Curious

[adamantplatypus.livejournal.com]

Does anyone know about legality as far as names are concerned?

I was told by a friend named Magdalena (nn Maggie) that her full name does not fit on a plane ticket. They won't accept "Maggie" because it's not her legal name, but they will accept her middle name as her first, which is Monica.

I don't think she's in the wrong, but I was under the impression that that shortened versions of your full name are legal. For instance, Robert can go by "Bob" without an issue. So long as it's not a person named Anne that goes by "Peanut", or something totally unrelated to their name.

Any explanations or any light on the subject?

Comments

[sykotropic.livejournal.com]

Never ran into the problem with my daughter..Mariabella. It has always fit.

[adamantplatypus.livejournal.com]

Her last name is really long, too. :P

[memorymaze.livejournal.com]

I really like Mariabella. Very pretty.

[sykotropic.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It was her great grandma's and I had promised years and years ago to use it. Thankfully she likes it too.

[moldycelery.livejournal.com]

It probably has something to do with identification. For example, Maggie wouldn't be on a passport, but Monica would be, albeit as a middle-name.

Although, my name is Margaret and I've never had any trouble with fitting it on plane-tickets.

[th3-unicorn.livejournal.com]

I second this comment.

The poster's friend probably has trouble because her last name is also long.
I shall underline the importance of NOT giving kids combined last names :P

[chucklincanuck.livejournal.com]

I also have a long name, and usually they just write as much as they can until the space runs out!

[aquilinum.livejournal.com]

Magdalena is exactly as long as Elizabeth. What are their experiences? Any Elizabeths out there?

[aquilinum.livejournal.com]

Or Katherine, for that matter.

Airline Ticket

[lindsalope1.livejournal.com]

Yes, my name is Catherine and it's usually fine or just truncated by a few letters (as is done to the names of others who I know where the full name doesn't always fit). Perhaps the ticket agent is new and can't fully work the system lol.

Good luck!

Cheers,
Catherine

[aquilinum.livejournal.com]

Also:

Stephanie
Christina
Alexandra


Just tryin' to hit on a name of somebody of birthin' age that might come upon this post.

[uncrossyurheart.livejournal.com]

I've never had a problem. Christina Collinsworth here. Hello, long name. It doesn't fit on standardized tests or even on the name line when I was in school but ive always been able to get on a plane.

[scouty.livejournal.com]

my name is alexandra and they jut stop when no space is there e.g. alexand ...

[th3-unicorn.livejournal.com]

I think the problem here is maybe her last name is long too?
Not just because of Magdalena.

[missinfinity.livejournal.com]

Usually they just go as long as they can...

Like 15 characters of a last name, 10 of a first.

[sandtree.livejournal.com]

When my dad started practicing law, he wanted to go by Gerald, but his legal name was Joseph Gerald. He had to legally change his name, otherwise he would have had to practice as Joseph Gerald Lastname, or J. Gerald Lastname. This was in Canada, though.

[0o-faerie.livejournal.com]

Interesting. As far as I know, nicknames as full names are legit names indeed. Here (the Netherlands) we don't really have the whole nickname system. Just the other name I saw a birth announcement: the kid was called Bob. It was all normal to me until I found this community ;)
I still don't have a problem with it though. I guess it's because Dutch names are all pretty short.

[http://users.livejournal.com/____tonightt/]

My name is Very long, In whole it is 26 letters and it usually does not fit. I did get a credit card in my name and they just stopped spelling Catherine. I also think some people can just put their first letter of their frist name.

[jerseygrits.livejournal.com]

It seems like you're asking multiple questions. Your legal name is the one on the birth certificate, and that's it. Nobody's going to tell you you can't "go by" Bob if your legal name is Robert, but Bob is not your legal name. There isn't any official list of what counts as a "related nickname." Of course, different agencies/offices have different rules for interpreting and accepting names. If a check is written to me as Jacqueline and I sign it as Jacquie, it still works. But Jacquie is not my legal name. If I'm doing my taxes, I better damn well put Jacqueline down.

And that's why the issue with the plane tickets exists. The TSA is strict when it comes to security (obviously), so the name on your ticket has to match your government-issued identification. So I can't put Jacquie on my plane ticket or I'll have trouble when I'm checking in. It seems that as long as you use a correct first or middle name, though, you'll be ok. My boyfriend is Swedish, and their whole naming system is different. His literal first name on paper is Karl, but he goes by Andreas, one of his middle names. He's flown as Karl and Andreas before with no problem since both names are written out on his passport.