Can you have 2 last names without a hyphen?

If your two last names do not have a hyphen between them, people may think it is one of your middle names. It is legal to have as many names as you want, as long as the name is registered as your legal name.
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Can I have two last names but only use one?

You can use two names, however you need to choose only one "legal" name and use it exclusively for things like your driver's license, employment & income tax forms and filings, any contract you may execute, etc.
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Can a person have 2 last names?

In Spain and Spanish American countries, except Argentina, each person has two surnames. Traditionally, the first surname is paternal and comes from the father, while the second surname is maternal and comes from the mother.
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Does hyphen matter in last name?

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 you initial someone with two last names?

For example, a double name would be "M-SXW." If you have a hyphenated last name and want to keep the hyphen in your monogram, the order would be "First Name" in small font size, "Maiden Name" in larger font size, a hyphen, "Husband's Last Name" in larger font size, "Middle Name" in small font size.
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Selma woman says hyphenated last name stands between her and her dream



Can you have a hyphen on your Social Security card?

The Social Security Administration doesn't print characters like hyphens on Social Security cards.
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Can a US citizen have two last names?

Answer: U.S. citizens are required to use their current legal names on their U.S. passports. Unless you can provide documentation that proves sole use of that one last name instead of two, you need to include both last names in your passport application.
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What are the disadvantages of having two last names?

Hyphenated Names: The Top 3 Drawbacks of Taking Both Last Names
  • You're Legally Bound To Use Both. Whether you're signing a check or introducing yourself at a cocktail party, choosing a hyphenated last name legally binds you to use it at all times. ...
  • They're a Mouthful. ...
  • Kid Complications.
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Why do Mexicans have 2 last names?

The two surnames names are ancestral, with the father's family name followed by the mother's family name.
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What are the benefits of hyphenating last name?

Most women decide to hyphenate their last names because they need to compromise for the sake of their husbands and their new families. The option to hyphenate their names allows them to maintain their maiden names or their identity in a manner of speaking while also taking on the identity of the husband.
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What is a double barreled last name?

What is a double-barrelled surname? A double-barrelled surname is created by combining the surnames of a married couple by either using a hyphen or by simply adding the second name onto the husband's or wife's existing surname.
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How do two last names work?

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. In many states, when you fill out your application for your marriage license, you'll be writing your intended married name on that application.
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How do Hispanic double last names work?

Surnames. In Spanish cultures, people traditionally have 2 surnames. The first is the paternal surname (apellido paterno), the father's first surname, and the second is the maternal surname (apellido materno), the mother's first surname.
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How does it work with 2 last names?

A hyphenated last name would be Smith-Jones or Jones-Smith. It's your choice which name comes first. Hyphenating your last name is considered a legal name change – meaning you can't drop your spouse's name or the hyphen in the future without having to go through a court-ordered name change.
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How do you write two last names on a birth certificate?

You can use the mother's last name or you can use both the mother's last name and the father's last name with a hyphen, such as “Gonzales-Reyes.” What you decide is up to you, just be sure it's exactly what you want as a permanent record. To change it later will require a court order to do so.
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Which last name goes first?

Traditionally, the first surname is paternal and comes from the father, while the second surname is maternal and comes from the mother. In recent years, some countries have allowed parents to alter the order of surnames for their children, but in historical records paternal surnames generally precede maternal names.
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Can I hyphenate my last name without legally changing it?

Can I hyphenate my last name without legally changing it? Not really. You can use a hyphenated last name in informal social settings (on social media, amongst friends, etc.) but you will need to use your legal name everywhere else (at work, on your personal accounts, when signing your name, etc.)
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Does your SSN have to match your name?

SSN Verification

The name and birth date you provide on your DL/ID card application must match the name and birth date the SSA has for you in its database. If the information you give DMV does not match SSA's database, you will not be issued a DL/ID card.
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How long can a name be on a social security card?

Neither the first or last names shown on the SSN card should be reduced in length, unless it exceeds the 26-character limit. Therefore, omit middle names, middle initials, and suffixes if they prevent you from showing as many characters as possible for the first and last names.
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How do you address a Spanish person with two last names?

This is usually the first of the two surnames as they appear in writing, meaning that Anna Martínez García would usually be referred to as señora Martínez, and her partner Luis Sanchez Pérez would be referred to as señor Sanchez.
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How do you address a Mexican with two last names?

For example: Hector Marίa GONZALEZ LÓPEZ. The first of the surnames (the father's family name) is used alone to address people, whilst the second family name (the mother's) is rarely used in isolation. For example, Hector Marίa GONZALEZ LÓPEZ would be appropriately abbreviated as Hector GONZALEZ.
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Do Hispanics go by their first or second last name?

Traditionally, a person's first surname is the father's first surname (apellido paterno), while their second surname is the mother's first surname (apellido materno).
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How do you write a family with two last names?

It is also acceptable to use "John and Mary Smith and Family" or "The Smith Family." However, it is acceptable today to also have the mother's name first in family signatures such as "Mary, John, Matthew and Susan Smith." If there are two different last names and the couple has children, then it would be proper to sign ...
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What do people with two last names do when they get married?

Every state has its own rules on what you can and can't do regarding name changes after marriage. 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.
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How do you address a couple with two 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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