Hyphenated last names

[KSUViolet06]

I'm thinking I will hyphenate just because I'm planning to get a Doctorate and I want to keep my name in there somewhere.

However, I would still answer to Mrs. Husband's name. My mom is hyphenated and still answers to Mrs. Stepdad's Lastname.

[1stSoon2BePhD]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I'm thinking I will hyphenate just because I'm planning to get a Doctorate and I want to keep my name in there somewhere.

However, I would still answer to Mrs. Husband's name. My mom is hyphenated and still answers to Mrs. Stepdad's Lastname.

This is PRECISELY what I am doing! (and for the same reason too! I want to be "Dr. MAIDEN NAME" but "Mrs. HUSBANDS LAST NAME")

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Hyphenations are one of my naming pet peeves along with people whose kids go by their middle names. Schools don't know what they go by, so the first day of school, the teacher calls out Roland and everyone laughs at poor Joey. Honor your beloved relative with the embarassing name in your child's MIDDLE name.

Half the people in my family go by their middle names, including one of my children. Very common in this part of the world. I don't think any of them have found it to be a major inconvenience to simply say "I go by MiddleName." Meanwhile, when my sister got married, she just stopped using her first name.

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

BTW, if you do it like the Spanish, you would drop your mother's name when you marry and add your husband's. Your children would have your father's name added to the end of your husband's name.

Or we could do it the Icelandic way. I've mentioned this at GC before, so I'll cut and paste.

In Iceland, your last name depends on your father's first name, and a family of four can have four different last names. Say dad's name is Eric -- his son, Leif, is Leif Ericsson (Eric's son), and his daughter, we'll call her Katrín, is Katrín Ericsdóttir (Eric's daughter). Meanwhile, Helga -- Eric's wife and the mother of Leif and Katrín -- is the daughter of a man named Jón, so her last name is Jónsdóttir; she doesn't change it when she gets married. Oh, and Eric's dad's first name was Stefán, so his name is Eric Stefánsson.

So, in one family, you have Eric Stefánsson (husband) and Helga Jónsdóttir (wife) and their kids: Leif Ericsson and Katrín Ericsdóttir.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Half the people in my family go by their middle names, including one of my children. Very common in this part of the world. I don't think any of them have found it to be a major inconvenience to simply say "I go by MiddleName." Meanwhile, when my sister got married, she just stopped using her first name.

Or we could do it the Icelandic way. I've mentioned this at GC before, so I'll cut and paste.

In Iceland, your last name depends on your father's first name, and a family of four can have four different last names. Say dad's name is Eric -- his son, Leif, is Leif Ericsson (Eric's son), and his daughter, we'll call her Katrín, is Katrín Ericsdóttir (Eric's daughter). Meanwhile, Helga -- Eric's wife and the mother of Leif and Katrín -- is the daughter of a man named Jón, so her last name is Jónsdóttir; she doesn't change it when she gets married. Oh, and Eric's dad's first name was Stefán, so his name is Eric Stefánsson.

So, in one family, you have Eric Stefánsson (husband) and Helga Jónsdóttir (wife) and their kids: Leif Ericsson and Katrín Ericsdóttir.

Love it! I suspect the Swedes are similar with Johanson, etc. from the Viking tradition.

[Lil' Hannah]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Meanwhile, when my sister got married, she just stopped using her first name.

Does she just go by MaidenName HisName now?

So, in one family, you have Eric Stefánsson (husband) and Helga Jónsdóttir (wife) and their kids: Leif Ericsson and Katrín Ericsdóttir.

So mom doesn't get any recognition in this deal?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Lil' Hannah

Does she just go by MaidenName HisName now?

LOL, sorry if the context didn't make it clear. She always went by her middle name, so now she goes by MiddleName MaidenName HisSurname.

So mom doesn't get any recognition in this deal?

Well, there is the patriarchy and everything. But she doesn't change her name either.

[1stSoon2BePhD]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Meanwhile, when my sister got married, she just stopped using her first name.

Hmmm, so what did she use as a first name? My best friends mom stopped using her first name, moved her middle name to her first name, moved her maiden name to her middle name, and took her husbands last name.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Half the people in my family go by their middle names, including one of my children. Very common in this part of the world. I don't think any of them have found it to be a major inconvenience to simply say "I go by MiddleName." Meanwhile, when my sister got married, she just stopped using her first name.

Or we could do it the Icelandic way. I've mentioned this at GC before, so I'll cut and paste.

In Iceland, your last name depends on your father's first name, and a family of four can have four different last names. Say dad's name is Eric -- his son, Leif, is Leif Ericsson (Eric's son), and his daughter, we'll call her Katrín, is Katrín Ericsdóttir (Eric's daughter). Meanwhile, Helga -- Eric's wife and the mother of Leif and Katrín -- is the daughter of a man named Jón, so her last name is Jónsdóttir; she doesn't change it when she gets married. Oh, and Eric's dad's first name was Stefán, so his name is Eric Stefánsson.

So, in one family, you have Eric Stefánsson (husband) and Helga Jónsdóttir (wife) and their kids: Leif Ericsson and Katrín Ericsdóttir.

In Norway there's also naming in relation to the land. Since we are land owners, our name includes our farm/property name. If there are only daughters, the man who marries in will take our name, since he is coming to our land and joining our family. Also anyone who worked our farm, would also have our farm name, as part of their name. We also had the Icelandic example of yours, with the . We ended up with relatives having different last names coming through Ellis Island, some with Iverson, and some with Farmname.

I'm not hyphenating or taking any potential husband's name. I'm too established and what a hassle, and my last name is dying out anyway.

[cheerfulgreek]

I wonder if there are any guys who use their wife's last name.

[Smile_Awhile]

I really do think what I will end up doing depends on where I am in my career. My last name is incredibly unique, and rather memorable. If I have enough of a career built up by the time I get married, I will still use my maiden name professionally. If I don't... well, I still might use it professionally.

On a personal level, my own mother kept her maiden name as her middle name and her last name became my father's last name. I would like to do that, except for the fact that I think my last name would be incredibly weird as a middle name and I'm rather fond of how my first and middle name sound together. So maybe I'll just add my husband's last name onto the end, and have two middle names... or something. I don't know, and I have a few years to figure it out. But socially (and probably legally), I do plan on going by Mrs. Whatever when that time comes.

[GTAlphaPhi]

I've always planned on keeping my last name or doing what Jay-Z and Beyonce did (they're both Knowles-Carter now). The BF and I have already had this discussion and he's fine with me being Ms. X, him being Mr. Y, and any kids being X-Y. He's not so enthusiastic about all of us being the X-Y family (i.e. HIM changing HIS name), which I think can have value has a unifying family characteristic, so I'm working on it!

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by GTAlphaPhi

Jay-Z and Beyonce did (they're both Knowles-Carter now).

Darnit! I have to like Jay-Z and Beyonce now. I respect that A LOT.

[jdrama]

I never thought about hyphenating my name at all. My last name is SO different that I always wanted to get married so it would change to be "normal". My father has a son so he can carry us on. I'll be Mrs, Hubbylastname.

With a hyphenated last name, you have to sign documents with First, MI, LastName1-Lastname2. Thats a lot!

[jojapeach]

Originally Posted by jdrama

With a hyphenated last name, you have to sign documents with First, MI, LastName1-Lastname2. Thats a lot!

That's funny because it's so true, but I really enjoy signing documents with my full on completely unusual name. My new last name is only 11 letters.

I hyphenated for my own selfish reasons including I liked having 7 of the same letter in my name. I've always been well-connected to 7, and I didn't want to give that small piece of me up just to be married. Luckily, my hubby's very understanding and low-drama unlike some of these men.

The OP's friend may want to just cut her losses with this control freak in hiding before she winds up on Maury with her head hanging down while her husband proudly announces that she can't do anything without his say-so. Honestly, is his last name "sooo totally freakin' awesome" that she'd be a fool to turn it down?
:

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by jdrama

With a hyphenated last name, you have to sign documents with First, MI, LastName1-Lastname2.

Stop being so lazy, people.