To not understand why some parents give their child a horrible or embarrassing surname?

[carbarella]

Just because it happens to be the dad's surname? Why don't they just use the mum's surname instead?

Someone that I know is currently pregnant. Her DP has an awful surname, and she is worrying herself silly about her child getting teased at school, they are constantly trying to think of first names that go with the surname and don't sound awful with it. She has a nice surname; I don't understand why they don't just give that to the baby instead.

There is a girl in DD's class at school with a really horrible surname, that sounds like a word you would use as a huge insult to someone. She gets the mickey taken out of her because of it, and hates it. I don't understand why in that case the parents didn't just use the mum's surname for their children?

Why is the mentality always that the baby has to have the father's surname?

"This is one of the only things Ed Balls got right, I think. His children are called Cooper rather than Balls."

I've always wondered why Ed Balls hasn't in very right-on-New-Labour feminist supporting fashion taken her name (Not that Balls is particularly bad in general, but I reckon the potential for tabloid headlines didn't help his leadership bid.)

DC took DH's surname because they just did, I'm a Dr. so get to keep mine. If it had been a silly surname, I would have made sure DC took my name.

My niece had a rather awful surname, quite offensive actually but her dad wanted her to have his surname when she was born. My sister has since remarried and dn wanted to change her name over too.

I've previously worked in call centres and sometimes I was shocked if it was the first time I'd heard it and found it difficult to use the names with customers.
I'm so sorry if any of my callers are members of MN but the ones that stick in my mind are
Mr Hardycock but pronounced Hardyco.
and
Ms Muff :)

I'm a feminist and a modern woman of the world (slightly ironic there but true!)...BUT weirdly I'd never consider my kids not taking my dh's surname even though it is HORRIBLE. We are all a famiiy and I wanted us all to have the same name...his name. I don't know why I admit!!

True, Tiggy. All the Woodcocks etc were presumably named after the bird once upon a time, just as Peacock for a surname doesn't cause much eyebrow raising...