Hyphenated surnames

Why don't you want it on passport but do want it on birth cert? At school you can tell them Preferred names, but passport I think as a legal document would match birth certificate.

In the US if it’s their legal name. That’s what goes on everything.

I added both of our last names and for legal documentations, it will have to match certificate. As for school, she can only have her dads last name if you choose. I didn’t put the “-“ in it though. Just his last name and then mine.

I want it on the birth certificate because if anything happens with me and my partner over in the uk he can take full custody however I don’t want to use my last name on any other documents

unfortunately that’s not the way it works. The name you put on her birth certificate will be the name she has to use legally for school registration, Doctors/Hospital. You can opt to use a “Preferred name” as well but legally her name will be whatever name you put on her birth certificate.

I hyphenated my sons. Only because my partner really wanted his last name included but I’ve never understood the whole “taking dads name” thing 😅 I’d prefer just my name, I mean I made him 🤣
But my partner is the sweetest guy so I obliged

I had a hyphenated surname before getting married, I only went by my mums name but legally everything had to have both names on including school and passport 😊

You can have a “known as” name at school yes.


“Schools and GP’s often provide the option to register a ”known as” name in addition to registering the child’s legal name. The legal name will be used on official documentation, i.e. school records, medical records, prescriptions, etc. The known as name, on the other hand, could be used on less official documentation, and teachers would address the child by their known as name.”


https://childlawadvice.org.uk/information-pages/changing-a-childs-surname/#:~:text=Schools%20and%20GP's%20often%20provide,medical%20records%2C%20prescriptions%2C%20etc.

The surname used on the birth certificate will have nothing to do with who gets custody if anything happens. You can give your child any surname you want, it doesn’t even have to be either of the parents. You can make one up.

Her name on the birth certificate will need to match any other official documents or registration. Surname shouldn’t impact custody if you register him as dad on the birth certificate. He gets the rights by being her dad not her name.

My birth certificate, licence, bank, mortgage etc is all my legal last name.

But I go by a double barrelled name. And have done since birth (discovered my birth certificate was wrong at 12 years old when ordering a passport).

But because I used my double barreled surname for so long I go by that, unless it's something legal.

However I am the UK.
The only problem I've had is some jobs have refused the name I go by because of my licence etc

Also, even if baby has just your partners last name he doesn't automatically get full custody if you split.

If he is put on the birth certificate he has full parental rights. Regardless off last night, baby could have a made up last night if you really wanted

Passport etc. would have to match the birth certificate as they are all legal documents. You can’t swap and change them.

he can’t take full custody just because they share a surname. You’re still the biological mother and you’ll still be named on the birth certificate as such.