Last name to-be?

[title-track-1.livejournal.com]

With the recent birth of Harlow Winter Kate Madden i have begun to question taking your significant others name for the baby if not married.
I'm sure celebrities like Halle Berry and Jessica Alba will most likely do the same.

My fiance and i will not be married until after the baby for finanical reasons but the last name issue has just recently come to light.
Financially i find it being harder for me if i DO give his last name and then later change it when we're legally married but then i have family opinions & such to deal with. Tradition or whatever.
I actually think my fiance would be very upset with me if i didn't. I haven't exactly addressed the issue with him yet.



How 'customary' is it to give the fathers last name?
What exactly do you think are the pro & cons of this?

Comments

[tryyingtoevolve.livejournal.com]

Do you plan on changing your last name when you get married? If so, I'd go with his last name, because then it all matches and it makes life a hell of a lot easier.

If you DON'T plan on changing your last name, I'd give the child your last name. I'm not a huge fan of the tradition of giving the child the father's last name, because the mother usually ends up being the primary caregiver and she's also the one who carries it for 9 months and then gives birth and goes through all of that. I just...don't understand why it's automatically the father's last name.

Maybe it's just my feminist views, but I'd give the child your last name unless you plan on changing yours (and I'm not judging about the changing of your last name, either -- I think that's everyone's individual choice). I'd give whatever last name you plan to use: your last name, his last name, or a hyphenated last name.