Question Regarding Name Change

NJMom050911

Congratats to all of you ladies! I'm an MG that use to live on this board before my wedding and I am back to ask a question for a friend. She has just gotten married in July and is wondering if she can drop her middle name and use her maiden name it its place. She thinks that the law has changed and NJ doesnt let you do that anymore? Anyone know if this is true? Thank you!

cindyn9178

two of my friends did that with no problem. (in NJ)

NJMom050911

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_question-regarding-name-change?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:9702e054-c550-4cae-aac1-6238bac02e97Post:b5d128d7-72ad-4aab-a0bf-5d6aab7cd248">Re: Question Regarding Name Change</a>:
[QUOTE]two of my friends did that with no problem. (in NJ)
Posted by cindyn9178[/QUOTE]

Was it recently?

cindyn9178

yes, one in January, one the year before.

gymchick05

Really? Cause when I researched it, since I cant really change my last name for work, I was gonna have the maiden as a middle name and it seemed you had to go to court to do this, pay a bunch of fees, etc  So instead I hypenated legally, use the maiden for work and new last name for social. Cindy- did they have to go to court to do it?

kristen8040

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_question-regarding-name-change?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:9702e054-c550-4cae-aac1-6238bac02e97Post:b8c9edbc-37e7-42b3-bb2e-5cbf5ff2ee8f">Re: Question Regarding Name Change</a>:
[QUOTE]Really? Cause when I researched it, since I cant really change my last name for work, I was gonna have the maiden as a middle name and it seemed you had to go to court to do this, pay a bunch of fees, etc  So instead I hypenated legally, use the maiden for work and new last name for social. Cindy- did they have to go to court to do it?
Posted by gymchick05[/QUOTE]

That's what I heard too when I looked into it.

altimat873

You can no longer do this. .  .

http://www.missnowmrs.com/Newlywed-Blog/index.php/name-change/maiden-to-middle-name-change.html

JoBell123

That's just weird.  But I guess I'll take my FI's name, but use my maiden as my "middle" name on my e-mail signature at work so clients & colleagues recognize it's still me.

cindyn9178

That link says that you cannot do this in NJ and some other states, (unless your Marriage Certificate shows your intended middle name)... so maybe that's what they did? Otherwise, the law changed since January.
Both people had their mother's maiden name as their legal middle name, and when they got married, they changed their name to Firstname MaidenName Newlastname and did not have to go to court to do this.

ETA - unless I'm reading that wrong, and maybe that only applies in Ohio? In any case, one of them did this in January without going to court.

altimat873

I'm sure it was a mistake if they did it without going to court and it might catch up with them somewhere else legally down the road, I am just going by what I was told by the local clerks and from what I read online. I wish I could do this but unfort, cannot.

cindyn9178

I don't think it was two mistakes coincidentally over the course of 1 1/2 years.. the laws must've changed since then, not sure.

DoubleAS

I wanted to do this too and I heard it was a b*tch to do, as well.... So I am just taking my fiance's name completely.

NJMom050911

Thanks ladies