Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Double-barrell surnames - how common are they?

61 replies

springissprung · 11/05/2011 16:09

... and how are they seen these days? Do people still see double-barrell names as posh or are they quite common place now with more parents wanting to pass both their names on to their DC? Is the child more likely to be called by the first or second part of the name as inevitably some people won't get it right!

Just trying to get an idea as I don't personally know anyone with a double-barrell name.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Hassled · 11/05/2011 16:58

I do tend to assume it's one name from each of the parents, rather than a Trust Fund and some ponies.

My DCs are Hassled-Bloggs. I do worry what they'll do if they have children with Jane Smith-Jones. It can't be Hassled-Smith-Bloggs-Jones - they're going to have pick and there's bound to be offence taken somewhere.

wheniwishuponastar · 11/05/2011 16:55

Pink - that is ridiculous!!!!

pinkgirlythoughts · 11/05/2011 16:24

I think nowadays, most people would just assume that the parents weren't married- like Exit said, probably if anything a bit common, rather than posh! Just going on the people that I know with double-barrelled surnames, of course!

Although one strange thing I have noticed, quite a lot of children with double-barrelled lns also seem to have double-barrelled fns, e.g. Ellie-Kate Smith-Jones. Surely Ellie Kate Smith-Jones, known as Ellie Smith-Jones for everyday purposes, would be a bit more convenient?!

boohoohoo · 11/05/2011 16:23

My youngest ds has both dh and my names even tho we are married because my daughter has my maiden name and ss has dh name and the youngest ds surname links all the children together, if that makes sense!

Original poster
springissprung · 11/05/2011 16:20

@janitor - people just using half of the name for instance. Just wondered - you may not have a not have had!

OP posts:
Blu · 11/05/2011 16:17

About a third of children in DS's class have hypenated names - not posh!

DS has both our names, hypenated - causes no problems whatsoever, he is always called his full and real name.

valiumbandwitch · 11/05/2011 16:14

I'm not sure if this is helpful to you but my children have their father's sur name but we weren't married. Have split from him.

My children use myname hisname now but they aren't double-barrelled becaues legally their name is just one of those names. BUT I find it helps enormously at the school for example. If they are just sylvie and Bruno Hisname, nobody would know that I was their mother but since we've started using two sur names, it's more obvious i'm their mother, they're my children. Sounds a small thing, but we all like it. The last time I admitted to this I was told off.

themildmanneredjanitor · 11/05/2011 16:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ExitPursuedByALamb · 11/05/2011 16:12

My DD has a double barrelled name as DH and I were not married when we had her. When we did get married I did not change my name, and DD continues to be double-barrelled. She can make her own mind up when she is older if she wants to drop one.

I do worry sometimes that it makes us look a bit common Blush

Original poster
springissprung · 11/05/2011 16:11

Hi janitor - do you ever have any problems with your name?

OP posts:
themildmanneredjanitor · 11/05/2011 16:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.