Should I hyphenate my babies last name???

I planned on giving my daughter his last name, but my dad is really worried about it and thinks that I should hyphenate her last name. My boyfriend and I are not planning on getting married any time soon, but I planned on giving her his last name anyways. I only have 9 days until I am due and am really struggling with this. Please let me know some pro's and con's and let me know what I should do. Thanks.

Should I hyphenate my babies last name???
Yes, You should.





Good Luck. = )
Reply:do it as his is and there will be less hassle in court when he decides to get custody.
Reply:i say no, my name was hyphenated and i hated it, my first name is also hyphenated.. it makes it hard for ur child and as a kid they get asked why you have 2 last names etc. i say just choose which way, one of the other, from personal experience its just annoying
Reply:I'd give her my last name, If you got married you can change it or when shes older you can ask if she wants to change it
Reply:Im not much for hyphenating last names. One suffices. But in this case, I'd say do it. Just because you arent planning on getting married anytime soon, and you never know what could happen.You may, for whatever reasons good or bad, decide to split up, and you'll be a single parent. Do you want your girl to have a last name different than yours? Actually, what I would do would be to give her MY last name. I gave birth to her, and Im not married. Then, if/when you get married, you'll be changing your name, you can change your child(ren)s last names at the same time. It will be the thing that brings you all together as a family. Then if anything happens, like I said before, then it would be good that she has the same last name as her momma!
Reply:Give her your last name if you are not married. Once you are married the last name can be changed. I am not married and my daughter is 4. She has my last name and I am glad. Don't hyphenate that is just to much for a child.
Reply:In my family even if you're not married and you have a child with a guy, we use their last name. I was 17 when I delivered my daughter and I have her, her dad's last name. Isabella Elizabeth Pina
Reply:My son has my last name and i am so glad one day when i do get married i will change his name too. I think that it nice for a child to have the same name as their mother!!
Reply:Give her a real middle name, and then hyphenate her name Smith-Johnson. That way, legally her last name starts with Smith.





If you trust your bf, he plans on helping with care and $$, and you feel like it, name the baby after him. If it doesn't really matter to you or your bf, then please your daddy and do it his way.





TX Mom
Reply:It's totally up to you and what you feel comfortable with. I know many people that have given their children hyphenated last names. I don't think it is weird. If your very family orientated then it may be a really good idea (and you will gain brownie points with your dad and other family members :D) Its a decision only you can make. Good Luck :)
Reply:it depends if its long. also, look at the hypednated name.





ex: if your last name is freeman and his is uthman, then it would be Freeman-Uthman. which would be... not good.





sooo~ yeah look ahead. but the good thing is that she will know that during rough times that both of you love her very much :D
Reply:i'm not married but my baby is going to have his dad's last name.





I think your father just wants to continue your family name


you can do it to honor him
Reply:I think it depends on the first name and how long the last name would be if it were hyphenated.
Reply:my daughter is about to be one, and her father and i were plannign on getting married eventually, but we just broke up. i am completly regretting giving her his name, he threatens to have nothing to do with her just to upset me. her dr's office always calls me ms. (his name) if they call. i hate it i hate it i hate it.
Reply:If he owns up to being the father, have him sign the birth certificate and give her his last name and sign the papers that are required to do so. The kid deserves to have the last name of her father, just like you have your father's last name. Being a kid is tough enough. If you and your bf don't stick it out, at least your child will not have to explain why his/her parents never married. Just because your Dad doesn't like your bf - otherwise not sure why he would be opposed to this -does not give him any right to dictate. He had his father's last name. You had your father's last name. And your baby should have his/her father's last name.





FYI - I don't think it's as simple as just signing the papers at the hospital. If you are not married, I do believe he will have to file some sort of petition to the court.





I want to add something to this, since so many people are giving you advice to use your last name only or let them change it when they are older....ANY CLUE HOW CONFUSING THIS IS TO A KID?? My cousin was in the same boat....sorta. She and her husband split up before the baby was born. She took her own name back and had her maiden name when the baby was born. Since she and her ex were no longer on speaking terms, she gave the baby her last name, not his. Her child is now 20, and has had a rough time of it. In school, she felt out of place because the other kids had both a mom and a dad that they knew. And had their father's last names. It made her feel like one parent did not love her. It made her feel like a mistake. And she had a lot of hang ups about it as she got to be a teen. You might think it's not a big deal, but I guarantee it is going to be a big deal for that kid. THE LAST NAME OF THE FATHER SHOULD BE HIS/HER LAST NAME. I don't care what your own moral standards are. Every child deserves to walk into a room with their head held high. At least they will always know at one time in their life, they had two parents.
Reply:Yes, you should definitely hyphenate your baby's last name. Afterall, the baby is coming from both you and your boyfriend. And you're the one who's giving birth. I'm all about equality. And if you both should decide to marry, keep the baby's name as it is. Then you have the option of keeping your name or hyphenating it. Maybe your boyfriend can also hyphenate his name if he's concerned about unity.
Reply:I had the same problem. I named my child after me and my boyfriend. (last name hyphenated) When we got married, I hyphenated my last name too. However, if your two last names are rather long, consider using just one. It might be difficult for a child to spell a long name like that. Good Luck!
Reply:Definitely give her your last name. It will eliminate many problems. Even if you are planning on staying together forever and can't foresee any horrible breakups, etc. you just never know what can happen. And if you do stay together and eventually get married, then you can always change her name legally.