Hyphenated names…question

[redhawker]

Now-a-days there are many women that want to keep their maiden name by adding it to their husband’s name resulting in a hyphenated name. In other words, Sally Smith marries Jim Jones and is now Sally Smith-Jones.

The other day I say a marquee in front of then local high school that was flashing the names of some of the “Students of the Month” and one of the girls listed had a hyphenated name. I started to think, what happens when Sally’s daughter Sarah gets married? She is likely to want to retain her last name, as her mother did so if she marries Dan Davis does she now become Sarah Smith-Jones-Davis? What if Dan has a hyphenated name like Davis-Thomas? Would Sarah now be Sarah Smith-Jones-Davis-Thomas? And, let’s say Sarah has a daughter Sue, who, of course, will want to retain her last name, as her mother did. So Sue marries Joe Thompson-Lopez. Is she now Sue Smith-Jones-Davis-Thomas-Thompson-Lopez? What happens say 8 generations out? Do you have someone with, potentially, 16 hyphenated last names? Is there some rule (written or unwritten) about how long this can go? Is it maybe when they run out of room on the driver’s license?

 

[exavid]

Just think of how much it would help with genealogy searches. Your whole family tree in your signature. Of course you'd need a half hour or so to sign a document. That will also be complicated by schools that are no longer teaching longhand writing. Maybe those folks could use a rubber stamp, kinda like the Chinese used to sign with a chop stick. (not those you eat with but a stick with a signet stamp on one end.)

 

[RedLabel]

Its quite common in the area that I live for couples to do this and I have had the same question as you. In a same vein but different, I have a cousin whos daughter married a guy and they stuck both names together to form a whole new name. For one I think it's totally disrespectful to both families as it erases all connection with both and second would also make a historical search on that family impossible. Unless you knew what happened you would reach a dead end.

 

[Colonialgirl]

Now-a-days there are many women that want to keep their maiden name by adding it to their husband’s name resulting in a hyphenated name. In other words, Sally Smith marries Jim Jones and is now Sally Smith-Jones.

The other day I say a marquee in front of then local high school that was flashing the names of some of the “Students of the Month” and one of the girls listed had a hyphenated name. I started to think, what happens when Sally’s daughter Sarah gets married? She is likely to want to retain her last name, as her mother did so if she marries Dan Davis does she now become Sarah Smith-Jones-Davis? What if Dan has a hyphenated name like Davis-Thomas? Would Sarah now be Sarah Smith-Jones-Davis-Thomas? And, let’s say Sarah has a daughter Sue, who, of course, will want to retain her last name, as her mother did. So Sue marries Joe Thompson-Lopez. Is she now Sue Smith-Jones-Davis-Thomas-Thompson-Lopez? What happens say 8 generations out? Do you have someone with, potentially, 16 hyphenated last names? Is there some rule (written or unwritten) about how long this can go? Is it maybe when they run out of room on the driver’s license?

They run out of room on a LOAD of documents when they ask for my FULL Name:
Pamela Jean Street Dunn; When I got married, I didn't change my last name nor did I add my husbands last name OR, I would have been Pamela Jean Street Dunn-Rose. That would have been loads of fun fitting into a small space. I already have a problem with those ask for First name--Pamela "Middle Intial" last name and ONLY allow you to put in ONE middle intial.
So, Sometimes, I'm Pamela Jean S. Dunn, sometimes I'm Pamela J. Dunn and other times I may be Pamela S. Dunn; It depends on my mood at the time.

 

[USARet27years]

Well I do not have that problem, but as my initials are JDM I sometimes sign cards, photos etc with " Just Dogone Mean " , it always catches a he he.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

The Spanish and Hispanic people have been doing it for a long time. :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispanic_American_naming_customs

quote> For example the Saint Teresa de los Andes whose real name is Juana Enriqueta Josefina de los Sagrados Corazones Fernández del Solar. Where "Juana", "Enriqueta" and "Josefina" are her first names, followed by the second name "de los Sagrados Corazones". Her paternal surname is "Fernández" and her maternal surname is "del Solar". <end quote

 

[The Blackhawk Kid]

They called me Dave cause the other 4 letter words were already taken! Good Heck!

 

[Selena]

Now-a-days there are many women that want to keep their maiden name by adding it to their husband’s name resulting in a hyphenated name. In other words, Sally Smith marries Jim Jones and is now Sally Smith-Jones.

The other day I say a marquee in front of then local high school that was flashing the names of some of the “Students of the Month” and one of the girls listed had a hyphenated name. I started to think, what happens when Sally’s daughter Sarah gets married? She is likely to want to retain her last name, as her mother did so if she marries Dan Davis does she now become Sarah Smith-Jones-Davis? What if Dan has a hyphenated name like Davis-Thomas? Would Sarah now be Sarah Smith-Jones-Davis-Thomas? And, let’s say Sarah has a daughter Sue, who, of course, will want to retain her last name, as her mother did. So Sue marries Joe Thompson-Lopez. Is she now Sue Smith-Jones-Davis-Thomas-Thompson-Lopez? What happens say 8 generations out? Do you have someone with, potentially, 16 hyphenated last names? Is there some rule (written or unwritten) about how long this can go? Is it maybe when they run out of room on the driver’s license?

They run out of room on a LOAD of documents when they ask for my FULL Name:
Pamela Jean Street Dunn; When I got married, I didn't change my last name nor did I add my husbands last name OR, I would have been Pamela Jean Street Dunn-Rose. That would have been loads of fun fitting into a small space. I already have a problem with those ask for First name--Pamela "Middle Intial" last name and ONLY allow you to put in ONE middle intial.
So, Sometimes, I'm Pamela Jean S. Dunn, sometimes I'm Pamela J. Dunn and other times I may be Pamela S. Dunn; It depends on my mood at the time.

In college it was actually suggested I hyphenate my name. I pointed out that since I was adopted I would also have to include my real parent's names in the mix giving me a total of four. Then after a moment of pretended thought mentioned to truly respect respect the ethnic background of my adopted mother I would have to include her Siouxian name as well. By the time she figured out I was making fun of her and threw me out of her office there were eight hyphons going on and I was working on the ninth.

 

[callshot]

That only applys to the half of the population that do get married.

 

[gramps]

That only applys to the half of the population that do get married.

Maybe that is why the other half don't get married? :shock: :mrgreen:
gramps

 

[Number9]

You don't have to change your last name when you marry, if you want to keep it,
Or you could just use your last name as your middle name.

 

[hittman]

The hyphen stuff causes ladies all kinds of troubles with credit files and other ID purposes.

Many can't pick a name they like and stick with it.

 

[Number9]

But, you don't need to use a hyphen in a name.. a hyphen is a punctuation mark used to join words. When you combine names as one, it's a single unit and doesn't require the hyphen.

 

[TRanger]

The hyphenated name business is a load of rubbish. You marry a man, you take his name. That s the end of it. I have no patience with hyphenated Americans either.

 

[Kevin]

My wife being Bulgarian was sort of forced to keep her last name. She had her Passport before we got married and it was almost impossible to change in Bulgaria. So when we came here her passport was her form of identification for all American documents, like social security driver's license. Then it was just a snowball effect. What a mess. Sometimes she uses my name on utilities or YMCA membership for example. Then it is really confusing. I think she gets a kick out of it. Then to be even more confusing she hyphenate her name. But then she is just trying to cause a cluster...

 

[volshooter]

My wife of 37 years tried to use her maiden name as her middle name on a new account a few years back. I refused to allow it. It is not tradition round here. She changed her mind after a talk. End of story.

 

[Kevin]

Volshooter, not trying to start an argument, but why tell her no? It's just for her middle name, no less. It isn't my concern at all but just interesting. I've always felt like women can do what they want, that whole women's lib. thing.

I had a good friend in college. She was proud of her last name and always told me she would not change it. Her reason was she achieved so much with her last name already. It was her identity. She never changed it either. I don't think she even hyphenated her name.

 

[Ruger Packer]

I didn't see any mention about widows...... like my current wife. Think of the mess if you use your first, middle, maiden, married name (that ended with husband's) death) and then a remarriage name!!

For example: Sarah Ann Campbell (maiden), Davis (married name), Wayne (remarried last name).

Gives me a headache just thinking about it. When Miss RP and I married, she only kept first/middle and took my last name. Smart woman!!! ;)

 

[Rancher Will]

I really don't care one way or the other about most Hyphenated names. Except for one type.

I have firmly believed all of my life that anyone is either an American or not an American. I have no respect for any one who is a Hyphenated American, no matter what color their skin. I believe using Hyphenated American as a identification name is a deliberate attempt to make someone think you are better than they. Furthermore, it makes no sense. There are probably hundreds of ethnic peoples. If every one used a Hyphenated American Identification Name we would never get anything done.

I am an American of Native Indian ancestry but if anyone calls me an Indian-American I am insulted. I am an American, period.

 

[Kevin]

Rancher Will, that is very well put.

 

[TinkerDave]

Feminists at work :) TD

 

[Bob Wright]

I will not do business with women with hyphenated names. If they don't think enough of their husbands to take his last name, I have no respect for them.


Incidentally, in the State of Tennessee, a law was recently passed that requires a newborn child to take the name of either the father or the mother, no "cute" combinations.

Unfortunately, too many babies are being born to unwed couples.

Bob Wright

 

[AR_hillbilly]

I really don't care one way or the other about most Hyphenated names. Except for one type.

I have firmly believed all of my life that anyone is either an American or not an American. I have no respect for any one who is a Hyphenated American, no matter what color their skin. I believe using Hyphenated American as a identification name is a deliberate attempt to make someone think you are better than they. Furthermore, it makes no sense. There are probably hundreds of ethnic peoples. If every one used a Hyphenated American Identification Name we would never get anything done.

I am an American of Native Indian ancestry but if anyone calls me an Indian-American I am insulted. I am an American, period.

I don't like the Hyphenated-American stuff either. I don't go around tellin folks I'm a Black Dutch-Scotts Irish-Cherokee Indian/Native American-Arkansaw Hillbilly-American!! I will readily admit to any of it, but mostly get referred to as Hillbilly. :mrgreen:

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

There's a story attributed to Teddy Roosevelt about how the US is a big place, but it's not big enough for hyphenated Americans. As Rancher Will put it, you're an "American" or you're not...

As for the ladies who can't make up their minds, it seems the hyphenated name thing has died down a little in the last few years. Is that a sign of a fad that's run its course or what? I know a few women who've retained their maiden names, mostly because of previous "professional" association, such as licenses, publications, and such. One of them did it to honor her late Dad, who'd been a more than very special person to her. That's fine with me: there's no law I know of that says a woman has to take her husband's name.

But a few of them use their husband's name in social situations, so Dr. Sally Smith at work might be Mrs. Sally Jones at home. It gets confusing, and perhaps a lot of the ladies have caught on to the value of simplicity and consistency? Then there's a friend who's maiden name was Smith. Married a guy named Smith! Divorced him, and checked the box on the papers that "I'd like to return to my maiden name" (however that's worded.) She said that brought some smiles to some of the faces in an otherwise dull office... ;)

Rick C

 

[ronto]

The hyphenated name business is a load of rubbish. You marry a man, you take his name. That s the end of it. I have no patience with hyphenated Americans either.

My view exactly!

 

[Cooperhawk]

My Wife had a daughter by a previous marriage. When we got married she changed her middle name to the same name her daughter went by, and took my name as her last. Works for me. The daughter was in her teens then and didn't feel the need to adopt. She is married now and seems like my own daughter.

 

[Selena]

I really don't care one way or the other about most Hyphenated names. Except for one type.

I have firmly believed all of my life that anyone is either an American or not an American. I have no respect for any one who is a Hyphenated American, no matter what color their skin. I believe using Hyphenated American as a identification name is a deliberate attempt to make someone think you are better than they. Furthermore, it makes no sense. There are probably hundreds of ethnic peoples. If every one used a Hyphenated American Identification Name we would never get anything done.

I am an American of Native Indian ancestry but if anyone calls me an Indian-American I am insulted. I am an American, period.

I don't like the Hyphenated-American stuff either. I don't go around tellin folks I'm a Black Dutch-Scotts Irish-Cherokee Indian/Native American-Arkansaw Hillbilly-American!! I will readily admit to any of it, but mostly get referred to as Hillbilly. :mrgreen:

*GASP!!!!* Surely you do not demean yourself with the offensive "H" word without correcting them to the more proper Appalachian-American!

 

[toysoldier]

When I remarried, my second wife had also been married before. She kept her first husband's name, to keep things simple with children in school. She'd used that name for 30 years, and earned 4 college degrees, including a PhD. Neither of us felt she needed to take my name. It did, however confuse the ladies in our little Methodist church. :)

 

[volshooter]

Just old school I guess. When a man marries a woman ,as it should be, tradition is for her to take her first, middle and his last name. To me is an insult to buck tradition.
I know quite a few men and women who include their mother's name just to show their well to do background.
Where will this end, perhaps we should all list our middle or / name of every ancestor we know on all documents. It is stupid. I will not call anyone with more than a first, middle and last name that has been bastardized by modern pc crap. My best friend married a witch who chose her 4 names and added his name last. She is still called by her pre married name , refuses to be called MRS. XXX.
Just another thing I will not go for.

 

[WendyZXZ]

I never understood the hyphenated name either and I agree with Rancher Will that the hyphenated nationality bit is just stupid sounding. I have never heard of a person moving to another country and then calling themselves an American-name country. When a woman gets married just pick your maiden name or take his name one or the other. When I got married Kenneth said he didn't care one way or the other what I did because he had me in his life and that was enough for him.