Baby's Last Name?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2005
Baby's Last Name?
5
Thu, 08-11-2005 - 7:46pm

Hello, i'm new to the boards, i found i was pregnant two days ago :)

My partner and i were discussing baby names, we are married, but we have different last names. I'd like our baby to have my last name and he (and his parents) want the baby to have his name.

He is an only child and is worried about keeping his family name going, but I really like my last name, and his last name is.... well.... pretty dorky... you know? so i would like our baby to have the same name as me. Am i being mean or shallow? I don't want the baby to be teased at school in the future, and what will people think when i tell people the baby's name is different to mine - like the baby is not mine or something?

Also we are in California, are there any laws that will force us to take one name or the other?

Have any of you been in this situation and what would you do to resolve it? I'd like to hear your opinions please!

Thank you!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2005
Thu, 08-11-2005 - 8:13pm
well,you could always give your baby both last names or one for a middle name.and,you could have your last name after your husbands,so it will be more noticed.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-11-2004
Thu, 08-11-2005 - 11:16pm
Nope, no laws against it. :) I agree with the previous poster -- one least name as a second middle name, and one as the "real" last name. I've known plenty of kids who have their mother's last name, even when the parents are married. It's something I'd be likely to do with my own kids. I can't see any reason why a child born nowadays shouldn't have his or her mother's last name. I say go for it!! Your husband's name might not be carried on, but how many women have been unable to carry on their family names?!
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-29-2003
Fri, 08-12-2005 - 9:46am

A few options
1 hypinate both names wich does cause a long last name but both names are used and one won't get lost
2 use one as a middle name

I took my husbands name when I got married it is much easyer to pronounce and spell
but all of my children will have my maidan name as there middle name

"Don't let school get in the way of your education"

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-01-2003
Fri, 08-12-2005 - 10:20am

I think you should do a hyphenated last name - with the dad's name first and your name last - then when the child is an adult he can choose to drop one or the other if he wants.

I've known some kids with hyphenated names who, on their own in high school, just went by the one of their choosing because they got tired of dealing with the double name

Personally, I guess I'm old-school, and I feel in cases like yours the children should have the father's last name. but it sounds like you guys are in for a fight about this, so I think the hyphenated idea is your best choice

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-03-2004
Fri, 08-12-2005 - 11:40am
I don't have any answers for you re: law...BUT...can you hypenate both of your names?


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