Lesbian parents trying to choose baby's surname

[Ooja]

Hi everyone,

My partner and I have begun the process of IVF with the hope of expanding our family. One important question has left us undecided so we thought we should bring it to the polls... Our children to be will need a surname... We think our surnames together are a bit of a mouthful... or are they? Our surnames are Denvir (pronounced Denver) and Rutherford... what do people think? which one is better (we've already decided neither of us will take offence) or do you think they work well together? We've thought about mixing them together, but we don't really like Denford or Ruthervir. All opinions welcome

When my friend married her wife they both changed their names by deed poll so when their son came along he was simply given the new family surname.

They actually chose the place name of where they got engaged for their new surname.

Otherwise I'd say double barrel the names.

I would say if you are keeping your own names Buano's idea of adding another name to yours to double barrel the parents then the child gets the single combined surname.

My sister and her wife both changed their surnames to a completely new one altogether when they got married; they chose a name that had a special meaning to them and I think it is lovely. Their child has that surname with no reference to their previous surnames.

With double barrel surnames sometimes one of them gets dropped for ease and this may or not be a sensitive issue, or in school if they have the same forename as another child they get their initials for their surname, in your case Forename DR or RD. I like the names both ways round.

People always think double-barrelling sounds 'distinguished' but at this point so many people have done it for that reason that it doesn't any more.

I think Denvir-Rutherford is too long.

Both are fine as surnames individually.