Hyphenated Last Name

I have not considered hyphenating but I have struggled with the name change decision. Have you considered moving your maiden name to your middle name? My sister did that and I'm considering adding my maiden name as a second middle name.

Add your maiden name as a middle name alone or as a secondary middle name. Lots of people have 2 middle names. Or tall could come up with a new last name that has a little something from both although that may be difficult depending on yall names

My FH also doesn't mind which way I go. He thought I would at least hyphenate my last name because I'm opening a business within the next year ( after we're married ) but no, I want his last name.

I think looking into what Sara P. suggested is a great compromise!

I would change my maiden to middle before hyphenating. Or just not change it at all. (I will be changing mine. Undecided if I will take my maiden as middle.)

I changed my middle name to my maiden name and took my H's last name. My middle name had no special meaning. Also, having worked in the credit industry for over 30 years, I can tell you it gets complicated sometimes with hyphenated names, especially when they become too long and don't fit into the space provided on credit applications.

I'm keeping mine. I'm the last of three daughters in my family and honestly, I think my full name is beautiful. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Spousehouse was considering taking my name, which was so sweet and made me so happy. But he doesn't want to go through the process (lol) and so is keeping his as well.

My sister did a hyphenated middle name. First Middle-Maiden Last. Her middle name is an old family name from our lineage so it worked out well for her.

I considered hyphenating my last name because I do not want to lose my maiden name. My father adopted my brother and I so I do not want to lose him name. I have decided that I will change my middle name to current last name instead of dealing with possible issues that may come with hyphenating.

So I'm my mother's only child and have her name too (single mom and she's my best friend too!)

She always said I had her last name because she wasn't raising a child with a different last name. I hate to part with mine too but it wasn't even a question .... I don't want to have a different last name then any future children so it's weird but I'm totally good with it (and so is she).

My last name is 9 characters and his is 6 so no way am I hyphenating that my signature is already ridic LOL!!!

I think it depends. My best friend hyphenated, but she has two five-letter last names that flow really well together. I'm jealous. Hyphenating isn't an option for me because my last name would be 17 characters and the names don't sound good together at all. If yours work nicely together and wouldn't be a hassle to sign/write, I would do it. I think it's really sweet that you want to keep your mom's name.

I'm definitely hyphenating because I like the way it sounds and flows better and because I don't want get rid of my maiden name, which has a connection to my culture, nor my middle name, which is in honor of my late aunt who I loved. It's something only you can decide, really, but I think if you're hesitant about hyphenating, taking your maiden name as your middle is a good choice if you aren't also attached to your given middle name like I am!

I'm having a tough time with this decision as well. My FH wants me to take his name, but I don't think I want to get rid of my last name. It doesn't help that all my professional licenses are in my maiden name. I have been playing with the idea of hyphenating, but my last name would be 15 letters. Not sure if that is too long thought and doesn't help that my first name is 10 letters. lol I don't want to move it to my middle name because I love my middle name as well. So many decisions! I've seen people who go by their husband's name socially, but legally and professionally they go by their maiden name. I considered that as well, but FH isn't happy with that.

Do you plan on having kids? The only experience I have with hyphenating is my fiance's best man, the family has 4 kids and they have the hyphenated name (so does the mother), then the father kept just his name. It's been harder as they get older for drivers licenses, mortgages, credit cards, credit checks, etc. because sometimes people write their name with a hyphen, sometimes with a space and no hyphen, sometimes no space no hyphen, or sometimes just the latter name. My fiance's best man just says the latter name now, it's too much work for him to deal with both.