Name Change

[emekus94 1,125]

Howdy all

Long story short.  I had a first, middle and last name (maiden)

I got married and changed that to first, middle and new husband last name

 

Now, I am thinking of having my name as: first, middle, maiden and new husband last name

I originally didn't do this because all my names are really long and I was not for that but I would want the OPTION down the road to have the maiden name show up somewhere

Does anyone know if I have to LEGALLY do anything? Or just have the maiden name show up whenever I please? (think like when I get my PhD if I can have that as the name on my degree and it not cause me any issues) 

 

To be clear, my husband's last name is my last name. That's not changing
But if I want to go by first, maiden and new last name, I would like that option.

Thanks!

[JeanneAdil 6,484]

different ways to do this

if you still use old last name on state ID or driving license,  add his to yours at licence bureau / some hypenate it like this Smith/Jones or Smith or Smith -Jones

or if you have already changed it on state ID's , follow the laws for your state in a court 

https://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-namechange.htm?rdeLocaleAttr=en

if either do not fit u ,  wait for your natralization , and ask for the change ,, USCIS and judge can order that at oath ceremony /many did it at ours

[mushroomspore 3,044]

33 minutes ago, emekus94 said:

Howdy all

Long story short.  I had a first, middle and last name (maiden)

I got married and changed that to first, middle and new husband last name

 

Now, I am thinking of having my name as: first, middle, maiden and new husband last name

I originally didn't do this because all my names are really long and I was not for that but I would want the OPTION down the road to have the maiden name show up somewhere

Does anyone know if I have to LEGALLY do anything? Or just have the maiden name show up whenever I please? (think like when I get my PhD if I can have that as the name on my degree and it not cause me any issues) 

 

To be clear, my husband's last name is my last name. That's not changing
But if I want to go by first, maiden and new last name, I would like that option.

Thanks!

It depends on what exactly you want to use it for. For PhD, you'd have to ask the educational institution about what they allow. For any legal docs, you have to do it through the courts. USCIS, SSA and DMV will ask for court docs showing the name change.

[Rosemichelle 69]

1 hour ago, emekus94 said:

Howdy all

Long story short.  I had a first, middle and last name (maiden)

I got married and changed that to first, middle and new husband last name

 

Now, I am thinking of having my name as: first, middle, maiden and new husband last name

I originally didn't do this because all my names are really long and I was not for that but I would want the OPTION down the road to have the maiden name show up somewhere

Does anyone know if I have to LEGALLY do anything? Or just have the maiden name show up whenever I please? (think like when I get my PhD if I can have that as the name on my degree and it not cause me any issues) 

 

To be clear, my husband's last name is my last name. That's not changing
But if I want to go by first, maiden and new last name, I would like that option.

Thanks!

Emekus94, good day. I had the same issue at one point and time. Where I live they dropped my last name completely. Social security,  would not let me put a hyphen and add my new last name. But, I have a classmate that was able to do hers. So for example  my former name was Cheryl Grace McHenry 

Married name is: Cheryl Grace Obaseki 

On my degree is my ex husband's last name.

On my ordained minister certificate is my former/maiden name and I have not had any problems. 

 

All I wanted was Cheryl McHenry-Obaseki.

If that is what I decide,  I will have to petition the courts in which I live.

 

*Why not use your first name, maiden name and hyphen with your new last name? It will be up to social security; they dropped my former last name*

 

Also, my husband's tradition is for me to have his first name as my middle name. When he get home one of the judges in our district have stated that my birth certificate etc would need to be changed; lol. 

 

 

 

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

I'm not the immigrant but I'm the female- after we got married I brought our marriage certificate to social security and told them I wanted to put my maiden name as my middle name (got rid of my birth middle name) and took my husbands last name. I'm not a fan of hyphenated names and wouldn't want my kids to have a super long name plus I have no connection to my middle name lol. With the new SS card I was able to use that to change my drivers license, passport and update other identifications.

 

Based on others who posted here it sounds as if that doesn't work for everyone though. Also maybe its different dealing with immigration and changing names? Wish I could offer advice other than what I did. 

 

 

[Ontarkie 14,205]

~~Moved to Off Topics, form K1 P&P - this is not a visa processing question.~~

[emekus94 1,125]

2 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

different ways to do this

if you still use old last name on state ID or driving license,  add his to yours at licence bureau / some hypenate it like this Smith/Jones or Smith or Smith -Jones

or if you have already changed it on state ID's , follow the laws for your state in a court 

https://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-namechange.htm?rdeLocaleAttr=en

if either do not fit u ,  wait for your natralization , and ask for the change ,, USCIS and judge can order that at oath ceremony /many did it at ours

Thanks.
But am not the immigrant- am the USC so naturalization won't work

I don't use the old last name at all. It's dropped in everything.

[emekus94 1,125]

1 hour ago, Rosemichelle said:

Emekus94, good day. I had the same issue at one point and time. Where I live they dropped my last name completely. Social security,  would not let me put a hyphen and add my new last name. But, I have a classmate that was able to do hers. So for example  my former name was Cheryl Grace McHenry 

Married name is: Cheryl Grace Obaseki 

On my degree is my ex husband's last name.

On my ordained minister certificate is my former/maiden name and I have not had any problems. 

 

All I wanted was Cheryl McHenry-Obaseki.

If that is what I decide,  I will have to petition the courts in which I live.

 

*Why not use your first name, maiden name and hyphen with your new last name? It will be up to social security; they dropped my former last name*

 

Also, my husband's tradition is for me to have his first name as my middle name. When he get home one of the judges in our district have stated that my birth certificate etc would need to be changed; lol. 

 

 

 

Hi both!
Good day. What a headache it seems.

Well I made the choice to drop my maiden name because my born middle name had a unique meaning to it and I was not getting rid of that! I also didn't want to hyphenate my maiden-last name as that is a headache on its own for my kids and all.

Sigh. 

I think I might just use my maiden name when I want to. 
I don't necessarily want it on legal docs. But like on community achievements, etc I think it would be nice to have.

1 hour ago, Luckycuds said:

I'm not the immigrant but I'm the female- after we got married I brought our marriage certificate to social security and told them I wanted to put my maiden name as my middle name (got rid of my birth middle name) and took my husbands last name. I'm not a fan of hyphenated names and wouldn't want my kids to have a super long name plus I have no connection to my middle name lol. With the new SS card I was able to use that to change my drivers license, passport and update other identifications.

 

Based on others who posted here it sounds as if that doesn't work for everyone though. Also maybe its different dealing with immigration and changing names? Wish I could offer advice other than what I did. 

 

 

 

[emekus94 1,125]

2 hours ago, mushroomspore said:

It depends on what exactly you want to use it for. For PhD, you'd have to ask the educational institution about what they allow. For any legal docs, you have to do it through the courts. USCIS, SSA and DMV will ask for court docs showing the name change.

Thank you!
Yea- since am not the immigrant, I don't think I necessarily want to change it on SSA and DMV etc.
I just wanted the option to be used in community settings and all that. 

I'll just ask around at educational institutions and all that
Because quite frankly- I don't think am ready to legally go through that paperwork business of a name change again.

[JeanneAdil 6,484]

24 minutes ago, emekus94 said:

Hi both!
Good day. What a headache it seems.

Well I made the choice to drop my maiden name because my born middle name had a unique meaning to it and I was not getting rid of that! I also didn't want to hyphenate my maiden-last name as that is a headache on its own for my kids and all.

Sigh. 

I think I might just use my maiden name when I want to. 
I don't necessarily want it on legal docs. But like on community achievements, etc I think it would be nice to have.

 

it's a good idea for those who still have kids in school as it must be confusing to school personal when last names don't match/ that's why i kept my former name after my husband passed 

[Rosemichelle 69]

1 hour ago, emekus94 said:

Hi both!
Good day. What a headache it seems.

Well I made the choice to drop my maiden name because my born middle name had a unique meaning to it and I was not getting rid of that! I also didn't want to hyphenate my maiden-last name as that is a headache on its own for my kids and all.

Sigh. 

I think I might just use my maiden name when I want to. 
I don't necessarily want it on legal docs. But like on community achievements, etc I think it would be nice to have.

 

Yes, I know you are not the beneficiary.  I just wanted to tell you the headache I had to endure. But, it will work out fine for you; it's your decision.  Good luck 

[Ontarkie 14,205]

If you aren't looking to make a legal name change and just want to use your maiden name in certain settings then just do it.

 

Think of it more like a nick name. Some ppl call you by one name others by your nickname. As long as you use your legal name on legal documents than it's just like a nickname. 

 

BTW a maiden name is almost always still your legal name as assuming your spouses last name doesn't change your BC like other types of name changes. 

[emekus94 1,125]

14 hours ago, Ontarkie said:

 

BTW a maiden name is almost always still your legal name as assuming your spouses last name doesn't change your BC like other types of name changes. 

I didn't know that! Thank you!
This is what I wanted to confirm. Since it's still technically mine, I can use it.
Very helpful. Thank you thank you