In being totally confused about my legal name

[onlion]

Ok what is it? I am married but never changed anything...passport and bank accounts are in my maiden name. Registered at gp maiden (I think) and dentist in married . License in maiden.
So is my legal name my maiden name?

yep, you're under no obligation to change your name, so if you don't your maiden name remains your legal name.

I did a deed poll to change mine to double barrel it, partly because that's what they do where my family come from, partly because I wanted my maiden name in there. Unusual name and I didnt' want it to die out. The dcs also have both names. That's on their birth certs, but I had to do a deed poll to do it, you can't legally double barrel in this country.

Your legal name is the one you choose to use. You can use any name you like (unless you are intending to deceive somebody)

My (married) surname is double barrelled but the circumstances are that my (ex) husband's dad died when he was 6 and his mum re-married when he was 9. Because he was so young he kept his dad's name but also took his step-dad's name out of respect. Our (only son out of 3 children) will be the only true person with the genuine name but there is a nice story behind it. I have been separated for 9 years but not divorced ... one reason is that my 3 children have their dad's name and I don't want the same ... but on the other end a name is only a name.

I ask because we are making a purchase and the solicitor keeps addressing the correspondence to mr and mrs onlion. My mortgage is in mr onlion and ms maidenname. Married 10 years btw.
Was just worried about which name was considered the legal one.

Ooh sorry for crashing the thread,I've kept my maiden name but was thinking about double barrelling. I'm having a baby soon,what name would the baby take?

Icelolly, give the baby your double barrelled name ie yours and your partners together... That's what I did. We both made them, so they get both our names.

You can name a baby whatever you like icelollycraving, you don't even have to use either parents' surname.

Really? Do my husband & I need to register the birth together?

You don't need to put a father on the birth certificate if that's what you mean?

onlion if your passport is in your maiden name then i'd correct your solicitor now as at some point in this process you may need to produce ID.

Icelolly..If you're married then you can register the birth on your own and put your husbands details down.

Onlion I am not a solicitor but I believe (based on my own experience) that both names are your legal names. However in your circumstances I would buy the house in your maiden name if that is how you are still known on the electoral roll, bank account and passport as you will want to maintain that consistency for I.d. and credit purposes.

For background, I am known professionally by my maiden name, but personally by my married name. This means the electoral roll, personal bank account and passport are in married name but my business bank account and credit cards are in my maiden name. I have changed my passport so it has both names on it (you can do this too) so I can travel under either name and I can use it as I.d for either name, HMRC also know me under both names. We bought our house in my married name as it was consistent with electoral roll, personal bank account and passport. HTH.

Onlion I am not a solicitor but I believe (based on my own experience) that both names are your legal names. However in your circumstances I would buy the house in your maiden name if that is how you are still known on the electoral roll, bank account and passport as you will want to maintain that consistency for I.d. and credit purposes.

For background, I am known professionally by my maiden name, but personally by my married name. This means the electoral roll, personal bank account and passport are in married name but my business bank account and credit cards are in my maiden name. I have changed my passport so it has both names on it (you can do this too) so I can travel under either name and I can use it as I.d for either name, HMRC also know me under both names. We bought our house in my married name as it was consistent with electoral roll, personal bank account and passport. HTH.

dandelion.

icelolly - your partner can only be on the birth certificate without him being there if you are married.

Ok,we are married. Do I just take wedding certificate?

your solicitor is being a twat, who is he to assume you changed your name when you got hitched?

I changed mine by a thing, I think it was called something like a declaration of change of name or something. Free and totally legal, you just print the wording off the internet, get a reputable witness and then you and them sign and it is done. It was accepted everywhere, and so my marriage certificate looks really odd now (I changed my name two years before we were married, to match DH). It did say "I renounce my old name" or some such in the declaration though.

The basic principle is, you can be known as anything you like, but making a declaration makes it a lot easier for official purposes. Getting married doesn't do anything legally to your name at all, but as people generally accept a woman changing her name on marriage, it counts the same as a declaration. Deed polls are a bit outdated, unless you are expecting to inherit a title or something.

The solicitor can call you anything he likes, although if he puts your name on a legal document ensure it's correct. My husband gets stuff addressed to Mr my surname all the time. Doesn't bother him, he knows what his name is.

I registered DS1 on my own as DH couldn't make it and I just gave them the details they asked for, this was in hospital. It was a very long time ago though so not sure if its the same