Double Barrel or Not?

[Grumpylabrador]

I’m posting this on behalf of my friends who need advice. They are planning to name their baby either Otis or Cora (Who’s arrival is expected in the next few weeks) but they are unsure of surname. They don’t know whether to give the child one of their surnames or double barrel and they’ve even tossed with the idea of merging (Neither of them are fussed about keeping their name in the family).

the options they’ve come up with

Nolan
Hunter
Hunter-Nolan
Nolan-Hunter
Noler
Huntlan
Terlan

The option you haven't stated is both surnames but not double barrelled, so Nolan Hunter or Hunter Nolan. If I wanted to give my child both surnames that's how I'd do it.

Cora Nolan-Hunter
Otis Hunter-Nolan

I'd think one surname.

I don't like any of those merged options at all, sorry. I only know of one couple who took that approach and it works with their names (something along the lines of their surnames being Black and Hill and the child being Blackhill) but I think for most names this isn't really a good option.

Personally I don't like double barrelled surnames but my child has one! (My name hyphenated with partners second surname - he also has double barrelled name). So I know only too well the discussions in this area!!

Otis/Cora Hunter
Otis/Cora Nolan
Otis/Cora Hunter-Nolan
Otis/Cora Nolan

Reading the above out loud, I think Hunter as the first (or only) surname works best but any option would be ok.

My DH has a double barrel name and it is a key reason as to why I haven't gotten round to changing my name yet, it will be a pain in the butt. There have been so many times I have seen DH irritated having to spell it out, repeat it numerous times... If there is a situation where a name needs to be given I always give mine to to save the hassle. My BIL has said to us that when he marries his partner they will merge their names into a single name rather than keep the double barrel - obviously different names but same vein as Huntlan.

I know a lot of women view it as a solution to losing their maiden name to take their husbands but this is a one generation solution. What happens when Jack Nolan-Hunter marries Olivia James-Smith, what surname do they choose then!?!? Do they become the Nolan-Smiths, meaning Hunter and James fall out of use potentially offending a parent each? Do they go back to just using the mans name? Do they quadruple barrel? Do they create a single unique name based on all four? Do they just each keep their own?

I don't know if there is a right answer, it will differ for everyone. However, if no-one really cares I would choose the path of least resistance - have a family with a common, easily spelling name, no double barrels, and all members with the same name. Either Hunter or Nolan fits the bill here. There can be a slight advantage to being higher up the alphabet so in the absence of everything else I would choose Hunter out of the two.

Huntlan and Terlan are daft! Just double barrel them.

What happens when Jack Nolan-Hunter marries Olivia James-Smith, what surname do they choose then!?!?

Ah yes, here it is. The panic over two double barrelled people meeting and reproducing.

seems to comes round quicker every day.

I like Hunter-Nolan.

😂

If it reassures anyone, I reproduced with a double-barrelled person and survived 😂😂

I think Hunter-Nolan works best.

Just double barrel them?

The smushed together names just sound ridiculous - the only time that approach works is when the result is a name that is already in use.

Not panicking, just pointing out potential future issues. Surely the point of posting for advice on a forum is to get a breath of opinions and have people mention things that otherwise might not have been considered. That's why I post here anyway, I can then take the bits of advice on board that resonate, and leave the bits that I feel don't apply to my situation.

As I said, my DH has a double-barrel, so for us as a couple merging ours names into a double-barrel was simply not an option without asking him to prioritise one of his names. Is it the end of the world? No. Does it particularly bother me personally? No. But the fact remains that it stops being the easy solution after one generation.

I did suggest that to them but they’ve are unsure as they think one of the surnames will be confused with a middle namw

This

I think Nolan sounds awkward with Otis. And Nolan-Hunter awkward with Otis and Cora. I don't like Noler or Huntlan.

So I'd choose Hunter, Hunter-Nolan or Terlan. Probably in that order.

I quite like Lanter, that's an amalgamation too!

Just to be pedantic yet not helpful at all, Both Nolan-Hunter and Nolan Hunter are double barrelled. The term refers to having more than one name in the surname spot, with or without the use of a hyphen.

(I didn't know this until I named my own daughter, and just think it's interesting! I went no hyphen.)

That said, I think your friend should definitely use both surnames and I like Nolan-Hunter best of the options.

My children have two surnames, no hyphen (and so do I) and it's not a big issue. It's standard in Spain. Seems sensible to me as it feels more flexible somehow, without the hyphen it's easier to drop a surname.

As for what your friends should do, they should give baby the mother's surname, with or without the father's surname. So either Nolan or Hunter by itself (whichever is the mother's surname), and the father's surname could be a middle name, or both surnames together, with or without a hyphen. FWIW I think Hunter-Nolan sounds a bit better so I'd go with that.

i like their first name choices btw

PS Blending surnames can sometimes work but I don't think it works at all with these two, I'm afraid.

I don’t like double-barreled or hyphenated surnames because the exact rule itself can’t be replicated in future generations if the child wants a tradition to follow.

we went with boys get his name and girls get mine. We also considered flipping a coin, but liked the idea of having a rule that wasn’t random.

Have you never heard of Spain?! They have been doing exactly that; generation after generation has two surnames. Each child gets one surname from each parent; traditionally it's the grandfathers' surnames that get passed on, but no reason it couldn't be the grandmothers'. (You could choose whichever combination sounds best, or pass on the paternal grandfather's surname and the maternal grandmother's surname.)

How about Nolter?

In my mind, the rule would be keeping the full double-barreled name so nothing is getting dropped. I’m well aware some cultures double barrel and then drop one of the names each round. That wouldn’t be our double-barreling version because I find that pointless. In my mind, a double-barrel has to be both parents full surname or it doesn’t count as a double-barrel. So it would be exponential name growth.

Very very weird logic and I completely disagree.
There are two major advantages to the Spanish way:

1. no one changes their name after they get married; there is no ridiculous expectation and pressure on women to take men's surname, and no dilemma about whether to change back after divorce


2. children share one surname with each parent, this is fair and equal, and (since no one changes surname) this will always be the case even if parents separate, divorce, (re)marry.

If unmarried give the child the mother's name. That is tradition.
Most unmarried couples split up.
The child will end up with its mother in the vast majority of cases and so should have the same name.
Also problems can arise when travelling abroad if the child does not have it's mothers name.
Otherwise Hunter- Nolan sounds best.
Just be aware there are a lot of boys called Hunter so if double barelling using Hunter as one of the names it may cause confusion.