Name change

[Feeny511]

What is the name of your state? Mass
I just wanted some info on changing my sons last name.
He currently has his fathers. I would like to change it to mine.
I think that he is going to fight me on this.
He is on the birth certificate.
As of right now his rights are suspended. He has agreed to not have anything to do with my son.
He has not seen him in two years now.
I just want to know what my chances are of a judge changing his name. And some advise on how I should go about it.
Thanks for all your help!

 

[pennymuttmutt]

It will depend on the age of the child. The Judge will look at whether it is in the best interest of the child to change it or not.

 

[Feeny511]

My son is three and a half. I would like to get this done before he starts school and really learns his full name.

 

[snostar]

As of right now his rights are suspended. He has agreed to not have anything to do with my son.

What rights? Be specific. The first step would be to file a petition, Change of Name of Minor.

 

[Feeny511]

I was wrong, I'm sorry his rights are not suspended his visitation is. Thank you for your posts.
I called the probate court today to get some info.
When I gave my son his fathers last name we were engaged and I was planning on marrying him. It just means alot that me and my son share a last name and I want this done before he learns his name.
If his father fights this, do you think that a judge would agree to hyphenate his last name so that he has both our last names? If it comes down to it I will change my own last name. So that we have the same one. But I do not want to have to do that.

 

[Gracie3787]

I was wrong, I'm sorry his rights are not suspended his visitation is. Thank you for your posts.
I called the probate court today to get some info.
When I gave my son his fathers last name we were engaged and I was planning on marrying him. It just means alot that me and my son share a last name and I want this done before he learns his name.
If his father fights this, do you think that a judge would agree to hyphenate his last name so that he has both our last names? If it comes down to it I will change my own last name. So that we have the same one. But I do not want to have to do that.

Quite often a hyphen is an excellant way of a child having both parents' names. And yes, a Judge may order that soloution if the father is unwilling to allow a full name change or a hyphen.

 

[Zephyr]

but if you do ever get married are you going to want to change his name again, so you have the same last name, or won't you change your name to your husband's

 

[crystaly]

I just went through this. I am in California and and my daughter is 4. The judge said she did not care about my daughter having issues with her identity because she was only 4. And I was not asking to take his name off all together, just that mine be added to his with a hyphen. It is hard to get a fathers name taken off of the last name. You should however ask for the hyphen not the last name to change all together. It's a shot in the dark and it doesn't matter what the visitation is. My ex doesn't have any visitation and my duaghter does not even know him and the judge still would not order it.

 

[Feeny511]

If The court agrees to hyphenate my sons name then if I ever do get married I will keep my last name. Which is what I should have done with my son in the first place. That name means alot to me. So if I do get married my husband would have to understand how important it is to me that me and my child and children to come in the future share a last name. He can always change his last name to mine.

 

[lquid_user]

big names little babies

my ex required that her name preceed mine on the birth records. I am ok with that, but it's a mouthful for a three year old. very cute though. they get that big smile of accomplishment when they're done saying their names.

 

[ceara19]

I've had to go through the same thing in Texas. The Judge ordered the kids' names be hyphenated at our final divorce hearing, she wouldn't drop his name all together at the time. Up until my oldest started school I just never used his last name and it never caused any problems until school. They are required to use the name on the birth certificate. "Dad" left when they kids were 2 and not quite 1, so they never knew him. My daughter was NOT HAPPY when the school put the strange name she'd never heard before on all of her school papers. I had to go back to court 3 times before the judge agreed to drop his name. He never even showed up at ANY of the hearings. It wasn't until this year when I brought my daughter to see the judge that the change was finally granted. The judge spoke to her alone in chambers with a court appointed advocate present. When they came out, the judge said the child has clear concise reasons for wanting her name changed and granted it. Then granted the order to change my son's name to match his sister's.

My question is, why is it so hard for a mom to have the kid's last name changed, but so easy for a dad to go to court and get an order to change the child's name in cases where mom uses her name on the bc? This has happened to several of my friends.

 

[Feeny511]

I really wish it was not so hard. I will be happy as long as my last name is somewhere with his. He will have a very long name, he already has two middle names so this will be fun having him learn his hopefully soon to be name. It is amazing how a father who has no part in his childs life can still have so many rights. He told me him self that he is not a father just a sprerm donor.He is the type of person that gives alot of good fathers out there a bad name and makes a good mothers life hell when all she wants is to give her child a good life.

 

[stealth2]

My daughter was NOT HAPPY when the school put the strange name she'd never heard before on all of her school papers.

Of course, if you'd had been using her legal name all along, that wouldn't have even been an issue, right?

 

[Feeny511]

Yeah I wont do that. I cant say I havent considered it, but I dont want my son any more confused than he has to be.
Thank you for all your help everyone!!!

 

[ceara19]

Of course, if you'd had been using her legal name all along, that wouldn't have even been an issue, right?

I did use her legal name all along. I just dropped the last part. I got tired of all the questions from nosey people. Since "dad" chose not to be around, I also didn't like the constant reminder of him hanging over my head. They don't know him, so the name means nothing to them. It was just a reminder that he's not around.