to not want our daughter to have the surname 'Perfect'?

[Brooks10]

Our daughter is due any day. We have decided on her first name, but are struggling with the surname. We are not married. He wants his surname (which I actually don't mind, as in don't mind her having just his surname) but his surname is Perfect. It's not unreasonable to think that's not a great surname is it?? He thinks it's a great surname to have, so which is it?? A bad or good surname to have? I think it's really bad tbh. Mind you, it doesn't sound that great hyphenated either, does it?

I'm not sure I could resist the "Perfect Baby" boast

Can't be worse than the surname "Butt". Mr and Mrs Butt 😂😂

Then there's surnames like Longbottom, Drinkwater, Mould, Condon...I come across loads of strange surnames at work. Perfect is a normal surname, believe me.

I suspect you may already know this but that was Christine McVie's (Fleetwood Mac) maiden name too. Apparently, she kept her married name after she divorced as she wasn't too keen on it herself.

I love it as a surname!
However, after giving my first DC his dad's surname I really wish I had given mine, but that's just my experience.
Congrats!

I would give her your surname, I really wouldn't want to be Miss Perfect!

If you want a connection to DP's name, you could always put Perfect as a second middle name, or a use version of his first name - I know a couple who gave their baby the mother's surname but used Georgina as the middle name after the dad George (names changed but that idea).

I think it's a lovely surname.
Not married either and gave the dd his surname. Used my surname as one of her middle names partly to facilitate airport usage! Also, his was easier to spell. I think it's nice for the child to have both in there when you're not married.

Give her your surname. Especially if you're not married.

We once had a customer called Mr Tremble

I think it's great. There is a brilliant Australian cabaret/comedy writer and singer called Eddie Perfect.

Give her he same name as you. If you are not taking his name, why should she?

Agree with HeddaGarbled "If you split, you won't be allowed to change her name without his permission. If you marry and change your own name, you can change her name easily.

Please re-think this - it is so important and not to be thrown away so lightly."

Anyway, OP, whatever surname you decide to go with in the end, may her arrival into the world be safe and swift

There are alot worse names. In my old job, I regularly had to send correspondence to a Shufflebottom and also a Beth Bracegirdle it was years ago, but the names have stuck in my head.

I can't stop singing practically perfect now.

Another vote for give her you name. As noted upthread, if you don't you'll need his permission to change it should you wish to do so later.

The surname stuff is so important (why else would the assumption invariably be that children take the man's name)?

I think it's a great surname! Kids are far less likely to take the piss out of the name 'Perfect' than they are 'Cox', for example. (and I like the name Cox too, it's just kids. No offence to any Cox out there) And let's remember that school days are, in the grand scheme of things, short. Having an usual surname could be a blessing in a professional world. Please don't choose your DD's surname based on the name itself, choose it based on whose name you want her to take and the personal reasons that name is important to you.

Those who advocate using your name are certainly not wrong and make very valid points regarding a hypothetical split, but it's not always the case. I have a different surname to my children and we've never had any trouble at all, including at immigration. It did make me cringe when I used to get called 'Mrs Ex's-Name' at school, but it's really no big deal for us.

Ooh..."Bracegirdle" is a good one! Makes me think of a bustling, no nonsense Hospital Matron

I think it's a lovely surname.

Why have you not taken his name?

YANBU OP. It's a bit like Pretty, she'd be a hostage to fortune.

It's a great name - better than the Mycock, Tremble and D'eath ones...

My particular favourite surname was when I once had a client called Ms Mystery. She was stunning too.

As above re Christine Perfect/McVie, which is what it immediately makes me think of as a massive Fleetwood Mac fan! If you do double barrel it then I'd put your surname first because otherwise she will be Miss X Perfect-Y and potentially will attract the "perfect is my (your)middle name" comments.

Just dont go all Katie Price and call her Princess

Mesh so Mayfect or Perfeel?

A colleagues surname is Love. If they have a baby it'll be Baby Love! I'm so envious of their surname lol

Italian what do you mean??

I believe the immediate future of civilisation involves an at least 50% split between women taking men's names and keeping their own (in the distant future I think the whole shebang will be seen as a weirdly patriarchal practice, like women being referred to as Mrs John Smith), and I believe the only sensible response to this is to have both parents' names represented, but not necessarily double-barrelled, and if for whatever reason the child prefers one they use that (but would probably default to the lastest last name as their last name).

In your case, for Potentially Porny Reasons Stated, I'd go for Perfect Mayfield. As a "compromise".

Italian for the love of arse that's a backward question even if they were married which they are not.