Using Maiden name after 20+ years

[Livingonaprayeryeah]

Hi, I’m a new Company Director and have Professional obligations, particularly owing to Clients, so want to make sure that I’m not doing anything that could be deemed as untrustworthy, fraudulent or suspicious.

I’ve just started my own small Company & it got my thinking that I’d like to build it up using my Maiden name. Mostly for ease and a nod to my Parents who have helped me get this far. It just feels like ‘me’ also.

Ive always hated my Married surname but took it upon Marriage as I believed it was the done thing at that time. The name is odd and I always have to spell it out which gets tedious. But I keep it to be the same as my DH & DC. My DH has no family with this name so he isn’t offended or bothered. MIL remarried and never knew FIL. My Maiden name is akin to Smith, so easy to remember and spell.

Is it legal, professional and moral to use my Maiden name for work/company purposes? But still use my Married name in personal life? And if so, is there a process that I need to go through?

Alternatively, could I double barrel my name and emit the Married name for work only? Although this feels off!

I want to make sure it’s all legal and that my Clients trust me and I don’t want to get into any trouble with HMRC or Companies House or try to mislead any Clients.

What is the best way to do this, if at all? Is it ok or a bad idea?

It’s the same when sending my CV to potential contracts and jobs - I want to use my Maiden name but I feel fraudulent, as all of my qualifications and ID have my married name on.

Sorry for rambling…

[DustyLee123]

Plenty of people use different names for work and home. Nothing dubious about it.

[BrownTroutBlues]

Married since 1998 and always used my birth surname I’m not aware there’s anything wrong with doing so. However I didn’t take my dhs surname officially anyway. Far too much of a faff tbh and he didn’t think about taking mine.

[Redshoeblueshoe]

I know lots of women who use their maiden name for work, and their married name outside work. No problems

[OOBetty]

It’s worth noting lots of people have different names on their qualifications certs.
Married after
Divorced etc

[Musicaltheatremum]

Used maiden name for work and married name for everything else although have remarried now and half stuff in first married name and rest in new one so 3 names in total.

HMRC and the SPPA(Scottish pension) have me as maiden name so need to work out how to change all this through 2 weddings.

[Livingonaprayeryeah]

Thanks for replies - I don't have any ID with my birth name on so I registered the Company with my Married name. So would I need to change it with Companies House now?

As I don't want Clients to think that someone else (with the same forename) runs the Company incase they lose trust in me or see it as dubious or strange.

Those that use Married names at work - do your work know that you have a different surname? Eg I'm thinking about travel docs, reservations etc...

[Livingonaprayeryeah]

Just thinking about exams and registration with Regulatory Boards too...It's all becoming complicated now!

[Livingonaprayeryeah]

Just had this reply:

'You can go by any name you wish in your private life, but legal affairs are regulated by UK laws that mandate openness and honest dealings, and must not mislead people'.

Not feeling like I can use my maiden name now 😫

[BoudiccaOfSuburbia]

Of course you can use your birth name, it’s your name, it’s on your birth certificate. just don’t do it to mislead or defraud people!

You could use Deed Poll to change your official name and carry on with your married name in informal situations.

[blobby10]

I use my maiden name at work but its a pain in the neck when dealing with official documents that require ID so more often than not, I revert to my married name even though I'm now divorced and only keeping it so its the same as my adult children's!

[Stigglet]

Option 1: You can have a legal name that you use privately and a different name that you use publicly.

Option 2: You can have a legal name that you use publicly and a different name that you use privately.

But your legal name needs to be on your legal documents such as company registration and taxes.

Which option are you looking at?

I do option 1. Legally I am Sarah Bloggs. My companies house registration and my HMRC documents and legal documents say Sarah Bloggs. The bank and the electoral roll know me as Sarah Bloggs. My passport and driving licence say Sarah Bloggs. But my website and business cards say “Sarah Jones”. Nobody has ever questioned it.

It’s like a celeb using a stage name. It’s perfectly legal.