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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask you to give me a new surname?

164 replies

6079SmithW · 16/05/2022 20:33

Marriages/divorces (my own and parents), deed poll and other circumstances mean that I am currently on my fourth surname.
Each surname has belonged to a different man, a father, a stepfather, a husband etc. Not having had a particularly good relationship with any of them, I have never felt that any of these names belonged to me.
I want to change my surname. I want a name that belongs to me.
Any suggestions?

OP posts:
upnorthsomewhere · 16/05/2022 22:53

Love.

mumda · 16/05/2022 22:54

Goldfinch
Kershaw

Two of my favourite teachers from secondary school.
Who's inspired you?

OzziePopPop · 16/05/2022 22:56

Freed 😀

StoneofDestiny · 16/05/2022 22:56

Fossdyke-Crumpet

CPL593H · 16/05/2022 22:58

Liked my maiden name, first married name v unusual (and seemingly unspellable) current surname v ordinary.

We have some corkers on my maternal line and I do sort of pine for some of them, Baskerville being my favourite (yeah I know Grin) Have a rummage on the family tree for inspiration perhaps?

ElenaSt · 16/05/2022 23:00

Featherstonehaugh.

OneTC · 16/05/2022 23:11

I know someone with the surname Toogood which I think is amazing.

If I was to choose my own it would be Valentine

Justkeeppedaling · 16/05/2022 23:13

I've always fancied marrying Tomasz Schafernaker just so I could be Mrs Schafernaker.

Either that or Shufflebottom.

MysteriousMonkey · 16/05/2022 23:23

I like Smith, but if not Smith I'd go

Stillwater
Hope
Light
Charming

I work in customer services and these are some of the nicest I've heard recently

ShandaLear · 16/05/2022 23:31

La Destroyer
Hfuffhurr
Mycock
Dunaplop
E45
Kolacube
Sausage
Feet

splishsplashsploshsplish · 16/05/2022 23:31

I would choose Bracken, Rowan or Oak

Justkeeppedaling · 16/05/2022 23:32

de Pfeffel Johnson

dotty12345 · 16/05/2022 23:56

I came across a Winterberry recently which I thought was lovely.

larkstar · 17/05/2022 00:18

I’d look at reviving a maiden name that has been lost through marriage - perhaps one will stand out and you might enjoy researching your family tree.

romany4 · 17/05/2022 00:23

Stirling...my happy place

Anystarinthesky · 17/05/2022 00:24

I like Maywood, May is my favourite month of the year and I love trees and nature.

It was also my best friend at primary schools surname.

What are your favourite things that could be made into a surname?

My middle name is my Gran's surname so I would probably go with that if I changed my name.

groovergirl · 17/05/2022 00:43

This is such an exciting project, OP!

Have you thought about using the given name of one of your female ancestors or heroes? A friend of mine did this; she disliked her father so chucked his name, and her new surname is a classic French girl's name from her great-grandmother.

Mary, Rosalind, Florence, Honour, Elizabeth, Emily, Jane, Ruby, Pearl, Clementine, Caroline, Susan, Clare, Heather, Rosemary, Tamsin, Lillian -- these would all work easily as surnames.

In my own family tree there's the surname Fazackerley, which puts a smile on my dial. It's an old Lancashire name.

52andblue · 17/05/2022 00:53

Placemarking for ideas

DropYourSword · 17/05/2022 01:55

Stone.

Natural and strong. I think I might pick Stone for my own surname if I had to choose one.

NotMyCircusNotMyCircus · 17/05/2022 01:57

Did your mum or grandma have a maiden name that you like?

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 17/05/2022 02:20

DogsDryWineAndCheese · 16/05/2022 21:47

My three most favourite beautiful surnames have already been mentioned -
Valentine
Wilde
Darling

On a slightly conflicting thought, another surname I love is Hartless. I know a lovely person with that surname and I’ve always found it very cool, if a little edgy.

I do really like the idea of ‘Freeman’ though.

I think it’s a perfect idea finding your own surname 🙂

Or double barrel?

Wilde - Valentine?
Wilde - darling?
?
Wilde - River
River - wilde

Phoenix - Freeman?

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 17/05/2022 02:21

Heartless-Wilde? I love that!

KloppsTeeth · 17/05/2022 02:23

Flange. 😆

fallfallfall · 17/05/2022 02:27

i love family tree stuff, i'd root around and find something historic on my maternal side or a location.
do pick something easy to spell and not too long.

StopStartStop · 17/05/2022 02:49

My history teacher was 'Mrs Goode'. I thought that was nice. I met a woman who had become a Christian and changed her surname to 'Servant.'

i think 'Radish' has a nice ring to it.

My Swedish ancestors had the surname 'Cock.' They changed it.

How about 'Tomorrowsdaughter'. Emily Tomorrowsdaughter. I like that.