Why hyphenate last name when married

Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Making big decisions is an essential part of wedding planning, from picking your flowers to finalizing your guest list. However, few if any of these will be carried with you for the rest of your life.

One that will? Deciding to keep or change your last name—and the time to think about your surname is well before the ceremony.

A hyphenated last name is when you and your spouse combine both of your last names with a hyphen. This is also called a double surname. It becomes a legal document after the marriage when the officiant files it. You might want to keep the name you have, but if you are changing your name, you have options:. Here, we're exploring the last option, hyphenating your last name, with help from expert Valerie Freeman.

Meet the Expert. She completed Design House Prep School's Wedding Etiquette study and has eight years of experience as a wedding stationer.

In Britain, hyphenated double surnames were historically passed down to heirs. They commemorated the combining of family fortunes and affiliations by marriage. When there were no male heirs to the estate in the bride's line, the name could be used by the husband, usually done if he was from a family less well-off than the bride's family. This practice began in the 15th century and was limited to nobility or those of great wealth. In Victorian times, the hyphenated, or what is also called the double-barreled surname, became more popular and gradually the practice has moved from upper-crust Brits to anyone.

In modern-day America and much of the English-speaking western world, the choice to hyphenate has less to do with the bourgeoise as it is a declaration of equality. Are you a vendor? Start here. Build Your Vendor Team. Wedding Website. Find a Couple's Website. Check Out Top Designs. Save the Dates. Change the Dates. Invitations Invitations.

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Wedding Rings. Wedding Jewelry. Wedding Accessories. Get Fashion Inspiration. Engagement Engagement. Travel Travel. Fashion Fashion. Gifts Gifts. Sponsored by Men's Wearhouse. Log In. Considering a Hyphenated Last Name? This name change option allows you to have both surnames but use them interchangeably. You will need to sign all legal documents with both names, but you can introduce yourself with one last name, thus forgoing the mouthful that hyphenated last names can create.

Maiden to middle name change holds even more appeal for women who were bestowed with horrible middle names! This can be done in all states except California unless you list your maiden as your middle name on your marriage license , Ohio, New Jersey, and Washington.

If you live in New York or Pennsylvania, you'll need to follow a specific order when filing your forms to achieve maiden to middle name change get more info on MissNowMrs. Reasons range from having unpronounceable maiden names to wanting their future children to have a last name towards the front of the alphabet. This concept is very new on the name change scene — Mr. Goldberg and Miss Bernstein become Mr. Still unsure of the best name change option for you?

Play the Married Name Game. It weighs and factors in things like your age and education, along with your personal style, to suggest the name change option s most in keeping with your selections.