Quote:
Originally posted by AlphaFrog
I'm going to move my maiden name to my middle name....but I really haven't decided if I will keep my middle name and just have 2. I would just drop my last name like tradtion, but my finace is Mexican and if/when we go to Mexico, if I use my madien as a middle name, I will already be within custom as Mexico is different then here...
Example...when the baby is born it is here in the US either:
Maria Anna Mylastname Hislastname
or
Juan Pedro Mylastname Hislastname
But when we travel/move to Mexico, it's the other way around, the father's name is first...and when a woman gets married in Mexico, if she chooses (yes, I was suprised to find that even in Mexico many women don't change their names) their husband's name replaces their mother's last name...
Ok now that I've confused you all with non-relevant info...
[/south of the border hijack]
|
Actually, tradition in Hispanic countries is that people are identified by their surname and mother's maiden name, especially with surnames as common as Perez. In professional circles, it's not unusual for both last names to be used to refer to someone. For example, my late grandmother's family doctor in Venezuela was always referred to as Dr. Marcos Matos. The current wannabe-Fidel running Venezuela today is usually called Hugo Chavez Frias. Back when I was living in Venezuela, I took the Spanish version of my name, Charles Corway Sanchez.
Women in Latin American countries follow the same custom of last name/maiden name until marriage, when the husband's last name is added with the prefix 'de' (literally, 'wife of'). Here's an example:
Single: Pastora Lopez Portillo
Married: Pastora Lopez Portillo de Santa Maria.
In many cases, to shorten a cumbersome combination of names the woman will drop the maiden name and simply refer herself as (example) Pastora Lopez de Santa Maria. She generally reverts to her maiden name combination upon divorce; in the case the husband dies, she may keep the husband's name and add 'viuda de' (widow) of (husband's name).