I do not want to take my fiance's surname. I love him very much but I just don't like the name. He is very happy for me to keep my own name but I am clueless as to the legalities. I assume my 'official' name is currently the one on my birth certificate. When I marry is it assumed that I will become Mrs 'husband's name' and that this will then be my legal name, for example for passports, wills, and other legal documents? I know many women these days keep their maiden name in their professional life but use their married name for personal things, but I don't want two names. If we decide to hyphenate our names is it necessary to do anything to make that name change for both of us legally binding?


Marrying is the most common way to change your name - though a wife is not obliged to by law to adopt her husband's surname. She is also free to revert to her maiden name at any point in the marriage.

It is also very popular to hyphen two last names together when a couple are getting married.
For example;

Mark Smith and Lisa Riley, becomes Mr & Mrs M. Riley-Smith

To Hyphen your two names together you will need to see a solicitor after your marriage , and change your name by deed poll. The solicitor will organise all the paperwork for you to make it legally binding. You can change your names before your wedding if you prefer, however it will sound odd;

For example do you Mark Riley -Smith take Lisa Riley-Smith etc and you will also need to produce the change of name document to the registrar on your wedding day. (Answered by Adeline St-John)