are there specific rules for a bride to take the hyphenated rather than only husbands last name?

Question

maiden before hyphen or is that unwritten law? any other stuff

Answer 1

No, anything goes.

Answer 2

When I married, my husband from Wales, they do hyphenate their names , and have done for generations. In North America it is up to you. If it sounds good together, go for it. Use your maiden name first. Remember if you have children, what you put on their birth certificate will be their surname. Whether you use the hyphenated name or just your husbands will be between the two of you. If you use both, think ahead to when they marry. If you son's intended wishes to have her surname included, what will your son drop or include? Back to you. I personally like a hyphenated name, but if it is long, like mine, I find most things you have to sign - credit slip, cheque book, etc., they do not leave enough space. Also most stores, etc., do not know how to list it - It should be under the first letter of your surname if that is listed first. But a lot file it under the first letter of the second part after the hyphen. Post office, prescriptions, photo developing shop, things being held for you in a store, etc. often are filed wrong. Can be frustration. Good Luck. Judy

Answer 3

There is no law on how to do it. It is "socally accepted" to place your maiden name before the hyphen. That way, if people are trying to look you up in the future, they will know that the first part of the name is your maiden name. That is really the only reason you would want to consider doing it that way.

Answer 4

I've learned that pretty much anything goes. For myself, after my first marriage, I kept my maiden name as a second middle name and added my husbands name. So I became N. Christine R. Smith (just for example). Now I'm re-marrying and will hyphenate my current last name, Smith to my new last name, Jones because I don't want my daughter to feel any loss (plus she asked me). So now I'll be N. Christine R. Smith-Jones! Or just Christine Smith-Jones for short.

Answer 5

Whenever I see a hyphenated name, it is always the maiden name-married name.

I also see women who drop their middle names, make their maiden name their new middle name, and then take the husband's last name. They don't use hyphens.

Answer 6

Basically, when you get married both partners can do the any of the following (yes, the guy could to if he wanted) and you don't both have to do the same thing

Take the other person's Last name
Take the other last name, keeo the maiden name as a middle name
Hyphenate both names in any order you wish
Keep your own last name

Answer 7

No, not at all. This is "usually" done say if someone is say, a doctor, or in some profession and has been. They have their name established as "Jane Smith" then she gets married. She doesn't want to confuse the public so she will make her name "Jane Smith-Jones". In other instances a woman just doesn't want to loose her identity so to speak. Some are parents and going into a second marriage. Others, just want to for no reason. Point is, there are no rules.

Answer 8

This is totally up to you. No unwritten laws regarding it, --Enjoy 2007

Answer 9

i kept my name because of my kids from previous marriage and its my professional name, but legally i hyphenated it and use his last name socially. and its reallly long on my new SS card lol but you dont have to change it all.....

Answer 10

most of the time you see:

maiden name-married name

really anything goes though

Answer 11

No. It is what ever the woman chooses.