Hyphenated Name

I agree with many of these posts. Even when I got married I chose not to hyphenate my name, partially due to the hassle later on. As official documents like passports, birth certificates, drivers licenses, tax forms, credit reports, and SS cards are screened more carefully these days any discrepancy causes BIG problems.

I had a hyphenated name until I got married and both names were on all paperwork pertaining to me. It counted as one big long last name. My cousin has two last names (not hyphenated) and for the most part uses the latter of the two.
Personally I liked having a hyphenated last name, even though it was super long and I always had to spell it for people. I felt like I belonged to BOTH my mother and my father's families in a way I might not have if I'd just had my father's (or my mother's) last name. I had always planned on keeping my last name when I got married but ultimately decided that it would be easier when I had a child if we all had the same last name. (And my husband wasn't about to add my two last names on to his, he said it would sound too much like a firm. He's no fun like that.)

When you fill out the birth certificate you will have to decide if you want Smith Jones, SmithJones, Smith-Jones, Smith or Jones as the last name. Whatever the last name is on the birth certificate is what will be listed on official documents. I have 2 last names (no hyphen) and both names are listed on my SS card, driver's license, tax return, etc. However, on medical records, library card, resume, college registration, etc. I can pick either last name or use both.

Do your child a HUGE favor. Use your last name as the middle name and use his last name as her last name.

It will save a HUGE, amount of frustration for you and her later in life, not to mention the confusion she will give others when she tries to explain why she has two last names and which one is last and which one is not. It would be easier if you just left out the space and the hyphen and joined them together. She will always have to spell it and it will not fit on a lot of forms and will always wonder why you did that to her.

Be kind and considerate and only use one name for a last name.

Good luck to you and yours.

Hmmm..may I tell you something? I hyphenated my last names when I got married--b/c I had an unusual maiden name that I liked. All I can say is "WHAT A PAIN IN THE BUTT" it has been. Ugh! Yes, I had to change all of my stuff--even though my name still started the same. As the years have gone by--I use my maiden name initial as my middle inital and just use my husband's last name. It's up to you---but businesses, teachers, etc have difficulty with hyphenated names. I did NOT hyphenate my kids' names. So glad I didn't. I would suggest just making the name their middle name. And I'm pretty sure you have to put it on official documents--but usually will get away with just a middle initial. Good luck!!

K.

If the hyphenated name is on the birth certificate that is his legal last name. It can also be his legal last name if you put both names down on the birth certificate in the last name place. I think, but am not sure, that you have to send in a copy of his birth certificate to get a social security card. Thus his legal last name will be whatever name or names you put in the last name space of his birth certificate.

What you actually use for a name can be something shorter. You do have to be consistent or his records will get mixed up causing you and him when he's older difficulty getting complete records. You'll have to list all the names he's used as aka on a request for a copy of records. For example if he changes schools and for medical records. aka is short for also known as.

My daughter married and decided to use a hyphenated version of her daughter's name. this was a daughter from a previous relationship and had his last name on the birth certificate. She just used the hyphenated name and did not change it legally. Thus at school she had a hyphenated name on the roll sheets. But I noticed that her report cards came home without the hyphen and I didn't know which was the last name they used for filing papers. Eventually I noticed that they maintained her legal last name beginning letter for filing.

My daughter divorced and remarried and they dropping the last name of her previous husband and left my granddaughters name as it is on the birth certificate.

This example shows you how complicated it can get. Based on my experience I suggest that if you want both names to be his legal last name that you hyphenate it and always use the whole hyphenated name.

My grandson has two middle names. Forms seldom have room to write both names and so my daughter has been using both initials in the middle name slot or squeezes both names in. I noticed that on his school records they only list his first middle name.

You can do what ever you want with the names. If you'd like his legal last name to be hyphenated then fill out the birth certificate that way. Then decide how you want his medical and school records to be filed and always use that name. You can change your mind later and begin using a different sequence as long as you keep in mind how his records will be filed so that they can be retrieved.

I'm a retired police officer and in my experience many people use their names differently. Sometime hyphenated and sometimes not. Sometimes mother's last name and sometimes fathers. Children who come from Mexico nearly always use their mother's last name but once they get started here, come officials insist on using only father's last name or a combination of both. Sometimes mother's name first and sometimes father's name first. It can get confusing but it's still OK, however you do it. That is why on official documents there is a space for aka or the

I have a friend who married and she legally changed her name to a hyphenated one. when she was in the hospital for the birth of both of her children the printed admittance record only showed her maiden name which was the first name when hyphenated because that was all the space available. The receptionist did find her but she was confused and wasn't sure the name was for the person I wanted to see. lol

I rather like the idea of being different and suggest that you go for a hyphenated name if that is what you want to do. Both my first and last name are unusual and I haven't minded having to pronounce and spell my name for people.

When I got married I thought of hyphenating my name. I asked several professionals/accountants/bank officials etc.
They said:
1) with a hyphenated name.. it is like a 'new' name... ie: you have to use the hyphenated name as "one" name... and on all official documents etc. and that for credit cards you have to update your "new" name.. and some credit cards 'may' treat it as a 'new' person and you have to start all over per your credit history (?) You cannot, just use your maiden name.

2) However, if you use 2 different last names and it is NOT hyphenated... it is more flexible. Meaning, you can use either last name and it is still legal. BUT for official papers/social security/banks/insurance etc., use both names. But I did not have to go around and change my name on my credit cards etc. I can still use either last name. Because, it is not hyphenated. But I did update my married name with social security/the banks/insurance/my accounts etc. As a formality.

If a name is hyphenated, then yes, you DO have to report both names, hyphenated, on any official documents.

Ultimately, call the Social Security office and ask them about hyphenated names or not. So you get the info directly, from them. Their mouth.

I personally, would NOT hyphenate a name. It is a hassle.

I was told on all legal documents (social security cards, taxes, etc) you have to use the full name. When you enroll for school, bank accounts, license/Id cards, you may use which ever last name you choose.
Ok so I partially agree with the whole "pain in the butt" thing. There are times where her name gets kind of long to write. For instance, my boyfriend has our baby on his insurance, but I am the one who takes her to the dr. I have to fill out all the paperwork at the dr's, not only that his company rejected his insurance forms when I just listed MY last name, I had to show the birth cert, and list her with both, which of course made her insurance card have both, which then in turn means......I have to write her full name at all visits. When we fill out taxes her full name has to be listed, and on a number of other paper.
So yeah it can get long. All I can say it, I stand by my choice to hyphenate. It was a last wish of my father before he passed, how the heck could I have said no? I had a good reason, and I hope when my daughter gets older she will appreciate it as well.
Plus...well....my last name rocks =) Good Luck!

Whatever you decide to use - stick with it. Otherwise it will become a nightmare for your child if you have one name on one document and another name on another document. Your child will end up with several aliases. The same goes for people who use their middle name as their first or those that go by a nickname as their official name. I have family members that have all of these circumstances with their names and they all agree it is a pain in the rear end.

Hello, I believe that the legal name would have to include both. However, you can use the hyphenated one on school papers etc. I may not be right, but you can check with your state and find out.
Good luck with your precious baby.
K. K.

I don't think the SS uses hypens. Ask them.

yes you will if you want it to be legal.

Don't hyphenate. A lot of people are giving kids double middle names these days.... why? I do not know. The hyphen will create a problem later. The entire name will be needed for the SS card, but for regular every day documents that only ask for a middle initial you will use the first middle name for that.

Names are very personal. I am hyphenated, as are my kids and my husband. Ironically it was my husband who had the most challenging moments in changing his name because 20 something years ago there wasn't an option on the wedding certificate to say husband's new name. I was the last generation that was going to have children, I love the family history connected to my name, and professionally and socially I wanted to hold onto my past identity with my unique name. I can't tell you how many times people have identified me as me because they saw or heard my hyphenated name and that feels nice to have the opportunities for those reconnections in life. My husband felt strongly that all of us have the same last name. We know a few people who had challenges because the mother kept her maiden name and the kids have the father's name making the kids and father one name and the mother different and not immediately visually associated on paper. Having our kids hyphenated reminds them daily that they are part of a strong family tree, and we talk about it often in our conversations, that comment you made was so Jones of you, you like ketchup on your eggs, thats so Smith of you etc.

All legal documents need to be matching. The trick is to be consistent with using it all on legal documents at all times. Signatures and legal documents are often not what people call you: Samantha may be called Sam. We had a president that was John but was called Jack, Serena can be Rena, William can go by Bill, or Will or Willie or Billy or Liam, Robert can be Bob, Bobby, Bobbie, Rob, Robby. Robbie, Bert. There are legal names and names we call each other. For us, legally we are The Hyphen-ateds but amongst my friends and around the kids school we are often referred to as The First Letter of First Last Name, First Letter of Second Last Name so The Smith-Jones are called the S-Js or as a nickname on a nickname we call them The Essjays. My legal name, full first, middle, last part#1 and part#2 is 8 syllables, and my shortened, what folks commonly refer to me as can be a short as 2 syllables (first name only) or 4 syllables (first name and nickname of last name). I will admit that my signature has become just a scribble so it doesn't take long to sign anything.

A lot of this decision depends on your sentimentality to your name and heritage and your level of tolerance. I like having to spell my name it makes me unique, harder to forget and it reminds me who I am. If having to locate your files at the doctors office once in a while because they filed you under the first letter of the second name will throw off your groove eternally, then go with the easiest name option. Just ask yourself what are your goals in asking your question.

Ask yourself what do I want people to know about my child and what do I want my child to know about themselves through the name which will help define their identity.

Good Luck.

If you fill out the birth certificate with both names listed in the "Last Name" line, hyphenated or not, you have to report both for all legal documentation forms, and your child will have to do so when they start filling out their own forms later down the line (credit card apps, loan apps, college forms, etc.) If you fill out the birth certificate using "Smith" in the Middle Name line, with Jones as the last name, you only need to fill in Jones for official documents.

I hyphenated my last name when I got married. Let me tell you that is can be a pain in the rear when filling out forms, or even simple things like picking up my photos at Walmart or prescriptions at the pharmacy. I get a handcramp when filling out any official documents from having to sign my legal name. Half of the time things will get filed under K for my husbands last name and the other half it's under O for my hyphenated name.

When naming our oldest, I actually thought about giving him my hyphenated last name. Then my hubby reminded me how much my hand hurt after signing our mortage papers because of my long hyphenated name....just didn't want to do that to our son. And now that we are at the elementary school age, and he is having to write his name on everything...it would take him forever to write out his full name if we did the hyphenated last name for him. Already as it is my hubands last name is 7 letters long. If we did the hyphenated last name it would 14 letters long.

Well, you have to provide the full legal name as it appears on the birth certificate to get a social security card. But, you can put down alternate names. My mom applied for my ss card with my birth name, but put down my step fathers name as an alternate. So, when my ss card was issued, it didn't have my birth name, just the alternate. But check with the SS office.