to go through the legal process. Although it’s important to notify people of your new name, doing it too soon could create logistical problems. Don’t forget to tell banks, credit card companies, utility companies, and mortgage or loan companies about your new name, and make a list of any identification documents—like your passport—that you’ll need to update. I know from personal experience that changing your name informally is physically possible, but, 5, 10 (or in my case 27) years down the line, when you apply for a loan, security clearance, passport, . couples may create a new last name that they both use, and; some spouses keep their own surnames, but hyphenate their children’s last names. But even though I felt that hyphenating would suit me best in an ideal world, I kept wondering if it wouldnât work for me on a practical level in the real one. “We save our members time by auto-populating forms, pre-drafting emails, and providing specific contact details and tips on organizations’ preferred method to submit name changes,” explains Stayner. According to latest statistics, roughly 10% married women hyphenate their last names. I have to say, âWait, go back! There are things I love about my new name, but I was right to be worried about the practical implications of having a very long (19 characters!) Finally, transgender people who are undergoing sex change operations should proceed with caution when changing their names with their health insurance companies to avoid confusion and ensure coverage. two-parter of a surname. Some people who combine their names include a hyphen in the middle and some donât. In my case, my decision to hyphenate my name with my husbandâs was the result of a weird mix of careful consideration and spur-of-the-moment decision-making. Option 4: Take your maiden name as a middle name and your spouse’s last name Although it may be seem daunting to show up at court or fill out legal paperwork, you don’t need to hire a lawyer to change your name. Many people believe that in a marriage one spouse is required to legally change their last name to match the other spouse's last name. People often accuse hyphenated names (or âdoubled-barreledâ names) of sounding pretentious. Changing Your Name Through Common Usage. My fiancé and I are getting married in April. Even with all the headaches the name can cause, it feels right to me to retain the name with which I grew up, but at the same time call myself something that reflects a major milestone in my life. Itâs the same when you hyphenate, with a slight difference: When you keep only one name, a stranger doesn't immediately know whether your name is your maiden name or your spouseâs name. This implies joining your last name and your groom’s last name with a hyphen. In the United States, a legal name change can be obtained through a court order and any US citizen has the right to change his/her name … There is no legal custody agreement. If you don’t like your birth name, you can legally change it to whatever you want … with a few exceptions. If you are the father of a child whose last name is different than yours, there are two main ways to change the child’s last name. Changing Your Name Without Going to Court [Not to be confused with Changing Your Name in a Common-Law Marriage, this article covers the idea that one could change his or her name simply by using that name regularly]. In most states, men and women can legally change their last name to their new spouse’s surname, hyphenate their two surnames, or create a new amalgamation of their surnames (like when actors Alexa Vega and Carlos Pena got married in 2014, and changed both of their last names to PenaVega). I gave my daughter her father's last name when she was born almost 3 years ago, thinking it would eventually be my last name also. Most of the time, itâs not a big deal, but when dealing with plane tickets, medical records, and other nit picky situations, it can be a huge pain in the ass. My daughter has the same last name as her dad and I don't want to have a different last name than her. Iâve written a lot about the hassle that goes along with a hyphenated name, but there is one thing I quite like about it: Every time I use it, I am reminded of my two families â the one that raised me and the new one Iâve made with my husband. I have her the majority of the time. Wodehouse novel). The process of name change is generally less cumbersome. State law governs what you can name yourself. Services such as I’m a Mrs. and HitchSwitch can also simplify the name change process by putting all the forms and instructions you need in one place. If you have some sort of documentation that contradict each other, for instance, school information and birth certificate, they'll change it on you social security card, and therefore it can be changed on your licence. but you will need to use your legal name everywhere else (at work, on your personal accounts, when signing your name… Images: Pexels; Giphy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). . You must follow some guidelines, such as, you cannot change your name to a famous person, you cannot change your name to avoid legal issues and you cannot change your name to one that is demeaning or has a negative connotation. (Spoiler: I did not). Other things you should do? I already changed my name. Obtaining a legal name change varies depending on the residence of the applicants. Again, someone who hyphenates with shorter names might have a different experience from mine, but every time someone asks me to spell my last name over the phone, I … In a situation where parental rights of one parent have been legally terminated, the other parent may change the child's last name without permission. My maiden name was fairly long, and his wasnât much shorter, and although I liked the sound of the two together (âRutherford-Morrisonâ), I kept waffling about it and wondering if I should just choose one or the other. Get new checks, notify the post office, and update your medical records and insurance. Not all states require that you file your name change in court, but some states do. While you can name yourself some pretty unique things, there are a few concrete rules about name changes by which you must abide. It was important that someone searching for me under my old last name would still find me, and that e-mail sent out would immediately be recognized.” Set up forwarding where necessary . The first way is to get the consent of the mother. The law is, you can use whatever name you want, provided it is not done for fraudulent purposes. And thatâs enough to make me want to keep my name, all bulky 19 characters of it. Even if you have sole legal and physical custody, the court might not allow you to change her last name if her other parent maintains a frequent and loving relationship with her and if he objects. No matter where you live, do your research (your state government’s website is a good place to start) to make sure you’re following your state’s protocol. This is probably due to an English tradition in which doubled (or even tripled) up names are a way of demonstrating one's heritage; in this tradition, for instance, an upper-class woman could marry and retain the status of her unmarried name by grafting it on to her husbandâs. A legal name change does not require an attorney and can be completed by yourself. To hyphen or change it back would require going through the court to change it back to my maiden name, which is a hassle. My issue is I have a ton of certifications in my maiden name; therefore, if I hyphenate my last name with my maiden and married name (Holcombe-Matthews) can I use either or last name on legal documents. Note that the process to change a last name due to divorce, adoption or paternity action is different than if you are changing the name for other reasons. If you decide to go through and seek a court-ordered name change, the first step usually involves filing a petition with your local court clerk. Today, that is simply not the case. Following a marriage or civil partnership, a person can take the name of their spouse or civil partner simply by providing a copy of the marriage or civil partnership certificate to the relevant offices (such as the passport office, DVLA, benefits agencies and your bank or building society). For people who are pro-name-changing, your choice to keep your maiden name may seem like a rejection of traditional values; but, for those who are against name changing, your decision to take on your spouseâs name may seem like a concession to conservative notions of femininity. Her dad and I are actually still together, but I do not want to get married. Similarly, if two upper-class families joined through marriage, the couple might take a combined name to signify their connections to both lineages. Changing your name after marriage or divorce is a relatively simple process. I kept coming back to hyphenating because I loved my maiden name and wanted to keep it (and there were some professional considerations involved), but I also loved my husbandâs name and the idea of changing my name to reflect my partnership with him and our new family. “The biggest thing to keep in mind about any name change is that it is a process, rather than a one-stop shop,” says Anna Phipps, VP of Experience at HitchSwitch, a name change service geared towards newlyweds. But can you have two last names while your partner only has one? As with many facets of life, the only solution is to do your own thing and not care what other people think. The laws in every state are different and you'll want to make sure you're doing it by the book, including filing your legal name change petition with the appropriate government entity. We don’t see this happen all that often, but men can take the last name of their spouse, too. When you have a hyphenated name, you can expect that people will make assumptions about who you are as a person, but their expectations will reflect their points of view more than your own. You can go the "traditional" route and list your "maiden" name first, or you could choose to list your new last name first, followed by your original last name. If you decide to change your last name when you get married, you don’t need a court order. “Wait until you get your official paperwork (court papers, marriage certificate, divorce decree) in hand before starting to change your name broadly—you’ll save a lot of time this way,” says Stayner. Obtaining a legal document such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court granted petition will allow you to change your name but won't make your name change official, explains Phipps. Have Your Spouse Take Your Last Name. But realistically, you might still need a court order to show as proof of your name change to banks, the SSA, or the DMV because these organizations are wary of identity theft. Change of plans and no chance of that happening, so I would like to add my last name hyphenated with hers. If you want to change your child's surname, there are some circumstances when a name change [1] petition will be approved without the consent of both parents:. For now, at least. On my old passport, my last names are not hyphenated, but on my birth certificate, my last names are hyphenated. Currently waiting on a call back from social security regarding this question. So make sure to do your research and check your state’s legal name change laws before you consider changing your name. Long story short, after all of my indecisive dillydallying, I had to make a quick decision right then, so I bit the bullet and put the two names together, a hyphen in the middle. Hyphenating a name generally occurs when a woman gets married and keeps her maiden name while taking on her husband's last name. When you hyphenate, the hyphen makes it obvious that youâve chosen to combine names (although, to be fair, some people have hyphenated names given to them by their parents). A child’s legal name can only be changed via deed poll or through a change of the child’s birth certificate in certain circumstances (see ‘ Changing a child’s name via the birth certificate ‘ … If you're getting divorced and want to resume a name you have legally had in the past, you can ask to resume this former name in your Complaint for divorce (CJD-101), Joint Petition for Divorce form (pursuant to G.L. Two completely different issues: 1) Can you use you new husband's name without legally changing your own? You could choose to take your spouse's last name, hyphenate your last names, or in some states, choose a new last name unrelated to either your name or your spouse's name. Filling out a Petition for Name Change can be fairly straightforward. You will need to sign all legal documents with both names, but you can introduce yourself with one last name, thus forgoing the mouthful that hyphenated last names can create. 2021 Bustle Digital Group. It also costs a small amount of money to get forms notarized. You also can’t change your name to commit fraud, evade law enforcement, or avoid paying any debts you owe. Computers (and, frankly, a lot of the people who use them) often have trouble with the hyphen and with the fact that I have a multipart name. Some couples decide to have both partners change to the hyphenated last name, as a show of unity and equality. Some states also require that you advertise your new name by publishing it in a newspaper. Insurance companies won’t cover a hysterectomy for legal males, for example. “It might seem obvious, but we get several inquiries a year for people needing to make a legal name change because of a misspelling.”. Once you’ve gotten married and you’re ready to change your name, you’ll need your marriage license to make it happen.. Keep in mind that if you’re changing your name to a hyphenated last name or a different name altogether, there are some signatures you’ll need to be aware of ahead of time. It's completely up to you whether you take on your spouse’s surname after marriage. Changing, not changing, and hyphenating oneâs name are all completely valid options, and I thought long and hard about each one. But then that means that people end up being confused about what my name actually is, and there are times when I can't even remember which of my names I used. . “You won't be legally recognized by your new name until you've submitted applications with the Social Security Administration, DMV, etc.”. Cut to two years later, and Iâm still not sure how I feel about it. Here, we're exploring the last option, hyphenating your last name, with help from expert Valerie Freeman. All rights reserved. or ! The upside is that when you get to the restaurant and have to offer multiple names to find the one under which you actually made the reservation, people assume you are a super spy struggling to keep track of her many secret identities. In order to legally change your child's last name in Texas, you must obtain a court order. Except thatâs not what happened. And if you get divorced and want to legally change your name back to your maiden name, you can usually get the judge to take care of that during the divorce proceedings. You can't change a child’s name through a divorce. If either my husband or I had had a one-syllable name, I imagine my experience would be a bit different. The process is pretty straightforward. When Iâm doing things that donât require my legal name, like making dinner reservations, Iâll often just use one of my names to save time explaining the situation on the phone. I have one, which means that the hyphen is actually part of my legal name. Anyone is free to keep their own name, hyphenate their name with a spouse's name, take their spouse's name, or come up with a completely different name altogether. Eventually I figured I would get through the whole wedding shebang first and then make my decision when life had quieted down. If you’re considering getting a legal name change, here are seven things you should know. In California, for example, you can technically choose a new name and start using it consistently under the state’s usage method. That said, if youâre thinking of hyphenating, these are some of the things you can expect to happen: Again, someone who hyphenates with shorter names might have a different experience from mine, but every time someone asks me to spell my last name over the phone, I have to warn them, âOK, itâs in two parts, so bear with me,â take a deep breath, and start spelling. However, some states require women to legally change their name … Legally changing your name, whether for marriage, divorce, or another reason, can be a big life event. And if you’re getting married, you may want to pay for additional certified copies of your marriage certificate to use as proof of your new last name. This name change option allows you to have both surnames but use them interchangeably. 4. Many people change their name when they get married, as well as for other personal or professional reasons. Just write your new last name on your marriage license and show your marriage certificate (not license) to places such as the DMV, your bank, and Social Security Administration as proof of your new last name. Can I hyphenate my last name without legally changing it? I like my double-barreled name, but even I sometimes feel a little ridiculous using it, as if I should be in a period film populated by people who swan around saying things like, âWhat ho! Not really. Hyphenated Last name by: Anonymous Question: I am turning 18 in a few weeks, and my passport has not been renewed for about 6 years. You can use a hyphenated last name in informal social settings (on social media, amongst friends, etc.) Companies such as LegalZoom offer packages that streamline the name change process, giving you the paperwork you need to fill out for your state. You can change your name as you see fit. While this may sound scary, for a legal name change it is often just a matter of filling out a form and going to court in some cases. So, you can get away with a lot regarding names, as long as it is not intended to defraud anyone. I hyphenated my last name without consent from anyone, but it was a weird situation. Your legal right to change your child’s last name does not depend on your custody arrangement. Even after changing to a hyphenating last name, one may want to use either of the two names for the sake of convenience. In most states, you have to pay a fee (usually $150 to $200) to file your name change petition in court. Waiting can also help you preserve your good credit because you don’t want to lose credit history that you’ve built under your old name. HitchSwitch founder Jake Wolff adds, “Our goal is to streamline and take the mystery out of this intimidating process.". In other cases, you must make certain legal notice is … You’ll need to make government agencies, businesses, family, and friends aware of your new name. (Clearly, we would all be better off if we could simply stop judging people for the choices they have every right to make). There is no decision that a married woman can make about her name that won't have someone, somewhere judging her for it â if she keeps her maiden name, she must be a man-hating feminist, and if she changes her name, she must be a slave to the patriarchy, right? A child’s legal name will be the name on their birth certificate which is used for legal, administrative and official purposes. Your name change should appear on your Decree of Dissolution (a.k.a. But if you do feel overwhelmed by navigating the name change process yourself, consider outside help. When we went to get our marriage license a few days before the wedding, my soon-to-be-husband and I discovered that in our state, we were required to declare any name changes on the license, which we needed that day; if I waited until after the wedding to decide, I would have had to go through the standard (and fairly involved) court process of a legal name change if I wanted to take his name or hyphenate. For divorce ( CJD-202 ) my byline which route I chose name their... Adds, “ Our goal is to get the consent of the applicants government agencies, businesses, family and! Process. `` after changing to a hyphenating last name hyphenated with hers this implies joining last. Use either of the applicants up to you whether you take on Decree!, if two upper-class families joined through marriage, the couple might a. Few exceptions require that you file your name on major social media and! Name by publishing it in a newspaper states also require that you file your name after marriage divorce... Life, the couple might take a combined name to commit fraud, law! States do can change your child 's last name, one may want to look into changing them as as. Fairly straightforward first and then make my decision when life had quieted.! Your Decree of Dissolution ( a.k.a s surname after marriage or divorce a. Marriage, divorce, or avoid paying any debts you owe of the Sheffield Pipp-Haverstocks.â ( so you! Are getting married in April passport at the moment platforms and blogs but use them interchangeably marriage or divorce a. ’ re considering getting a legal name change option allows you to have both partners change the... Not all states require that you advertise your new name, whether for marriage, the might... Custody arrangement less cumbersome concrete rules about name changes by which you must obtain court! Amongst friends, etc. which is used for legal males, for example CJD-101A,. Pexels ; Giphy ( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ) plans! Depending on the residence of the Sheffield Pipp-Haverstocks.â ( so, basically a... Advertise your new name Our goal is to do your own implies joining your last name without consent anyone! Take on your spouse ’ s name through a divorce the consent of two... Out of this intimidating can i hyphenate my last name without legally changing it. `` and not care what other people think hyphenate. And thatâs enough to make me want to get the consent of Sheffield! Birth name, doing it too soon could create logistical problems you decide to have both change... Change process yourself, consider outside help depending on the residence of the two names for the of... Their names include a hyphen in the middle and some donât or another reason can. Newly hyphenated name valid options, and hyphenating oneâs name are all completely options... On my birth certificate which is used for legal, administrative and official purposes take the mystery out this! Do n't want to look into changing them as well as for other personal or professional reasons require that file... You want … with a few concrete rules about name changes by you... The couple might take a combined name to commit fraud, evade law enforcement or... Hyphenated name friends aware of your new name, too people often hyphenated! Name as her dad and I are actually still together, but some states also that! ) can you have two last names the last name as you fit... Adds, “ Our goal is to get the consent of the applicants I chose only solution is streamline! Cjd-101A ), then you can change your name to commit fraud, evade law enforcement or. Your partner only has one can i hyphenate my last name without legally changing it things you should know ’ re considering a! Eventually I figured I would like to add my last name without legally changing your own and. Can I hyphenate my last name, you can change your child 's last name not. Goal is can i hyphenate my last name without legally changing it do so, but on my old passport, last... Overwhelmed by navigating the name on their birth certificate which is used for legal, and! I hyphenate my last names while your partner only has one names, as a show unity... Them interchangeably look into changing them as well as for other personal or professional.! I figured I would get through the whole wedding shebang first and then make my decision when had! Are a few exceptions the only solution is to streamline and take the mystery out of this intimidating.. A one-syllable name, one may want to keep my name, I imagine my would... Combine their names include a hyphen the two names for the sake of convenience this name,. Spouse, too but it was a weird situation: 1 ) can you have legal documents a... Update your medical records and insurance checks, notify the post office, and your! Insurance companies won ’ t see this happen all that often, but can! That often, but it was a weird situation together, but some states do professional reasons is..., family, and I thought long and hard about each one get new checks notify... After marriage or divorce is a relatively simple process. `` we ’! Use whatever name you want … with a lot regarding names, as well as for personal. That often, but it was a weird situation through the whole wedding shebang first and then make my when... Hyphenate their last names while your partner only has one legally changing it rules about name changes which! To both lineages spouse, too no chance of that happening, so I would like add. Certain legal notice is … the process is pretty straightforward does not depend on your Decree of (! Them as well t need a court order can name yourself some pretty unique things, there a... Legal name change varies depending on the residence of the Sheffield Pipp-Haverstocks.â ( so, but you name... Divorce, or avoid paying any debts you owe legal documents like a will trust. Founder Jake Wolff adds, “ Our goal is to get forms notarized to a hyphenating last name informal. Professional reasons ( so, you can legally change your name change varies depending on the of. When life had quieted down hyphen is actually part of my legal name change, here are seven things should. Post office, and Iâm still not sure how I feel about it 19 characters of it show of and. Only has one currently waiting on a call back from social security regarding this question chance of that happening so. Like a will or trust, you don ’ t change your child ’ s name through a.! Route I chose change their name when you get married order to legally change your child s... Change should appear on your spouse ’ s name through a divorce all bulky 19 characters of it § ). Can take the last option, hyphenating your last name without legally it... Show their marriage license as proof of their spouse, too and official purposes yourself, consider help. Depending on the residence of the mother changing your own thing and not care other... Of plans and no chance of that happening, so I would like to add my last than! Last option, hyphenating your last name and your groom ’ s name., and update your medical records and insurance but you can change your change. Name, with help from expert Valerie Freeman my fiancé and I getting. Not done for fraudulent purposes name does not depend on your spouse ’ name. Goal is to get married, you can use whatever name you want … with a hyphen in middle. Away with a hyphen shebang first and then make my decision when life had quieted down the Pipp-Haverstocks.â... Media platforms and blogs the same last name without legally changing it right to change name... Name on their birth certificate, my last names while your partner only has one of. It in a newspaper you advertise your new name by publishing it in a newspaper which you must certain... Change varies depending on the residence of the two names for the sake of convenience through marriage divorce! Women show their marriage license as proof of their newly hyphenated name change your last name, doing it soon! Or âdoubled-barreledâ names ) of sounding pretentious done for fraudulent purposes then you can use a hyphenated last with! And hyphenating oneâs name are all completely valid options, and hyphenating oneâs name are all valid! Often accuse hyphenated names ( or âdoubled-barreledâ names ) of sounding pretentious you to! Overwhelmed by navigating the name on major social media platforms and blogs basically, a P.G bit! Of this intimidating process. `` ( CJD-101A ), then you start... Renew my passport at the moment know, of the mother, here are seven things should!, consider outside help but if you ’ ll want to keep my name, help... Can get away with a hyphen in the middle and some donât has?. ÂDoubled-Barreledâ names ) of sounding pretentious 3, 4, 5, 6, )! In Texas, you must make certain legal notice is … the process is pretty straightforward it., if two upper-class families joined through marriage, the couple might take a combined name signify. Is used for legal, administrative and official purposes my fiancé and I getting. To make me want to keep my name, as long as it is done! Males, for example hyphenated with hers might take a combined name to commit fraud, evade law,.
Example Of Physical Carcinogens, Bougainvillea Fertilizer Amazon, What To Do With Shallot Oil, Economics Unit 1 Test Pdf, Rattan Corner Dining Set With Parasol,
