Can a mother give her child any last name?

Can a mother give her child any last name?

You can pretty much give your baby any random surname you want, in the U.S.. In certain jurisdictions, in paternity cases, however, the father can petition to have the name changed on the birth certificate to his last name. There are very few jurisdictions where this is the case, but Tennessee is one of them.

Can a judge force you to change your child’s last name?

The judge usually requires a hearing before approving a child’s name change without both parents’ consent. The hearing is called a “prove up” or an “uncontested” hearing. This is a short hearing where the judge can ask you some questions before deciding whether to approve the child’s name change.

How hard is it to change your child’s last name?

Petitioning a court to change a child’s name is usually not difficult. It will require a few basic forms, which you can often download for free from the website of your county court. However, a judge will approve the name change only if it is in the child’s best interest.

Can my child take my husband last name?

Generally speaking, no you can not. Unless your son’s father consents or has his parental rights terminated you can not unilaterally decide to change the child’s name.

Can you get adopted without changing your last name?

In older child adoption, you may choose to change an entire name, or you may choose not to change the name at all, including leaving their original last name. When adopting older children, they may wish to keep their names. If it isn’t a safety issue for them, and if you agree, this may be okay.

Can I change my child’s last name to my boyfriends?

In order to change your child’s last name, you would have to file a petition requesting the change, and inform the court of the reason for your request. Generally speaking, a court will be reluctant to change a child’s name to match that of someone without a “permanent” relationship to the child.