Hyphenated surnames

[SpinningFloppa]

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?

That's the usual way surnames work in the UK, @SpinningFloppa .
How would someone know that Ava Madison Harris and Noah Lewis Smith were Ms Madison Harris no hyphen and Mr Lewis Smith no hyphen?
You can add a hyphen, without doing it officially, but people will tend to use the last name only.
I can remember there being some kids at school with me who had double barrelled surnames, but unless the first and last name were very common, the first of the double-barrelled surname was used.

Of course I’m Aware but there are people on this thread who are not understanding it so I’m explaining it to them. People on this thread have said they don’t understand why this would happen.

And have also said it never happens to them 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’m now aware without the hyphen mine reads as a surname I was young when I had dd so had no experience of this hence why asking advice at the time but she said to put mine first, that’s why I’m asking about adding a hyphen but people on this thread have doubt that this happens even though it happens literally every time. No one uses mine.

I think part of the reason why I have never had this problem is because neither part of my surname is used as a given name. You might already do this but when I was living in France I got into the habit of always writing my name as Firstname SURNAME SURNAME, so for example Ava MADISON HARRIS. It is the convention throughout much of Europe and it does make things so much clearer. I wish it were more commonly used in the UK.

Can you ask them to amend the system? Which system are you referring to - the government or say a school system? If the school, push for it. Start adding a hyphen on all documents from here on in.

I go by the first surname and DD goes by the last surname and we don't have a hyphen. We share one and the other is different. (If that doesn't make sense think smith jones and smith Patel - I use smith and she Patel, not actual names) I must say one of my banks does use my last one but it's clearly documented. I think they just pick one and hope for the best.

Is your surname one that could be a middle or first name?

To sum up, I don't think you need to do anything official. Just start adding a - on everything from here on in.

Thank you both, my surname is a common man’s first name think along the lines of David, Richard etc. So whilst it could be a name it would be odd to put it as dds middle name.

By system I mean government/ medical (dd has a disability so we deal with a lot of medical appointments) I had a paediatrician appointment for her a few months back and the paediatrician read her full name out say it was Sophie Elizabeth Smith Jones (not real name) and then went “so Sophie Jones” 🙄 that’s the kind of thing that’s happening, yes I can correct people but it’s correcting people every single time and soon gets annoying. If I add a hyphen when I write it it won’t change the system and taking her BC down would be pointless as there is no hyphen on it 🤔 school have been fine with having her known as my name but other places won’t. I tried with the drs to have her known under mine and they said not without a deed poll, but they don’t mind her being known as just his!

Can you buddy up with admin at the doctors and get them to put the hyphen? Say you've noticed it's missing?

P.s that's a bit of a shit thing to do "so Sophie jones" - why are people so rude.

I’m actually going to try that that’s a good idea thanks
I was surprised when he said it. I said no it’s Sophie Smith which was met with a raised eyebrow!