That's not my name. My name is...

[addedentry]

Owen McKnight. Except for a stage whisper of "Is that legal?" when the registrar announced us, no one has expressed that much surprise at my taking j4's name. A chap might almost be disappointed!

I'm Owen Massey McKnight in full. Instead of a double surname as rmc28 chose, I've made my old surname my new middle name. The idea was to keep my professional

Comments

[mzdt]

hurrah! you've mentioned this before, right, because I recall telling you about my dad, who on remarriage took my stepmothers maiden name? He didn't even keep his old surname...

[addedentry]

You must have told me before we embarked on this madcap scheme (i.e. getting engaged). I wholeheartedly approve.

[haggisthesecond]

Very interesting stuff there about the mechanics of doing the name change as a man. Good for you for making the decision to change your name if it's what you wanted to do.

My husband and I retained our own surnames when we married. He'd asked beforehand if I was going to change mine to his and I said I'd be delighted to, if he would be changing his to mine, or if we would both be changing to something different.

I haven't experienced any difficulties on a legal or administrative level with our having different surnames, the way some people had said I might if I didn't take my husband's name. My biggest problem has been people who should know better, relatives and even employers, continuing to send me correspondence addressed to Mrs [Husband's Name] when I keep telling them my name is and always has been Ms [My Name].

[addedentry]

I like the idea of swapping surnames, especially if both families are concerned about the 'loss' of their name!

[bateleur]

Who are you trying to fool? You just wanted to change your name to "McKnight" because it sounds so damn cool!

MC Knight

[addedentry]

That may be a factor (-; though now I get to learn all the associated puns for a new name. "Is that the new special at McDonald's?" asked the bookseller on the phone just now, which took me aback, not least because the joke doesn't work...

[internetsdairy]

How much of your decision was influenced by the sounds of the names? 'Massey' is good, it sounds like an adjective used to describe a neutron star, but then 'McKnight' conjures up a picture of an armoured, chess-playing haggis holding a pike and riding a horse. Cor.

I'm tempted to take drummygirl's surname as it's much better than mine.

[addedentry]

See above. I think you've just blazoned the new coat of arms.

"Internetsgirl"? It has a ring to it.

[nou]

Oh, I should do this at some point too. Though since my banks know me as "Kate" and my birth and marriage certificates as "Katharine" (I think it's spelt like that), it might be a bit more fiddly.