2007-02-19 22:22:31 · 13 answers · asked by jenny m 1 in Family & Relationships ➔ Marriage & Divorce
In the US: Yes, if he agrees to it. He will have to be present at the hospital when the child is born with proper ID. If you wait, you have to go thru the courts with a lawyer and it'll be way more expensive.
2007-02-19 22:26:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In England and Wales she cannot register the children as his, i.e. provide his name and address as their father, unless he is either present at registration, or has provided her with a letter confirming his agreement. She should remember that if she registers the children as his, he will then have joint Parental Responsibility for them with her. She may later regret this if the relationship doesn't work out and he turns out not to be a good dad.
The children can have their father's surname if he agrees - otherwise they should take the mother's surname. Victorian unmarried mothers often used the father's surname as one of the children's forenames but without naming the father on the birth certificate. So the "natural" or illegitimate child of Sarah White and John Green might be named John Green White. A little girl could be named after her father's mother, being called Ann Green White.
If you are referring to existing children from a previous relationship having their name changed to that of a new lover, then I would say this is generally a very bad idea unless their real dad has totally disappeared from their lives and the new man is a permanent fixture. Even so he should be enough of a permanent fixture not to be new any more. If the real dad is alive and has parental responsibility, you cannot legally change his children's surnames without his agreement. If you do so, he can apply to the court for them to be changed back again, and for an order preventing you from allowing them to be known e.g. at school, by another surname. And if he has died then I really think it would be an insult to his memory to take his surname away from his children, as well as a grave disservice to the children themselves.
2007-02-19 22:53:37 · answer #2 · answered by Specsy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Me and my fiancee have been together for five years and have a two year old son. The only reason we are not married yet is I am waiting to finish college and if we were married I would not get NEAR as much financial aid. All I know is our son has my husbands last name and to put it on the birth certificate, he had to sign some paper when our son was born saying that is what he wanted in front of a person who had the authority to notarize it.
2007-02-19 22:27:42 · answer #3 · answered by Brandi A 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I dont know how different the laws are from state to state, but they have to have a last name on their birth certificates and if you didn't put his name on the birth certificate then you can't use it unless you change it legally through the courts and you still may need his permission. My son and his girl are not married, she did not need his permission to name him as the father on my grandsons birth certificate, and he has our last name now but he was the father so there is no problem. .
2007-02-19 22:58:52 · answer #4 · answered by WOLFMAN 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most states will allow you to give the child the fathers last name, regardless of whether you are married or not. It has to be on their birth certificate, though. You can't just use the name for the kids.
2007-02-20 00:24:48 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can do this but isn't advisable to do so. Especially if you aren't going to marry this guy. The kids may resent it when they grow older especially if it's a crappy surname. My mother did this to me when i was born, gave me her lover's surname knowing she would never marry the guy. When i was of legal age i had my name changed to her maiden name. Since she never married until i was age 6 and the guy she married she didn't even know when i was born.
2007-02-19 22:29:09 · answer #6 · answered by michael_trussell 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No one has to agree. You can call your baby George Washington if you want. The surname is not required to have any affiliation with you, the father or anyone else for that matter. You could call you baby TRUMP and no one could bawlk about it. The father does not have to sign the birth certificate, does not...
2007-02-19 22:35:16 · answer #7 · answered by notso_recoveringwino 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, as long as the father is willing to sign the birth certificate and give the child his last name. Good luck and God bless****
2007-02-19 22:27:39 · answer #8 · answered by ? 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the man must sign the birth certificate stating he is the father and giving permission for the child to have his last name.
2007-02-19 22:27:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not unless the man adopts her child(ren). In order to do this the legal father would have to give permission.
2007-02-19 22:26:42 · answer #10 · answered by BabiBlue 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋