When you have two last names which one do you use?

For example, Sarah Smith marries Adam Jones. A hyphenated last name would be Smith-Jones or Jones-Smith. It's your choice which name comes first.

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Which one do you use when someone has two last names?

Generally, there are no set rules or etiquette when it comes to deciding exactly how your hyphenated last name will read. You can go the "traditional" route and list your "maiden" name first, or you could choose to list your new last name first, followed by your original last name.

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How do second last names work?

A double name can be formed when marrying or getting children, combining the surnames of the spouses or the parents, respectively. Double names can be combined by taking one part of each. Either spouse or both can take a double name.

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How do you put two last names together?

In most states, you have the option to take your spouse's last name, hyphenate your last name, use two last names without a hyphen, or move your maiden name to your middle name and take your spouse's last name. We think it's important that you know all of the name change options before your big day.

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Can you have two surnames in Australia?

A maximum of 2 hyphenated names in any registered name, one a given, one as family name. A maximum of two names forms a hyphenated name.

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Can you legally have two last names?

29 related questions found

How do you address a married couple with two different last names?

Addressing Couples
  1. Married couples who both use the husband's last name should be Mr. and Mrs. ...
  2. Married couples who use different last names should use Ms. and Mr. ...
  3. Unmarried couples and same-gender couples who live together should follow the above rule as well.

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When you have two last names which one goes first in alphabetical order?

Hyphenated names are considered one unit. Ignore the hyphen and alphabetize considering the first part of the hyphenated name. Ignore ampersands (&) joining two or more proper names.

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Can your child have 2 last names?

If you don't like hyphens but still want to use both names, your child can simply have two last names. This is the norm in many Spanish-speaking countries, where kids get one last name from each parent.

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How do you write a letter to someone with two last names?

If she's Geneva Besmer-Silverstone, you should use the last two names at all times. If she has a career, and Besmer is her family (maiden) name and Silverstone her surname, at social events she might go by "Geneva Silverstone," dropping her maiden name.

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When writing about someone do you use their first or last name?

When you mention a person for the first time, be sure to use the full name. Only in very rare cases should you refer to a person by the first name. Such usage usually indicates close friendship or inferior status (such as children and servants). For subsequent references to a person, simply use the last name.

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How do you initial a two word last name?

For an individual with a hyphenated last name, begin with the first name initial, followed by the two last name initials, and end with the middle name initial. The two last name initials (center) will be larger.

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Whose surname does a baby take in Australia?

Australia's Child Naming Regulations

The surname, by law, has to take the surname of the parents, while the given name and middle name are at the parents discretion. Some parents adopt the maiden name of the mother to be the child's middle name.

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Can you have two last names from your parents?

In many Spanish-speaking places—including Spain, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Mexico—children traditionally receive the last names of both parents, creating a double-barrel surname. When two people with double-barrel last names have children, they each pass down the first of their two last names.

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Are two last names related?

Many people ask the question, are people with the same last name related? Surnames can be shared between unrelated people without a biological relationship. Just because two people share the same does not mean they are related. There are many common surnames.

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What is the correct order of names?

One's 'first name', known as a 'personal name' or 'given name', is chosen at birth as the individual's personal identifier. It always comes before the family name. The 'family name', known as a 'surname' or 'last name', is inherited from one's parents and shared with other members of the individual's immediate family .

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What goes first middle or last name?

In various cultures, a middle name is a portion of a personal name that is written between the person's first given name and their surname. A middle name is often abbreviated and is then called middle initial or just initial.

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How do you address a family with two last names?

When the parents and children in a household have several last names, you basically have two options.
  1. Options One: Formal - Put the parents on one line and give each new last name its own line. Mr. Lee and Ms. Smith. Jenny Johnson. Jackson Bowen.
  2. Option Two: Informal - Only use first names. Jack, Kim, Jenny, and Jackson.

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Does the husband or wife's name go first?

Addressing a Couple

NOTE: Traditionally, a woman's name preceded a man's on an envelope address, and his first and surname were not separated (Jane and John Kelly). Nowadays, the order of the names—whether his name or hers comes first—does not matter and either way is acceptable.

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How do you write your husband and wife's name together?

Address a married couple using “Mr.” and “Mrs.” followed by the shared last name. For example, “Mr. and Mrs. Doe.”

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When you have two last names after marriage?

What Is a Hyphenated Last Name? A hyphenated last name is when you and your spouse combine both of your last names with a hyphen. This is also called a double surname.

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Why do babies take the father's last name?

This is a doctrine based on the patriarchal assumption that a father's surname would deepen the family institution or provide children with more financial security later in life. Or, it is the easiest way to ensure the family name's legacy.

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Whose last name does the baby get?

The child's last name on a birth certificate

The mother's surname when the child was born; The father's surname when the child was born; Both parents' names, recorded in any order, hyphenated or unhyphenated; or. Any surname to which either the mother or father has a familial connection.

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How do last names work in Australia?

The 'family name', known as a 'surname' or 'last name', is inherited from one's parents and shared with other members of the individual's immediate family . Australian names are traditionally patrilineal, whereby children are given their father's family name. However, this is not an enforced custom.

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Does the baby always take the dads last name?

It's true that patrilineal baby-naming dominates in America. Researchers have found that heterosexual married couples give the baby the father's name more than 95% of the time. But tradition wasn't a good enough reason to convince me that the children I grew in my own body shouldn't have my name.

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