Double barrelling surnames?

My double barrelled surname isn't hyphenated officially and I've found that a massive pain, so I'm always curious about why people choose that. My parents couldn't hyphenate because of the system in the country they were in at the time.

It really isn’t.

I can't really see the point in having 2 sets of surnames tbh and in your situation would not bother having a double barrelled surname just to be able to introduce myself to my kids school as Mrs Married name, but use Ms Birth name everywhere else. Honestly as a teacher, noone at school will care!

I have a double barrelled name as my birth name which I did not change on marriage. I have one Scottish parent and one Spanish parent so mine is a bit of an unusual hybrid. The kids have my Spanish name and my husband's British surname. So for example I am Ana Garcia Mackenzie and my kids are DC Garcia Campbell. We manage fine, noone gets confused and hopefully if they get married in the future noone will end up with 48 surnames.

Just curious. Do you think Spain/South America etc are ridiculous? Just wondering if you're xenophobic or just judgemental.

“ Ultimately do what you want”

Yes exactly - and we are very fortunate we can, rather than some countries where the state is very prescriptive.

We did option 2 - with a hyphen, and DH's siblings did option 1 but one with and one without a hyphen.

The non hyphenated have basically lost the first bit (hers) and it's become a middle name in day to day life.

The issue with option 1 for one family is the wider world assuming they either all have the child's surname or that they all have the Dad's. They all find it very annoying and expend quite a bit of energy being irritated, which seems unnecessary.

Option 2 has caused us no issues at all. Both she and I have kept our original email addresses so some people refer to us just as our pre married half of the name but neither of us mind.

I know a few families who have started with a completely new last name on marriage - one were same sex and their names just didn't work put together so they anagrammed a bit, one where the parents were teachers and both their names were v unfortunate for working with young people and one where there were matches with an unfortunate news story. I also know a couple who put their names together as one word ie Mr Black and Miss Smith became Mr & Mrs Blacksmith.

I know loads of professionals who have their original name at work and their family name at home too - lots of those in the law and healthcare do this.

Ultimately, do what you want!

Hmmm …wonders if Polar Bear Griffin Jones would have been best off remaining nameless on the streets (where she was found) rather than being rehomed by the RSPCA and subjected to DDs surname choices!

100%

I did the same (except it is Me-Him 🙂). Neither of us wanted to give up our name or faff about changing to double-barrelled (and then always having to declare a change of name). DC are in their teens now, and it has never been an issue, even when travelling abroad, which we do every year. I occasionally get called Mrs Him, or he Mr Her, but it's not a big deal. We're all happy!

Why did we need to when they can have both and we'd both be happy? That is the sensible choice.

I detest double barrelled names. It's so pretentious.

I suspect there’s a back story to this. I can’t imagine a happy and settled couple not being able to make a sensible choice between 2 names.

Most people automatically use the fathers name. That's why most people manage it without issue.

My DC were never going to only have my DH's name. Never. My name is important too so they have both.

I really don’t see what the problem is. Most people I know managed it without any issue whatsoever. Only one used both names but even then one of them was a middle name not double barrelled.

I don't think it's ridiculous for DC to have both of their parents names. It makes the most sense to me.

DH and I would've never agreed on just one of our names.

My child has a double barreled name. Me and my partner both have our own names (DP's is also double barrelled).

Me - Jones
DP - Smith-Brown
Child - Jones-Brown

Doesn't cause any issues, although I'm not a fan of double barrelled names personally which is why I've kept my own name!

It really doesn’t but feel free to think that if it makes you feel better about your choices.

DH and I wanted the same name as our daughter so double barrelled. The reality is we tend to just use one (the shorter) which is my DH's surname and I wish we hadn't bothered! My banks are still in my Maiden name but our passports are new 🤣

It's really common in some industries for women to keep their maiden name or continue to use it at work whilst having double-barrelled or husband's name legally - particularly ones where higher qualifications are involved and your name carries a reputation which is integral to the role, like law, academia, medical doctors/surgeons and engineers).

That says a lot about you, none of it attractive.

I kept my maiden name. DC have both our surnames, double barrelled.

I put double barrelled surnames in the same basket as personalised car registration plates. Both are ridiculous.

Just give your DC one or other of the parents names and be done with it.

Me too. And about one third of DS’s school class have married parents and both surnames.

It's Ellie-Mae isn't it?

Your daughter should live in shame. Poor Ellie-Mae Griffin-Jones and her unmarried parents living in sin.