Hellobee Boards Topic: Do you like your hyphenated name?

Hellobee Boards Topic: Do you like your hyphenated name? https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 25 Apr 2026 08:56:19 +0000 SugarplumsMom on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188982 Tue, 26 May 2015 06:25:50 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2188982@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I kept my name after marriage and I personally don't like the look of hyphenated names, especially when both names are already so long (like ours). I do like the flexibility of adding on to your name (without the hyphen). I've seen that it's popular lately, however, I'm not sure exactly how they've registered it (i.e. removed their middle name for their maiden name or just added on to their last name). Rocker2014 on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188974 Tue, 26 May 2015 05:53:00 +0000 Rocker2014 2188974@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I have a hyphenated last name and love it! It was actually a very thoughtful decision on my part for professional reasons. I work in psychology/corrections, so I practice under my maiden name only. On things like social media and anything that could wind up on the internet, I use my married name only. Legal documents (and credit card receipts!) Get both names. Socially, I'm flexible and use whatever people want to call me, though I often forget to use my married name and just use my maiden out of habit. I was initially worried that this would get confusing, but surprisingly it hadn't at all. It probably helps that even with both last names, my First Last-Last name is only five syllables. LO just has my husband's last name, which has been the only complicated thing. A lot of people assume her name is hyphenated too. macintosh on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188884 Mon, 25 May 2015 22:12:24 +0000 macintosh 2188884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I voted that it's too much of a hassle. I have 2 last names, not hyphenated. I love the way it looks and sounds together, but even getting it officially changed was annoying. My SS card is 2 lines because they couldn't fit my first middle maiden married in one line. The bank had trouble fitting it on my debit cards and my checks. After my husbands accident, I really wished I had just changed my name. It made filling out every form more complicated. A trip to the pharmacy means spelling everything out and our scripts are kept in seperate bins (alphabetical order). Signing mortgage papers - ugh! Even when I gave birth to my son, I had to correct the paperwork so they gave him the correct last name - DH's name. If I had to do it over again, I would just change it. If it wasn't such a pain, I'd change it now. Mrs. Pen on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188866 Mon, 25 May 2015 21:46:44 +0000 Mrs. Pen 2188866@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I don't have a hyphenated name- but I wish I had kept my maiden name and hyphenated it! lilyofthewest on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188822 Mon, 25 May 2015 20:57:36 +0000 lilyofthewest 2188822@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My partner and I each adopted each other's last names as an additional casual use middle name. So, now I go by First Middle HisLast MyMaiden, and he's First Middle MyMaiden HisLast. Our kid just has two last names (HisLast MyMaiden) with no hyphen. In our state I could've hyphenated or taken his last name as part of getting married. He would've had to petition the court for a name change. I also argued that it was just too much hassle to change *all* the documents if either or both of us actually legally changed our names (car title, registration, & insurance, house deed & insurance, driver's licenses, all of my professional licenses, health insurance, credit cards, etc). *That* was the bit that would've been a bureaucratic nightmare. Trailmix on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188796 Mon, 25 May 2015 20:25:51 +0000 Trailmix 2188796@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I grew up with a hyphenated last name and really did not like it! MamaBehr on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188783 Mon, 25 May 2015 20:01:59 +0000 MamaBehr 2188783@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I would have hyphenated, but my maiden name was an action verb and DH's last name is a noun. What are the odds?!? I didn't want my name to be a sentence :) ms.line on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188742 Mon, 25 May 2015 19:18:47 +0000 ms.line 2188742@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Foodnerd81: Yep, that's the way we like it! It actually follows Spanish naming customs: When Mr. Garcia marries Ms. Polanco, they become the Garcia Polanco family, and when Mr. Garcia's younger brother marries Ms. Torres, they become the Garcia Torres family. The kids each pass on the first part of their surnames to their own children, so no one ever has more than two surnames. :happy: BKCaribBaby on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188729 Mon, 25 May 2015 19:03:20 +0000 BKCaribBaby 2188729@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I have a hyphenated last name. It's been fine bureaucratically. If anything the part that has been annoying is socially. One friend (luckily only one) and DH's family took a while to understand that my last name really is hyphenated. It's not there for decoration. That really is my last name.... travelgirl1 on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188723 Mon, 25 May 2015 18:58:57 +0000 travelgirl1 2188723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I took my husband's name but I hyphenate my maiden name and his name for my published writing. I like it! sorrycharlie on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188722 Mon, 25 May 2015 18:58:04 +0000 sorrycharlie 2188722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I moved my maiden name to a second middle. I don't always use it but can if I feel like it! Foodnerd81 on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188719 Mon, 25 May 2015 18:55:41 +0000 Foodnerd81 2188719@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @ms.line: so would receive mail as The Doe- Smith Family? (Something informal like a Christmas card or birth announcement)? I always wonder about that- and then I realized I can just ask my friends what they prefer and stop guessing. :) ms.line on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188635 Mon, 25 May 2015 16:26:12 +0000 ms.line 2188635@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My husband and I kept our own last names, but colloquially we use a hyphen for us as a couple: John and Jane Doe-Smith. Our kids will have hyphenated last names. MsMini on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188629 Mon, 25 May 2015 16:18:49 +0000 MsMini 2188629@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I have a hyphenated name and I have never found it to be an issue ... the only bothersome aspect is that my husband has an hard to spell last name, but I would have either taken his last name or hyphenated so it would have been a PITA either way. Our kids have his last name, so I like that I have that linkage with them while still keeping my maiden last name. MaryM on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188566 Mon, 25 May 2015 14:31:29 +0000 MaryM 2188566@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I didn't hyphenate, but I kept all my names and tagged on DHs. Legally, I now have two first names and my maiden is middle. But I'm so used to my maiden, that I'm often Mary maiden married casually. It's most annoying with things like doctors offices and not knowing if they have my full first name or not, or things like conferences where I don't know if I'm registered under maiden or married. Mrs. Jacks on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188560 Mon, 25 May 2015 14:18:53 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 2188560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Our family has all sorts of configurations. I just kept my last name and put hubby's as a middle. Our second daughter had a clerical error at SS admin, so she is my last name his last name, no hyphen. Our older daughter has my last as a second middle, then just his last name... Baby Theo doesn't have my last because he has a double barrel middle. Hyphens might have been easier! We should have just done it. mrsbubbletea on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188535 Mon, 25 May 2015 13:26:48 +0000 mrsbubbletea 2188535@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My sisters and I have hyphenated last names: first dad's last-moms last. It's not really a big deal. That being said, I do plan to change it when I get married. It will feel simple and I dislike that my son and I have different last names. Rockies11 on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188521 Mon, 25 May 2015 13:14:55 +0000 Rockies11 2188521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I have always had a hypenated name, and other than being long, it's a total non-issue. lemondrop on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188520 Mon, 25 May 2015 13:11:42 +0000 lemondrop 2188520@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I did the exact same as @Corduroy: since my mn is my mom's maiden name, I just added my maiden name to it. I have had zero problems with it other than the snitty comments from others, "geee, that's a really long name!" I'm happy with how I did it, as I hated to drop either of my names since I was that long before my husband came on the scene and it's on my professional licensure. Crystal on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188517 Mon, 25 May 2015 13:01:40 +0000 Crystal 2188517@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My husband and I both have hyphenated last names. It's never been an issue. Yeah, it's sometimes annoying when I'm spelling it over the phone, but that's the biggest issue we've had. Whenever we're up against some place that doesn't accept hyphens, then they just don't put one in our names, no big deal. Overall, it's been great, and we're both proud to showcase the new family we are creating. Foodnerd81 on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188482 Mon, 25 May 2015 12:01:30 +0000 Foodnerd81 2188482@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Of course I think everyone should do what works best for them personally. But for me, I find hyphenated names sort of annoying and confusing. It feels so formal to call someone the whole thing (especially if either name is long) and especially silly things like addressing a Christmas card- it feels nicer to write The Jones Family than Mrs jones-Smith and mr smith and family. But those are very superficial reasons so I would say go with what works best for you. I added my maiden name as a second middle name. The only issue I've had is that I had them put both initials on my license (so Jane MW Smith, instead of just Jane Smith) which means I have to remember to put that on plane tickets. I should have just had them put the one initial but I wasn't thinking. miramira on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188481 Mon, 25 May 2015 11:59:41 +0000 miramira 2188481@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My two last names don't have a hyphen, just to make it extra awkward. Really the only time it's a pain is when I have to give my details over the phone. I end up just giving my maiden name (which is hard enough to spell) or telling the person that I have 2 last names, to give them some warning. I love my maiden name and we decided to give our kid my husband's name, so I wanted to share that too! Greedy. MenagerieMama on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188471 Mon, 25 May 2015 11:38:44 +0000 MenagerieMama 2188471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My name before gettig married was hyphenated (moms maiden - dads last) and I hated it. A lot. So I dropped dads last and uses moms maiden as a middle and took DHs last name, helps that he had a good last name! Corduroy on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188469 Mon, 25 May 2015 11:34:02 +0000 Corduroy 2188469@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I hyphenated my middle name and my maiden name because my middle was my mom's maiden. So it's First Mom's Maiden-My Maiden Husband's. My parents think it's totally stupid since they compromised to not give me a hyphenated name. Since it is "hidden" in my middle name it isn't really an issue. However, TSA does not accept my hyphenated middle names so I always fly as First Last, no middle. So far I haven't encountered an issue that way even with international travel. 2littlepumpkins on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188465 Mon, 25 May 2015 11:27:41 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2188465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I added my maiden name to my middle name, and it's been about five years and I like it so far. coopsmama on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188461 Mon, 25 May 2015 11:24:35 +0000 coopsmama 2188461@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I personally don't like the way hyphenated names look. I much prefer it when the wife either keeps her maiden name or takes her husband's last name as her own. I did the latter but added my maiden name as a second middle name. renee on "Do you like your hyphenated name?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-like-your-hyphenated-name#post-2188458 Mon, 25 May 2015 11:21:02 +0000 renee 2188458@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I always thought I'd keep my maiden name, but after my LO was born, I have wanted to have my husband (and son's) name added to my name. I'm concerned because I've heard that hyphenating can be such a pain in the ass when dealing with any bureaucracy. So tell me, how do you feel about YOUR hyphenated name?