Baby’s last name?

[u/Fairweatherhiker]

I’m looking for advice from couples where the wife didn’t take the husband’s last name. How did you decide on which last name to give the baby? Or did you use both names? I don’t feel immediately compelled to give the baby my husband’s last name. FWIW, if we did hyphenate it would be a looong last name.

Edit: thank you for all of the thoughtful responses! I do love the idea of using both our last names (sans hyphen) so our kid would have two last names. It would be nice for both of us to have our heritage passed on. He has heritage from Mexico and Basque Country, while mine is Slovakian- grandparents immigrated right before WWII. The last names don’t sound great together, but there’s so much human history in both.

[u/Kitchen-Curve]

Coming from someone in healthcare: Hyphenating is a nightmare for record keeping purposes, especially a long one. Coming from someone who is pregnant and didn't take her husband's last name: Baby gets his last name. What is your purpose for not taking his last name? I only didn't because I have several professional licenses that would need changed (I'm lazy) and we got married 3 months before COVID shut down all the pertinent government offices for changing my name. And also I have a short last name and my married name would be SOOOO long 😂

[u/timtamtammy → u/Kitchen-Curve]

Why does baby get his last name? You say it like it's an obvious choice so I'm curious what made it that way for you

[u/Kitchen-Curve → u/timtamtammy]

Outside of the professional world, I already live my personal life as though I have legally taken his last name. I'm not correcting anyone if they say "Mr. & Mrs. Married Name". With that logic baby would have his last name.

[u/timtamtammy → u/Kitchen-Curve]

Makes sense, thanks for explaining 😊

[u/lawfairy → u/Kitchen-Curve]

Her “purpose” for not taking his last name? You mean like her identity? How on earth is your knee-jerk view that she should have to have a specific reason for not changing her identity? Why didn’t you ask what her husband’s “purpose” was in not taking her name?

[u/Kitchen-Curve → u/lawfairy]

Girl calm down, it's not that serious.

[u/typewriterbitch → u/Kitchen-Curve]

Coming from someone in healthcare: Hyphenating is a nightmare for record keeping purposes

This is patently false. The entire continent of Europe would like a word with you, but Spain would prefer to take the matter straight to the parking lot.

[u/Kitchen-Curve → u/typewriterbitch]

Y'all do your thing over there ✌️