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Baby names
Hyphenated surnames
SpinningFloppa · 14/03/2023 17:42
Not baby names sorry but didn’t know where else
to post, does anyone know how you go about legally adding a hyphen to a surname?
DuchessOfSausage · 14/03/2023 17:55
Are you adding it to your name or to a child's?
www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll
You can also change your name by Statutory Declaration e.g. on Marriage
SpinningFloppa · 14/03/2023 17:59
Oh sorry I should have said. Child and don’t have the fathers permission. (She has two surnames not hyphen I want one added)
ZoyaTheDestroyer · 14/03/2023 18:02
Legally changing a child's surname requires a deed poll. If both parents have PR then both have to consent. You would have to go to court to get a legal change without the other parent's consent.
FWIW I have a double-barrelled surname with no hyphen and it makes no difference, except that people often assume it should have one and add it in. Can you just start using a hyphen for school etc?
SpinningFloppa · 14/03/2023 18:05
It makes a lot of difference nowhere uses mine mine is dropped I was told it will appear to be a middle name so I want it legally recognised as right now it isn’t. courts would easily agree to a hyphen surely? Just wasn’t sure if court was needed for the sake of a hyphen
ZoyaTheDestroyer · 14/03/2023 18:08
I’ve lived with it all my life and no-one has ever tried to drop one of my names. 🤷🏻♀️
However if it is really important to you and you can afford the fees then yes, you could go to court. Is the father likely to block the request or is he not involved?
Twoinapod · 14/03/2023 18:21
If he is named on the birth certificate then you need the father’s permission for any sort of change to the name. If he does not consent then you will have to go through the courts. I think there’s probably as much chance of them declining it as agreeing to it as it’s just a hyphen and they may think you’re just trying to be petty
SpinningFloppa · 14/03/2023 18:23
Twoinapod · 14/03/2023 18:21
If he is named on the birth certificate then you need the father’s permission for any sort of change to the name. If he does not consent then you will have to go through the courts. I think there’s probably as much chance of them declining it as agreeing to it as it’s just a hyphen and they may think you’re just trying to be petty
Even if no one uses or acknowledges mine at all? I was told it appears as a middle name when people read it which is why it isn’t used I’ve heard of people getting their entire name added when it’s only their exes so seems odd they would refuse a simple hyphen when it’s a case of no one will use my surname.
ZoyaTheDestroyer · 14/03/2023 19:01
TBH OP in your position I would just start using a hyphen every time you fill their name in on a form. You will only be challenged if you attempt this on a legal document such as a passport - in most other settings (school, doctors etc) it will be accepted without question as people generally expect double-barrelled names to be hyphenated. The double-barrelled name can appear on a passport etc without a hyphen. Once the child is 18 they can apply for a deed poll in their own right to add the hyphen legally. Going to court seems like a bit of a sledgehammer to crack a walnut.
Hyphens are a matter of style rather than legality anyway. My name is no less legally double-barrelled for not having a hyphen.
olderthanyouthink · 14/03/2023 19:43
My kids have a hyphenated surname, at nursery DD was Firstname MySurname on her peg and Firstname DPSurname on the app 🙄, DS was called as Firstname DPSurname at the doctors last week and then they wonder why they can't find his record 🙄🙄🙄
It might help but it might not. Also depends on the names I supposed, my surname could be a first/middle name
olderthanyouthink · 14/03/2023 19:45
Oh and then sometimes an online form won't let me put a hyphen or space (Drs again!) some they're MySurnameDPSurname sometimes
SpinningFloppa · 14/03/2023 20:08
olderthanyouthink · 14/03/2023 19:43
My kids have a hyphenated surname, at nursery DD was Firstname MySurname on her peg and Firstname DPSurname on the app 🙄, DS was called as Firstname DPSurname at the doctors last week and then they wonder why they can't find his record 🙄🙄🙄
It might help but it might not. Also depends on the names I supposed, my surname could be a first/middle name
Thank you at least it isn’t just happening to us. It actually happens all the time, no one uses mine at all, I wouldn’t mind if they used both, it’s that they are not. No one uses mine it’s been dropped completely.
SpinningFloppa · 14/03/2023 20:32
ZoyaTheDestroyer · 14/03/2023 19:01
TBH OP in your position I would just start using a hyphen every time you fill their name in on a form. You will only be challenged if you attempt this on a legal document such as a passport - in most other settings (school, doctors etc) it will be accepted without question as people generally expect double-barrelled names to be hyphenated. The double-barrelled name can appear on a passport etc without a hyphen. Once the child is 18 they can apply for a deed poll in their own right to add the hyphen legally. Going to court seems like a bit of a sledgehammer to crack a walnut.
Hyphens are a matter of style rather than legality anyway. My name is no less legally double-barrelled for not having a hyphen.
I’m not sure how I would do that now as it’s already down on the system. School already use only my surname as I asked them to and they have been fine with it, everywhere else has been a problem. So I get letters for miss (exes name) for dd no mention of my name.
ZoyaTheDestroyer · 14/03/2023 20:35
What are the companies / organisations who are writing to her? Have you written to them to correct the error and tell them that her legal surname is YourName ExesName? If that is the name on her birth certificate then that is her legal name and you can insist that they correct their records.
SpinningFloppa · 14/03/2023 20:43
Mostly medical. For example today I collected her prescription and despite me giving them her full name they called out only his name when I went to collect it. Same with medical letters they will be addressed to miss jones, rather than miss smith jones (not real names) I correct people when it happens but it doesn’t stop it happening I have to correct everyone every single time.
Twoinapod · 14/03/2023 20:58
@SpinningFloppa even with a hyphen that will still happen a lot. A lot of the time computer systems will only have so much space so will only use one name. It really isn’t a big deal, try to let it go
ZoyaTheDestroyer · 14/03/2023 20:59
It is very likely her name has been entered incorrectly into a central database. The next time you have an in-person appointment ask the receptionist to check her patient record. Have her birth certificate or passport with you and ask them to correct the record. It will be a bit of a hassle but much less than going to court 
You might have to live with the prescriptions, however. There are usually a limited number of characters that fit on the label and it just cuts it off. My son’s medical notes as a newborn all had him down as Baby Smith Jo rather than Smith Jones.
SpinningFloppa · 14/03/2023 21:07
Twoinapod · 14/03/2023 20:58
@SpinningFloppa even with a hyphen that will still happen a lot. A lot of the time computer systems will only have so much space so will only use one name. It really isn’t a big deal, try to let it go
I won’t be letting it go she is known as my surname everywhere else and doesn’t know his name I wouldn’t have given her both if I wanted mine dropped. I didn’t give her just my exes 🤷♀️
SpinningFloppa · 14/03/2023 21:08
ZoyaTheDestroyer · 14/03/2023 20:59
It is very likely her name has been entered incorrectly into a central database. The next time you have an in-person appointment ask the receptionist to check her patient record. Have her birth certificate or passport with you and ask them to correct the record. It will be a bit of a hassle but much less than going to court
You might have to live with the prescriptions, however. There are usually a limited number of characters that fit on the label and it just cuts it off. My son’s medical notes as a newborn all had him down as Baby Smith Jo rather than Smith Jones.
Thank you I will do that next time I’m down there.
user1492757084 · 15/03/2023 05:39
I agree with checking the data bases and correcting them.
A double surname is easier and nicer than the same names with a hyphen. You can show the Birth Certificate whenever needed to have correct name entered.
Mummyoflittledragon · 15/03/2023 05:57
We are hyphenated. Doesn’t stop some people from calling dh by my surname as we put it last. He used to get annoyed 
, ironically if I only bother to give the one name. I give his as it comes first.
SpinningFloppa · 15/03/2023 09:57
Thanks all. It’s not a double surname as I’ve actually never had anyone use both it’s only always his. I know some people think I should “let it go” but I don’t see why I should, I gave her two surnames not one. If it was my mistake and I had only given her fathers name then was annoyed I hadn’t used mine fair enough I would let that go but I didn’t I gave her both and assumed people would use both not just his. I will try again with the gp and physically go down there with the bc.
Luredbyapomegranate · 15/03/2023 20:32
I would just add a hyphen from now on. I don’t think anyone will even notice.
BlueSpark · 16/03/2023 05:58
Adding a line to the birth certificate won't mean people suddenly use both. People use what you tell them to. If it's just yours, would that be better? If so, tell them. I have two surnames with no hyphen and so does DD. We both choose to use just one (different ones to the other to mix it up) and no one gets it wrong. We have friends and they use both and both get used.
Kick up a fuss! Surnames are no different to first names and if you're name was Samantha but you were called Jane by everyone you would correct them.
SpinningFloppa · 16/03/2023 07:45
BlueSpark · 16/03/2023 05:58
Adding a line to the birth certificate won't mean people suddenly use both. People use what you tell them to. If it's just yours, would that be better? If so, tell them. I have two surnames with no hyphen and so does DD. We both choose to use just one (different ones to the other to mix it up) and no one gets it wrong. We have friends and they use both and both get used.
Kick up a fuss! Surnames are no different to first names and if you're name was Samantha but you were called Jane by everyone you would correct them.
Trouble is it's already on "the system" now and people are reading mine as a middle name because there is no hyphen so written down mine appears as the middle name, I correct people f2f but it's tiresome and all letters are written to his surname so it's harder to correct that. I wouldn't mind people using both and not just mine it's that they are not even using both, purely just his. Without the hyphen written down people see it as a middle name. When I gave the pharmacist my name she couldn't find dds prescription but when I gav e her full name she could find it, then when she called out the name she only called his. That's the type of thing that happening.
SpinningFloppa · 16/03/2023 07:51
The fact that mine was first I assumed it would come under mine alphabetically but apparently not 🤔
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