(no subject)

[chucklincanuck.livejournal.com]

Strange question....is it possible to give your child a last name which is different than their parents? 

For example, your name is Mary Lewis and your partner's name is John Walters. Could you (legally) name your child Jessica Hughes?

I don't know why anyone would want to to do this, but I have a bet going with my BIL and I'd like to win! Thanks!

Comments

[th3-unicorn.livejournal.com]

I think in the States, you can.
But I'm waiting for others to confirm that :)

[rainbowshine.livejournal.com]

I believe that you can legally give your child any name you choose....
I have tried to track it down online and the best I have come up with so far is a website for Stirling in Scotland where it states a child can have any surname you choose but warns against possible embarrassment for the child later.

[chucklincanuck.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the warning! lol

[satunian.livejournal.com]

I think you can, though I'd wonder why they'd want to do that.

[rorylareina.livejournal.com]

I'm going to say yes, since I know more than one kid whose last name is a smush of the parents' last names. Not hyphenated, but blended. Like if your example child above was named Jessica Lewalters.

[arbus.livejournal.com]

i was planning on giving my child my mothers maiden name instead of mine, and certainly not the fathers last name, who was an asshole who abused and then deserted me while i was pregnant. i eventually miscarried, so it was a moot point. point is, its perfectly legal.

[miss-tee.livejournal.com]

well I know a family where the Mom's last name is Smith and the Dad's last name is Meade and the kids are Meadesmith, is that what you mean?

[chucklincanuck.livejournal.com]

no, I meant more like a completely different last name.

Baby: Different Last Name Than Parents-- 4 Possibilities

[crossingthesea.livejournal.com]

1. I can confirm that it happens when parents create a last name that they share with the child that is unique from their legal/family last nmaes (ex. LeWalters).

2. When I was in elementary school, one of my best friend's family was from India and she and her sisters had different last names than each other. I don't remember how they were matched with the parents (who was connected with what name) or any further details because it was a long time ago.

3. When a child is legally adopted, its name is changed to match its adoptive parents, therefore not the same as either of its birth parents. This leads me to believe that it can be done, but I can't think of a circumstance other than adoption where it would be relevant. Practically speaking it would be a legal and security nightmare whenever you had to do anything in the child's life as its parent or guardian (travel across borders, medical care, school enrollment, etc).

4. I wouldn't know how to check this online either, but maybe in one of LJ's lawyer communities they or someone who has legally changed their name could volunteer what conditions were entailed.

Re: Baby: Different Last Name Than Parents-- 4 Possibilities

[chucklincanuck.livejournal.com]

1. This is the first I have heard of this.
2. Now that's different! Siblings with different last names (except when due to marriage), that's a new one!
3. This I can understand. It's still taking the last name of the legal guardian, though, and not some "made up" name.
4. I looked a lot online, didn't find much...

Re: Baby: Different Last Name Than Parents-- 4 Possibilities

[crossingthesea.livejournal.com]

As for the Indian names, the traditions of naming in different countries differ. Not all countries or peoples think of last names as fixed.

Take for example that in the US when we have two different last names, we tend to think of the last name listed as the "real" or definitive one. For instances, a Kate Smith Lee would most often be thought of as Kate Lee.

At the same time in Spain or Latin America, the order of names is the opposite with both the mother's and father's last name are used, but the first last name being the definitive one. Example Maria Jimenez Colon would be Maria Jimenez.

In my friend's case, her parents were new immigrants and didn't know how it was done in the US, so she had a different last name than her parents, as was traditional. By the time her twin sisters were born several years later, her parents rectified it by giving her sisters their last name (so she alone in her family had that last name). As I said, I don't know the exact details because we were little.

Long story, but I hope this makes it a bit clearer. :)

Re: Baby: Different Last Name Than Parents-- 4 Possibilities

[catchstars.livejournal.com]

Siblings with different last names are very common in Iceland: Here's a wikipedia article on Icelandic naming conventions. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_name) Basically, you have your father's first name as your last name, so if your dad is named Bjorn Jonsson, you would be Name Bjornsson (if you were Bjorn's son) or Name Bjornsdottir (if you were Bjorn's daughter). They also use matronymic names (based on the mother's name), so it is entirely possible for the to be Bjorn and Bryndis, and end up with children named Jon Bjornsson and Katrin Bryndisardottir.

[katie-oo7.livejournal.com]

I know iceland (and probably other countries) the kid's last name is the dad's first name followed by either -son or -doiter. I think that is endlessly awesome.

[chucklincanuck.livejournal.com]

The child always has to take the father's name? Even when the father is not in the child's life?
My friend is from India, and in her culture, all the children take the father's first name as their middle name. The mom also took his first name as her middle name when she married him.

[mrs-slats.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know someone who named their kiddo McClaine, when neither of the parent's last names were McClaine.

[chucklincanuck.livejournal.com]

Do you know what the purpose of this was?

[mrs-slats.livejournal.com]

I don't know, but I thought it was a bit silly. They weren't married, and I think it was the name that he wanted to change his own last name to.

[icebyrd67.livejournal.com]

you can. my SO's father has a completely different last name from the rest of his family.

[chucklincanuck.livejournal.com]

Why? Did he change it or was he given a completely different name?

[icebyrd67.livejournal.com]

he was given a different last name. his mother didn't like his father and didn't want him coming to look for him so she gave him a different last name so he couldn't be tracked. come to think of it, i think my SO's aunt has a different last name too...i'll have to check with him

[sailorneptune.livejournal.com]

Apparently this is the way it is in Canada (or at least New Brunswick):

If the dad signs the birth certificate, then the child can have his last name if you choose. If not, the child has your last name.
If the dad doesn't sign the birth certificate, but you are married and your last name is the same as your husband's (the dad's) last name, then the child can have that same last name.

So basically, the way it is here, the child has to have either your last name or the dad's last name, depending on the circumstances. If the dad doesn't sign the birth certificate, the child has to have your last name.

[nobodynomore.livejournal.com]

Damn, I had an absentee father, and I wish my mom had given me HER maiden name, instead of his name.

But now I'm adopted by my stepdaddy and happy as ever :)

[anapology.livejournal.com]

Sure you can.
You can name your child whatever you want..

[after-the-ashes.livejournal.com]

You can, you might have to pay for it.

[scouty.livejournal.com]

yes = usa
no = germany

[hells-librarian.livejournal.com]

Haven't read the other comments, but I know you can because that's what we'll be doing when I give birth in October. Husband and I each have the last name we were born with. Kiddo will have my MIL's maiden name.

ETA: We're in the US. I have no idea about other countries.

[sweatydog.livejournal.com]

I'd want to.

If I didn't like my SO's surname and I currently don't like mine.

[shortbutfast.livejournal.com]

in which country? this is an international forum.