Changing name when getting married

[Celebelly]

Looking for a bit of advice if anyone has done similar.

DP and I are getting married shortly, partly so we share a last name in our personal life for our daughter as I don't like us having different names.

However, I run my own business and am quite well known in the industry under my maiden name, so I was wondering if I could use my maiden name for professional reasons but married name for everything else.

Is this possible? Has anyone done this? How does it work with passports, driving licences, bank accounts etc.? I suppose I could just keep using my maiden name when engaging in business stuff, on my website etc. and maybe keep my business bank account in that name, but not sure if that's allowed!

How about your DH taking your surname?

Lots of people do that.

You just need to ensure that if you travel for work it is all booked under the name of your passport.

What Assassinated said.

My passport shows both names.

The photo page says Popskipiekin Married Name

The page above has an observation which states
“Also know as Popskipiekin Maiden Name”

So I kept bank statements in my maiden name, and also kept my drivers license in maiden name. I use my married name for anything relating to kids (and also for health reasons as somehow by changing it on my passport all the NHS services have me as married name, but to be honest I only use it in relation to my kids so I don’t mind).

I have kept maiden name at work, I am in a profession and that was important to me.

I like the two sides of me this offers, and the fact it was minimal hassle

I don't actually like my surname so I'd rather take his for most things where I can as it's much nicer!

I would keep your legal identity in you current name, but call yourself Mrs DH whenever you want to (socially, schools etc)

You can use your maiden name for professional use only. My reasons for changing my name were similar, and at the time I was self employed.
There is a page on your passport where they will add any aliases, so you can add it there.
Depending on your line of work, it varies. I work in a regulated industry and found it difficult to verify myself in either name, so ultimately I ended up using my married name professionally as it was much easier when all my ID, bank statements etc had the same name.

You've worked hard to be known by your surname. It's your identity.
Don't just give it up,
He can change to yours or double kids names.

I'm not in a regulated industry so it's purely for marketing/networking purposes as I've spent a good few years building up under my name so don't want to lose any of that or muddy the waters.
Sounds like it's entirely possible so that's good!

Also one of the reasons for not liking my surname is issues with my dad, so I don't feel very emotionally attached to it, just practically, if that makes sense.

It's funny how few men dislike their surnames, or think that their partner's name is "much nicer".

I know three people who use their maiden name for work and married name everywhere else. One a doctor, one a solicitor and one because she built up her business in maiden name.

It's quite common for the senior women in my industry. They change everything legally but professionally keep their maiden name and the reputation that goes with it.

I kept my surname, DH kept his and DT’s have double-barrelled. It’s a mouthful and as neither parts of their surname are English has meant that they always spell it out but a small price to pay for keeping both our surnames.

Yes my professional name is my maiden name and this is the name that's on my passport / bills etc. My personal life name is my married name -ie on school records etc. But legally I'm still technically Dr maiden-name.

Yes, it's very normal.

In theory, it should be simple. However, I do have a bit of killjoy caution. When I got married in 2010, I kept my name. Immediately, Barclays told me it was 'illegal' for a married woman not to change her name. It isn't, of course. I swapped to another bank.

Meanwhile, some of our wedding guests made out cheques to me as Mrs DHName. I did my research, and found that Halifax was perfectly happy for me to hold an account in my maiden name and also in my married name. They said it would be fine, and there would be a note on the information for each account to this effect.

A few years later, I got divorced, and discovered that Halifax had silently changed all of my accounts with them to Mrs DHsname. I queried this, and was told I must provide evidence that I had changed my name after divorce. Of course, I have no such evidence as I never did change my name - I used both names concurrently, which they had said was acceptable. I have been battling with them for nearly five years over this. Occasionally I think I have a victory and they change my name, but it is always changed back to my 'married' name very soon. I was married for 3 years and have had a Halifax account in my own name for nearly 30 years.

The moral of this rant is - yes, use both names, but don't expect it to be easy.

DH already has a double barrelled surname, so wasn’t an option for us.

I have kept mine professionally but his for my personal life. It means that I can keep a good separation between social media accounts for personal life & work.

Indeed, Trills.

I'm following this thread as interested in doing the same thing. I definitely want to use DPs surname for personal things and travel, and DS also has his surname and I want us to all have the same. I don't think judgy comments about why can't men change their names instead helpful. Plenty do. It's each individual couples choice and for us and for the OP it will be his surname we use, totally fine.

I didn't know that you could have a name on your passport that was then different to you name on your bank account? Or have I got that wrong? Is the name you're legally known by the one on your passport?

Add his name on the end of yours. All bases covered.

This suggests you can have two names on passport, as a PP said:

deedpolloffice.com/advice/woman-getting-married

'If you want to change your surname to your partner’s surname, but use your maiden name professionally, you don’t need a deed poll — the same rules apply as though you were changing your surname for all purposes.
When you renew your passport in your new name, you should make a statement to the effect that you’re continuing to use your maiden name professionally, but for all other purposes you’ve changed your name to that of your partner’s. You can do this in section 8 (“More information”) of the passport application form, or as a separate document. Your new passport will be issued in your married name and an observation showing your maiden name will be added stating —
THE HOLDER IS ALSO KNOWN AS (your full forenames and maiden name)'

Whoops, strikethrough fail

@MujosMama my passport is still in my maiden name as I'd only just renewed it before getting married and I wasn't going to pay again so soon just to change the name.

I also kept my maiden name at work but all banks accounts, driving licence, council tax etc are in married name.

@hammylehamster ahh ok so they don't have to match but when you renew you'll need to update it.

So basically you formally, legally change your name pretty much everywhere but informally are known as your maiden name?

I guess that would avoid the nightmare scenario posted about Halifax!! What a PITA