I lost my father very suddenly nine months before I got married, and after he died, I started to feel doubts about my long-held desire to change my last name. But getting married also meant starting a new family, and I liked the idea of all of us having the same name, like a team we were on together. Now I love being one big package deal — plus, it makes addressing envelopes so much easier!
This comes into play when you're dealing with a couple of mixed ethnicities, where changing your name can also bring with it some cultural implications. For me, dropping my Jewish last name has meant I'm no longer asked about my background every time I introduce myself.
I'm also half Indian, but for some reason with a more Caucasian-sounding last name, no one asks me about my ethnic background anymore. First, know what to expect. Check the hours before you head to the courthouse! I was turned away due to timing at least twice including once because they were closed for a two-hour lunch break.
Oh, and bring your birth certificate. Contact the city where you were born and they can send you a replacement, usually for a nominal fee. Your new name is Jane Ashley James. But what if you want your new name to be Jane Doe James instead? I thought this would be as easy as writing down what I wanted my post-married name to be, all at once, but it had to be treated as a separate name change — and that meant a lot more trips to name change court. One way to cut down on the hassle is to start early.
I am about to remarry. I will add my new husbands name as my middle name. I don't have a middle name. He understands and supports my decision. So I gave in. He was an immigrant who came to this country from Jamaica as a young man. He sponsored many of his family members as well as my grandmother's. He took care of his family and sometimes those who weren't his family, owned his own business, owned property, had strong values and was a brave man.
Pure example of the American dream. I'm the last to have his name and I want to hold on to it. A complicated affair Brittany Frizzell's her ex-husbands last name decision to change her name "had a lot of ebb and flow," she says. As time went on and the finalization of the divorce became more clear and real I settled into the idea of having my own life. It has nothing to do with how I feel about my former spouse.
My love for him is not the hinge of the decision to change my name. They are the most fun, loving, and supportive people I know. My grandfather is not my biological grandfather and he and my grandmother were never able to have children of their own. I am honored to take their name and start this new life. All while still carrying my experience and my former spouse in my heart. Don't try to dodge debt Kelsey Mulholland, a family attorney in Morristown, N.
Keep your birth name -- except when your career suffers Rosemary Frank, MBA, a financial advisor and divorce financial analyst, urges both parties to keep their birth names when marrying, saying: " The only true marriage name of an equal partnership would be a hyphenated version of both spouses birth names. I n the event of divorce, wives who did change their names should revert to their birth names, Frank says.
Recovery of one's birth name is part of that restoration to their prior individuality. An exception, Frank says, is when the wife has significant professional collateral with her married name. Her advice:. Not sure if this is the right forum to ask this question.
Hi Lindsey. Bring a certified copy of your marriage certificate and ID in your old and new name and you should be fine. If you can sufficiently link up your name transition you can verify your identity if asked.
I live in Texas. Hello, I got married in California a few years ago. I took my husband's last name. But I regret dropping my maiden name for sentimental reasons. So I want to drop my current middle name and make my maiden name my new middle name. Would I need to petition in court for this name change? Thank you. Yes, because you'll need a new name change event documented that supersedes your marriage certificate. I actually have a couple of questions..
I was married about a year and a half ago. Initially, I did not plan to change my name but now I want to. I want to add my maiden name to my middle name and use my husband's name for surname but I also want to keep the middle name given to me at birth.
Is a double middle name like this permissible in Virginia? Also, since I didn't plan to take my husband's name, I didn't put any thing other than my maiden name on the marriage license, does this matter? From your other pages that I've read it sounds like no, My SSA — 5 application is sufficient proof for the new name? Finally, I can't discern if I need to provide my driver's license or not? If your marriage was in the last two years it was and your marriage certificate can identify you in current records it should and your new name can be derived it should, referencing your husband's name , you just need to mail the form and certificate.
I'm in a bit of a dilemma. I will be getting married in a about a month and will do the name change. My thought was to traditionally do the last name rotation, take my Fiance's last name and make my maiden last name my middle name. My problem is that the last name I'd like to use would be my mother's husbands a. However, he is not legally or by form of adoption, my legal Father.
Will I be able to make his last name my middle name when marrying here in California even though he is not my legal father? If marrying, would I have to file a separate court order for middle name change after? Or should could it be done during marriage process? Would I have to have legal adoption first, as an adult, to be able to get his last name as my middle name? I hope you can answer my question.
I have done a ton of research for weeks now and I'm resulting in giving up. You could go to court to change your middle name, then get married to change your last name. But, you'll have to make sure your ID is updated to reflect your new middle name before applying for a marriage license. Or you could go to court to change your middle name and last name, thereby skipping the eventual name change through marriage.
This can be done before or after marriage. Or will I have to go through legal name change process first? Hi Kathy. It depends on the state. Where will the marriage take place and where will you reside afterward. Hello — I will be taking his surname and am planning to change my maiden name to a second middle name, would this be through court or marriage certificate?
Hi Anonymous. Yes, you can add your maiden name to your middle name with a hyphen or space. It wouldn't count as two middle names, as there's no such thing. Your dual names will still count as one. Hi Olga. The document you'd use to complete your name change would be a certified copy of your marriage certificate.
Getting married and not sure if I should add my maiden name to my middle name which will give me 2 middle names. Is there a conflict in Massachusetts if I do this? I am widowed and would like to add my maiden name legally without consequences. What is the procedure? Could you clarify what you mean when you say "add? I started my immigration process informing the new name I chose which was Firstname, one of my last maiden names as middle name, and my husband last as my last name.
I know you might not answer for immigration rules, but do you think it is a problem to create a new middle name with my maiden last name in Florida? Also, do you know if marriage certificates in Florida show only the maiden name and you change it on SSN and etc; or you think I missed the opportunity to change my name back then when I got married January ?
You didnt' miss anything. You don't choose a new name on the marriage application, license, or certificate in Florida. I have been married but never changed my name. I now want to change my name. I have a very long maiden name which is hyphenated. Eventually, my maiden name will be my middle name because I never had a middle name. I'm in MA. Sorry if you have covered elsewhere — I read as many posts as I can.
But, I am writing out of time, so here goes my question:. Upon marriage in the state of California is it legal to change your maiden name to a second middle name without hyphenating?
For example:. Yes, but this name choice must be specified when you apply for your marriage license. Space, no space, or hyphen is fine. I have the same question along the lines of this and tried reading through the rest of the comments to see if it was covered.
But what if my middle name already has a hyphen and I would like to keep it and add my maiden name as a second middle name with a space in between, would this be allowed in California? Through marriage. I would like to keep it and add my maiden name as a second middle name with a space in between, would this be allowed in California?
When I got married 9 years ago, I took my husband's last name and made my maiden name my middle name. Now I'm divorced and I have moved to Nevada. I am changing my name back to my maiden name and am going to start with social security card and then the DMV, but do I have to go back to my original middle name?
Or can I just omit a middle name and go back to my maiden name and just have no middle name? I don't like my given middle name. Just wondering before I fill out the application for a new social security card. I wish I'd never taken his name! I recently got married in Indiana and want to know if I could change my maiden name as a second middle name then take my husband's last name as a marriage name change or if that would have to go through the courts at any point?
First Middle Maiden as second middle Last. Widow remarrying here. My current name is my first, maiden as middle, and deceased husband's surname. I would like to move my deceased husband's surname to my middle dropping my maiden and add my new husband's surname. I have no changed any legal documents yet. Is a change petition needed?
I read that a legislation in NY posed for maiden names can be middle names even if your marriage Certificate doesnt say so. I got married out of the country in Scotland —the marriage certificate just lists my given name at birth and did not have a place to enter my new name after marriage.
I live in Connecticut. I am divorced and am getting re-married in Colorado. I currently still have my ex-husbands last name. Is it possible to use the marriage license to add my maiden name as a second middle name and then take on my soon to be husbands last name? New name: Karen Lopez-Garcia Would this be possible? If so, would I leave the last name section blank to drop it? I am getting married in California later this year and want to take my partner's last name and make my maiden name my middle name: Current name: Kate middle name, last name New Name: Kate Maiden name, partner's last name.
I was recently married in AZ- there is no place on the marriage license to write the desired name that results from the marriage. I wanted to go from First, middle name, maiden name to First, maiden name, husband's last name. I called the social security office to make sure this was possible, and they assured me that the federal government only recognizes the first and last name as legal, and it doesn't matter what you do with your middle name when you get married.
Next, I went to the DMV, and the person helping me stubbornly insisted that my marriage license wasn't enough proof of my name change and that the government needed to know what happened to my middle name, even though I think it's a logical leap between the two names.
They didn't care that my social security card reflected the change, and told me I could either go back to the SS office and change my middle name back with them, or go to a court to get my middle name changed.
I've seen a few news articles of women bumping into the same problem since making the move to REAL ID even women who've been married for 40 years , and it all comes down to the individual DMV or employee making the call on whether or not a connection can be made between the birth certificate and the marriage license. Sometimes the employees let it happen, sometimes they don't.
Seems unfair and entirely arbitrary and inconsistent. In one article, the lady called all the way up the chain of command until she got to someone in charge of the bureau in her state, and he said that it comes down to inconsistent training and unclear information between individual DMVs.
It does appear you got an agent who wasn't aware that it was possible. Arizona statutes don't forbid middle name changes. When encountering such an agent, you can ask if they can provide written documentation that explains their position. And, if not, why not? At worst, you can try a different DMV. And even call in advance to pose this question. And if you get an affirmative reply, get the agent's name and make an appointmet to see them directly. Or at least arrive on a day they're working so that you can appeal to them if necessary.
Go to a different dmv. Do not settle for what some clerk wants. They don't get to decide that, you do. Dmvs require the Social Security name to match the driver's license name. Social Security is the place to start the name change process. Technically, your new legal name is now your first, maiden, and hubby's surname.
The dmv shouldn't be asking you to "go back and change it, nor 'fix' it," that IS your legal name! The birth certificate name should match your marriage certificate name. The marriage certificate is the required name change document,; that is the "proof" that an event occurred that allows you to change your name.
You don't need anything else. It needs to show your name as well as your husband's name, listed somewhere on the document, but not necessarily specify what you want to change it to many states are like this, with no spot to show what you want it to be. I recently got married in IL.
There was nowhere on the marriage certificate to indicate my preferred name post-marriage. I submitted my social security paperwork accordingly and confirmed with my local social security office that I completed the paperwork correctly. I just received my new card with the name First Middle Married. Is this accurate? That should be possible. Our Illinois name change article touches on this. This shouldn't require a court petition. Was your maiden name on file with the SSA?
If not, that could be the problem. They have told me that everyone who changes their name to First Maiden Married actually has two last names maiden married. There can be only one last name. There are separate record blocks for your first, middle, and last name. Only your first and last name is considered part of your legal name, not your middle. However, your middle name will still be shown on your social security card.
What you're describing sounds like inside baseball technicalities. Your middle name exists in a state of limbo. It's there, but has no legal significance. The SSA sections off your name in halves: given name and family name.
Your "given name" is your first and middle name. Your "family name" is your last name and suffix if any. All four sections are stored in your social security record, but your middle and suffix are second-class citizens.
They may not even make it onto your social security card if space is limited. They're considered expendable. But that doesn't meant they can't be changed.
The SSA's operating manual provides examples of middle name changes. You can try to resubmit to the same or different office, requesting a name correction. You'd use your marriage certificate again. But, jumping back to what I mentioned earlier, if your maiden name wasn't actually established with the SSA, you'll have to supply a document that proves it, such as a certified copy of your birth certificate.
Hi Valera — I have a question on changing my name in Nebraska. I am trying to change it to First, Maiden, His last name, essentially dropping my middle name. I have already changed in on my social security card to this. My step daughter just got married this past weekend and would like to change her name to use her given birth first name, my last name as her new middle name and her new husband's last name. She has no ties to her birth father anymore, and since I raised her as my own she would like to drop his name her Maiden altogether, but honor my last name in her new name.
Her father would never consent to me adopting her. Would she have to petition the court to do this or could she do this without going to court. We are in North Carolina. Hi Shawn. Yes, she would have to petition the court, as that would be considered an entirely new name.
Hi Valera! Firstly, thank you for taking the time to read and respond to everyone's comments! It's crazy how confusing this whole process is with differing standard practices across the board. My question is: I recently married in GA and added my maiden name as my second middle name e.
As a performer, my name is established as my First Name — Maiden Name. Can I still sign legal tax and otherwise documents as my performer name First Name — Maiden Name if it is my second middle name or do I have to now sign using my new surname?
Contracts and taxes need to go under your legal name. However, just because you specified a new name on your marriage license doesn't make it official. You'll have to correct your social security card for it to be legal.
I got married in but started the process of changing my name this year. I live in California and got married here. I called the office and they claim my first name isn't actually changed and they only took out the space because they have limited space in their fields.
They also said in order to drop my mother's maiden name and change my middle name as I would like, then I need to change my birth certificate. I don't understand how that would work because I want my maiden name as part of my middle name and if I did that on my birth certificate, then I'd have no last name to put at birth. Ultimately, how do I go about getting the name I indicated on my marriage certificate? Do I have to get a court order? Should work as shown by the California Name Equality Act.
I submitted the SS5 form with the same desired name from the marriage certificate, but SSA sent me back a new card with my first and middle name as one name with no space. What's the format of your card? First line and last line? I ask, because there should be 26 characters available on line one for your first and middle name.
Then 26 spaces for your last name. They will clip names for lack of space. However, it should be stored correctly in their system. This is what allows you to have a funky looking card, but your driver's license renewed correctly when the DMV goes to query the SSA database for the full, non-truncated name. Something about this doesn't sound right. The California Name Equality Act allows you to join your middle name with your maiden name through marriage, with a space, hyphen, or flush.
Each party to the marriage may adopt any of the following middle names: A combination of the current middle name and the birth last name of the person or spouse. You shouldn't have to go to court. You may have gotten an agent that was mistaken and unaware of what's allowed. You can print the pertinent section of the PDF linked above and the POMS page highlighting the middle name section and ask for a correction and reissue.
Is this a legal change that doesn't require going to court or changing my birth certificate? Or is that what is meant by "segments" that aren't allowed according to the Name Equality Act? Thanks for clarifying. Now I see the structure clearly. I read your original comment to mean your last name was your mother's maiden name. However, your mother's maiden is part of your middle name. That's not possible through marriage.
In California, you can't drop a portion of your middle name. You can add to it or replace it, but you can slice it up. Oh sorry, and to answer your question, yes my SS card has two lines. It is formatted as First name and middle name 1 with no space, Mother's maiden initial on the first line, and Spouses last name on the second line.
I took my husbands last name in First, Middle, Husbands surname. I would now like to change to First, maiden, husbands surname which is also my current surname. Do I need a court order?
Hi Melissa. Yes, you'd need a court order at this point. If you only changed it on your social security card, you can pursue a name reversal internally it's called a "correction" using your marriage certificate.
But since your name change was over a decade ago, I assume you've changed your name on an array of documents, including your driver's license or non-driver ID card. You would need to file a court petition. I got married in in California. On my marriage certificate, I changed my last name to my husband's and kept my middle name the same. Now I would like to change my middle name to my maiden name instead. I haven't changed my name with any government entity since being married, but would like to do that now.
Will I need a Court order? Thank you in advance! Hi MyKieu. Yes, you're locked into the name shown on your marriage certificate. You'll have to get a court order to deviate. My question is: what is my legal name and is a middle name a part of the legal name?
Your ID. The new name on your marriage certificate gives you the option to change. It's not mandatory. Thanks in advance for the help! I'm a resident of California but am getting married in Illinois where it does not allow you to list your new name on the marriage license.
I want to keep my current middle name, move my maiden name to a second middle name, and take my partner's last name as my new last name. Is this possible in California if my marriage license from Illinois does not allow me to indicate this? So even though my marriage license will not list my new names, California will still allow me to add a middle name?
I thought this could only be done if it was indicated on the marriage license? Hi Kristina. You're correct. Since it's not listed in Illinois, at best you can replace your middle with your maiden. Just to clarify — Can I add my maiden name to my existing middle separated with a space , or can I only replace my current middle with my maiden? Hello, I live in NJ.
I recently discovered though I could have my maiden name as my middle. I think I would have a hard time parting with my current middle name though. Is it possible in NJ to have two middle names? I understand petitioning to the court would be necessary, but wanted to see if two names would be possible before I start the process. Thanks for the response Valera! I appreciate the feedback. Or would the court let me know? It's a local newspaper.
Please see the court section of the NJ name change page for further details. Everywhere else I use my first name and last maiden name, no middle name. I will be applying for a U. Can you make your husband's name your legal middle name? Or, could I take my husband's last name, but use my maiden name for writing publications? I have a common first and last name. I want to take my future husband's last name.
However, I'm a writer in process of publishing books. I want to use my abbreviated first name less common and maiden last name as an author, as it's not as common and sounds more writerly, if you will…. You might be able to do this. Could you specify? And did your marriage already take place? You can write under a pseudonym or pen name, but it wouldn't be your legal name. For instance, it wouldn't be the name you'd use when signing contracts or filing taxes.
Not yet, next month! I think what I really want to do is have two middle names. The idea is to have my regular middle name plus my maiden name as my middle names. Then just take his last name…. Hi Elizabeth. The double middle name may be possible, but I'd have to know your state to drill down further. Hi I am trying to figure out if I need to petition the court to add my middle name to my current middle name and change my last name to my husbands.
We just got married a month ago in MT, and I wrote my maiden name on the marriage certificate. So I am wanting my name to be xxx, xxx-xxx, xxx. The social security office made it sound like I could just write it how I want but I wasn't sure if this covered me. I called SSA and they said they can only change the last name for marriage, and I'd have to go to the court for middle name change. Is that correct? Hi Sara. You can change your middle name using your marriage certificate.
You're limited by to your maiden name replacing your middle. Hi, I'm getting married soon in California and I don't want to mess up my paperwork. Is there a way I keep both my middle and maiden name and just add my future spouse's last name to it without hyphenating it? If so how would I do it? Yes, you must write that precisely on the new name after marriage block on your marriage license application. Yes getting married in Texas but want to keep my Madian name.
Can this be done. Do I need to report getting married in Texas. You can keep your maiden name after marriage. That's the default if you don't pursue a name change post-marriage. Your marriage is reported once your marriage license is returned for recording to the county clerk who issued it.
I am getting married for the second time, currently my last name and my children's last names are the same, and I really don't want to give up that name completely. Is it possible to hyphenate my middle name like that, so that i can keep all of the names?
Hi Jody. Can you share which state your marriage will take place as well as your state of residence? Thank you so much for the information. I really appreciate you taking the time, to help me.
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