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My current last name is 15 letters long and although it’s always drove me crazy over the years, the idea of dropping it forever (upon marrying my fiancé) kind of bothers me. I don’t want to hyphenate because that will be too long of a last name. I am wondering can I add it as another middle name? I already have “Mary” as a middle name so can I have two?
I didn’t do my research enough, and the other day I discussed with my FH about wanting to keep my name/hyphenating (like I said, I didn’t do my research and actually didn't know that when you hyphenate its part of your last name) He was actually upset about this. What I meant for, was keeping my current last name as a middle name, so that you only see it on ids, passports. Not credit cards, bank cards, etc.
I think I am going to do the same thing. But I will have an incredibly long name. It will be
K***** R** Mc******** R*****. I'm so sad about losing my Mc!! It's so identifiable and everyone knows my heritage with it. With my FI's last name, nobody will! Oh well...
You most certainly can!
I have two (not legally, oddly), and my brother has two (legally).
The only problem is it makes filling out form work a pain in the butt.
Cool! I guess I need to make sure its possible for MA residents because I saw a similar post, from someone in NJ and it wasn't possible without a court order:-|
Miss Olive, Like you, my last name clearly shows my heritage - Greek:-) haha, similar to papadapolous
This is something I was considering too, for the same reason. My new last name will be so American, no one will know I'm Italian! :)
I have two middle names, my sister has two middle names, my god sister has three middle names AND a hyphenated family name...so it's totally possible.^^
It's possible but easier to execute in some places than others. I would have needed a court order in Missouri to add a second middle name, but my friend was born with two and given them at birth so she automatically has both. Some states are easier to deal with than others
I know you can in Colorado. I changed my name first at the social security office (and added my maiden name as a second middle name) and they didn't hassle me at all. When I went to change my name at the DMV the very grumpy and not so nice lady told me I couldn't do it....ofcourse, that was a big fat lie. Once you change your name at the social security office, there's nothing anybody can do to not allow it.
You can in Washington, DC. I added a second middle with no problem after my marriage. When forms and such only allow one middle name or one middle initial, I consistently use the same one (I chose the first middle initial, but you could use your second) to keep things simple. Otherwise, I would get mixed up about which I used where.
You sure can! Everyone on my maternal grandmother's side has them. I think it's a Scottish thing. I have First Name, Middle #1, Middle #2, Confirmation Name & last name.
When I went to the DMV when I was in HS the guy actually had to ask me which one I wanted on my license because it couldn't all fit! haha
I have two first names, a middle name and my last name. I think you should be able to be recognized by any name combination that you wish!
Well, you can definitely have two middle names, if that's what you want. Here's my personal experience:
My mother was very attached to her maiden name, and kept it as a middle name for herself (making her name Mom MomsMaidenName DadsLastName.) She was so attached, in fact, that she gave it to both my sister and I as a second middle name, so I personally am a two-middle name girl. (FirstName MiddleName MomsMaidenName DadsLastName - no hyphens, my last name is officially my Dad's last name.)
Personally, when I get married, I am going to drop both my mom's maiden name and my Dad's last name, making me FirstName MiddleName NewLastName. I'm doing this simply because for me, having two middle names (one of which being super long) has created a whole lot of confusion for me over the years. When filling out official documents, there is never room. When signing legal documents, I'm sometimes required to sign with both middle names and its just a pain, and people always get confused when I tell them my two middle names. I'm actually kind of looking forward to simplifying things when I take my fiance's last name. However, I didn't choose this for myself - my parents chose it for me, so if you decide to do it out of a sense of attachment to your last name, you probably won't be as annoyed by it as I've been! Just don't curse your children with a ridiculously long name! 
In Texas you cannot, at least since 9/11. Here we are forced to either drop our existing middle name and use our maiden names as a middle name or just drop our maiden names alltogether 
that blows LAZB..
I also plan on keeping my middle name and making my maiden name a second middle name
You absolutly can have 2 middle names! It is actually customary in my culture to have 2 middle names. I'm French but I think that this is customary in many cultures.
So keep all of your names...Unless you live in texas... Boo. Sorry LAZB :(
I have four names. First, Middle, Second Middle which is my maiden name and hislast. I'm in Virginia. I went to Social Security first and then I had no trouble with the Virginia DMV.
i have two middle names -
one is legal, and the other one is something that my dad wanted but my mom said no :P
that being said i already have two middle names (moms and dads hyphenated) and one is legal, while i go socially by the other one. on top of that i'm registered under my step dads insurance, so the only advice i can say is make sure you remember where you register under what name so when you need to recal names you're no spouting off like, ten thousand :P
Thanks for all the replies, they were very insightful.
I have to admit that I think it will be confusing with me since my current last name is oh so long! I am now debating just dropping it all together, ha. Funny how when you get what you want, you're not so sure if its truely what you wanted in the first place!
not sure about different states - but I have two first names "Keri-Ann" even though it's ONE NAME just hyphenated! as well as a middle name.
my husband actually does have TWO middle names "D. Jason Lee X."
I've thought about giving our children two middle names to keep the "four names" thing goin, lol
My FH also insists that I change my name and it cannot be hyphenated. I never thought I'd change my name at all--not because I'm a feminist, but because I don't feel like I should have to change my name just because I have a husband! :) Nonetheless, I am dropping my middle name and using my "maiden" name as my middle name. I chose to do this because I previously worked for the Social Security Administration and was told that it was easier that way!
Did anyone manage to get First Middle Maiden HisLast (no hyphen) on her passport? Especially with a NY marriage license? I succeeded in getting all four names on my SS card, but the NYC DMV just told me "that doesn't legally change my name" (say what?) and they won't issue a new driver's license unless I have that name on my passport, too. I just looked up the passport form online and it looks like you don't submit your SS card, just the marriage license, so I'm wondering if they're going to give me the same trouble.
I used to have three middle names...it frankly really got on my nerves...that and the fact that I have always gone by my middle middle name lol...so I actually had it legally changed two years ago. Switched the middle middle name to be first, picked the first middle name as my new middle name, and kept my last. So now Im the "normal" three name girl haha. So, yes, it is possible to have more than one middle name. And I have heard of other bride's keeping their maiden name as a middle name.
@farmersdaughter: that's so similar to my situation!!! Well, at least what it used to be haha. And to top it off, my legal first name was my mother's actual first name (yes this is confusing). My legal name used to be:
MOTHER'S FIRST NAME_MIDDLE NAME_MIDDLE NAME I ACTUALLY GO BY_MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAME_FATHER'S LAST NAME
It was ridiculous. Im so glad I changed it lol. I dropped my mother's name and her maiden name. It upset her, but I honestly didn't do it to be offensive. It was just that those were her names, not mine. And it was a huge pain in the butt.
Yep, you can! I just did this! I live in Texas and had heard that they can be a pain about that here, so I went and got my social security card done first. I took my Maiden name as a middle name, so my name is now First Middle Middle Last. Today when I went to the DMV she tried to talk me into just putting one or the other on the license, but I showed her my new social security card and told her I want both middle names on my license, so now it's all official. Next up is my passport, and i doubt it's going to be any trouble seeing as I now have my license AND SS card to back me up.
@chelseamorning: i just went to the social security office yesterday and this woman made many claims against their new system. number one, she said i am not an American citizen, number two that my middle names could not be documented as they were on my birth certificate. she said she had to make my middle names one middle name and was not legally allowed to put any space or hyphen.
i think i need to report her. this was horrible discrimination.
All I know for certain is yes, you can have multiple middles names at birth. An old coworker of mine named her daughter Clarissa Bethany Samantha Anne Marie Wyatt (last name) She wanted to name her Clarissa Lindsay Anne Marie but her initials would have been CLAMS
I know this is an old thread but thought I'd put this information here anyway.
In California, the "Name Equality Act of 2007" states the following:
"What should the public know about the new law?
• One or both parties to a marriage may elect to change the middle and/or last names by which that party wishes to be known after solemnization of the marriage. Each party applying for a marriage license may choose to include on their marriage license the new name in the spaces provided on the marriage license application without intent to defraud. Changing one’s name through this process can only be done at the time the marriage license is issued by the County Clerk or authorized Notary Public, as applicable.
• Each party to the marriage may adopt any of the following last names:
-The current last name of the other spouse.
-The last name of either spouse given at birth.
-A name combining into a single last name all or a segment of the current last name or the last name of either spouse given at birth.
-A hyphenated combination of last names.
• Each party to the marriage may adopt any of the following middle names:
-The current last name of either spouse
-The last name of either spouse given at birth
-A hyphenated combination of the current middle name and the current last name of the person or spouse.
-A hyphenated combination of the current middle name and the birth last name of the person or spouse.
• Parties to the marriage may not change their first name on the marriage license. Persons desiring to change their first name must do so by obtaining a court ordered name change through the superior court, pursuant to Title 8 (commencing with Section 1275) of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
• Parties to the marriage are not required to change their name. Persons who have legal concerns or questions regarding their decision to include a new name or not to include a new name on the marriage license should seek legal advice before purchasing the marriage license.
• Parties to the marriage may not add or amend this information after the marriage license has been issued.
• Clerical errors in the new name fields may only be amended if the amendment is signed by the county clerk and one of the parties to the marriage.
• This law shall not abrogate the right of either party to adopt a different name at a future date through non-fraudulent common law usage or to petition the superior court for a change of name pursuant to Title 8 (commencing with Section 1275) of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure."
Pretty much covers all bases. So looks like you can only add your last name to your middle name if you want to hyphenate them (instead of hyphenating last name).
So for example, Mary Joann-Maiden Married.
Again, this is for California. Not sure about any other states.
So what about 2 last names and one middle? I want mine to be first name middle name maiden name his last name. I want 2 last names, but no hyphen separating them...
I have a friend with THREE middle names, and she's not even married! :)
Wow, I wasn't aware there was so much variation between the states. I've been planning for awhile to keep my maiden name as a second middle name, so I'd be FirstName MiddleName MaidenName HisLastName, but I guess I'll have to do a little more research when the time comes to see if it's possible :-\ I just feel strongly about keeping my last name in there somewhere because I'm extremely close to my family and as the only daughter, I'm going to be the only family member with a different last name. I'd like to legally keep it, even if it's not my last name anymore.
I didn't like my last name when I was growing up, but now it's such a part of me that I don't want to lose it. I also have publications with that name on it, which is another reason I want to keep it. However, I also know a family that the mom has a different name than the kids and she has a lot of trouble traveling with them alone because immigration/customs agents think she's kidnapping the kids (they can't be hers because they have a different last name!).
So I want his name too so that when we have kids it's not confusing for them or anyone else! Hopefully I don't have any problems in PA having 2 middle names. I tried to convince him that he should take my maiden name as a middle name too, but I don't think he's into it, hehe.
i don't see why you couldn't do that. you're allowed to have 2 middle names. my brother legally has two middle names, so i don't see why you couldn't.
This is the route I took, not wanting to drop my maiden name completely but facing a potentially burdensome last name if I were to go the hyphenation route. I am really happy that I kept it in there as a second middle name (and so is my dad), and it hasn't been troublesome or cumbersome!
You can! I have two middle names now, and while it won't show up on your license, it will on your social security card. I love having all of my names!
it was my plan to have 2 middle names, and i was able to with social security, but the ny dmv doesn't let you change your middle name with your marriage license unless your new name is explicitly listed on your marriage license (which it wasn't on my DC marriage license), just your last name. i'd already waited 4 hours there, so i gave up and have 2 (unhyphenated) last names. no way i'm ever going back there if i don't need to! to me it didn't really matter if it's 2 middle or 2 last names since it's all the same order. and i actually like having my maiden name still front and center. my original middle name is my mom's maiden name, so my name's just really long now but i love it :) so far no problems having 2 last names--i've booked and flown on flights just fine, etc. i still need to change my banks and stuff and am waiting to get my passport back...and i need to switch social security to 2 last names instead of 2 middle just so it's all consistent.
it actually makes me really flexible about what people call me--i can go professionally by both or my maiden, and socially by both or my husband's, and so really no matter what they call me it's right ;)
i was planning to do two last names, but when my hubby put both names down for my flex spending credit card application, they automatically shortened my maiden name to an initial. so it reads "Andy113 P. Yue" (say that one out loud). after that, i've decided i should just keep it simple and drop my maiden totally.....
I have two (legal) middle names. Just know that on drivers licenses etc, only one initial will show up. It's also a complete pain in the ass when you're filling out forms that a) have one spot for a middle initial, or b) are online and are programmed to only take one initial. Good luck!
i was given two at birth and i honestly don't like it, mainly bc it makes my name so long and a pain to fill out paper work, i just dropped my last name and changed it to my husbands. I tried dropping my second middle name but apparently i have to get a whole paperwork thing to do that and would rather no go through the hassle.
Yes i have two middle names. I went this route so i could keep my maiden name because it means a lot to me and also so i wouldn't have to sign my maiden name all the time. I think that would get annoying constantly having it hyphenated. This way the only time i have to sign the full (1st, 2 middles, and last) are on official bank or gov't forms. So know i am officially Alley 'Husband's name' for every day but in full I am Alley Elaine 'Maiden name' 'husband's name'
oh and another suggestion is to drop your current middle name and change it to your maiden name so you are "1st name, Maiden name, husband's name". My cousin did this because she never really liked her middle name
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