Baby naming process in the hospital

[tudorqueenie]

I'm so sorry if this is a silly question - I just don't know how it works!
When you give birth, what's the process of officially naming your baby? Is the paperwork done at the hospital? How does it work?
Thanks so much in advance :)

On their little wrist/ankle IDs and any paperwork they will be named as Baby Your Surname (even if you plan to give your child a different surname while you are in hospital baby's surname has to match yours).
If baby stays in hospital for a few days you might get a little card to put on their cot that says "my name is..." which your can fill in if you want to.
You register baby officially a weeks after.

'A few weeks after' I meant.

You register them at the registry office. You have to show up, with the baby, fill forms in etc

Official info on registration here

www.gov.uk/register-birth

@Malteser71

You register them at the registry office. You have to show up, with the baby, fill forms in etc

Pretty sure you don't need the baby with you - it's quite often done by the dad while mum and baby are still in hospital or not ready to go out anywhere but home.

@Malteser71

You register them at the registry office. You have to show up, with the baby, fill forms in etc

Better to make an appointment rather than just show up.

If you are married your husband can be put on the certificate. If you aren’t married he will need to accompany you to be registered as the father.

There is no paperwork done at the hospital. The birth notification from the hospital is sent to the Registery Office (mostly electronically now). The baby will have some variation on baby your surname, or baby boy/girl your surname, or male/female infant of your name. If you have a first name, then they can put this in along side your surname, but it makes no official difference.
You will be given information on the birth registration process, which for most places is done away from the hospital. Some hospitals have a registrar attached and it can be done whilst admitted. Most don't. Once home, you make an appt at the appropriate registrar's office. You have 6 weeks to register the birth, or face a £1000 penalty fine. You then give the name(s) of the child and whatever surname you choose for them. Then the birth certificate is issued and you can then use it to register baby at the doctors, get a passport, child benefit etc.
If you are married either parent can register. If not married, the mother must register. If the unmarried father wishes to be included on the birth certificate then he must attend.

@Malteser71

You register them at the registry office. You have to show up, with the baby, fill forms in etc

You have to make an appointment. You don’t have to take the baby.

Yes I suppose ‘show up’ was wrong choice of words.

You make an appointment.

I work in council offices, I see a constant stream of babies arriving to be registered. Always therefore assumed that the registrar had to eyeball them!

I love the idea of the registrar having to eyeball them… ‘Yup, it’s definitely a baby!’

Aaaah! I see. Thank you so much for all your answers, it is much appreciated! Very helpful. Thank you!

My husband and I are married, but we got married in another country (the marriage certificate is in 3 languages including English so that should be fine), but I did not take his name. It's not really the custom from where I'm originally from. I understand that our baby will have my surname in the hospital, but then when she is officially named, we can choose to have his surname for her (which is what we want to do). That's very helpful to know. Thank you :)