Creating a New Last Name

quillpoetry · November 2010

So, I always thought that I would take my husband's name when I got married, but I'm not fond of my fiance's name (and I feel awful for it!) and spelling it out for everyone and their uncle has already gotten old.
Luckily, dear fiance doesn't have much attachment to his name since his parents simply squished their names together to make it. He's even said that he'd be fine if we wanted to come up with a completely brand new name for us to use...

And so I'm RUNNING with it!!!

I've been trying to find resources so that we can look at different last names to try to find one that we both like (instead of pulling names out of our empty hats), but I haven't had much luck.

Does anybody know of any sites where you can search last names by meaning or origin (instead of entering a name to get information)?

naomikb · November 2010

At Behind the Name ( http://surnames.behindthename.com/ ) you can enter a keyword or phrase and it will bring up last names with definitions that include that search term.

Just make sure to select the "Search in description and meaning" radio button. You can even enter a country - Scotland, France, whatever.

aleighk1 · November 2010

What about keeping your last name? Is that an option?

redheadfsu · November 2010

Definitely look into the laws of your state. Many states would require a formal name change (petition, fee, & a hearing). A formal name change is not really difficult, but does require more time & steps then just the marriage license.

DavidandAmyClark · November 2010

OMG, that is awesome!! Because I told my FI that I am really struggling with having to change my name. I am teacher, and go by my last name soically too, being that I know a lot of Amys, I use my last name more than most people.

My FI jokes that we are both changing our name to McGuiness since we love Guiness, met on St Patty's day and are Scottish. I think its great that your FI is into it too. That .... is.... awesome.
Okay that didn't help you, but still........

amcmahon4020 · November 2010

This is awesome! What an amazing idea! I'm sorry I cannot help you with where to look, but I just had to share with you how fabulous your idea is!!!!

aerinpegadrak · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_customs-traditions_creating-new-last-name?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:36Discussion:c2db022f-b93b-4d5a-aba9-cdb1d38cbf88Post:7dd01df0-f81d-4498-960b-9b969b1913cd">Re: Creating a New Last Name</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Creating a New Last Name : Rush FTW!
Posted by jamierobin[/QUOTE]
I heart you.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · November 2010

I knew some people who made up their own last name: Makepeace. You could base it on something you like to do. Like if you're into nature, maybe Rivers or Forrest.

quillpoetry · November 2010

I'm not fond of my last name (If you say my middle initial and last name it sounds like a quite unpleasant word...) and my fiance has said he wouldn't want to take it anyhow. I'm not sure how to take the meaning of either of our last names since his is just his parents' names put together and mine is occupation-based...

I did look up the laws and found out that it will actually be quite simple for us to both change our name. There are at least three different counties we can try to get our license from that will allow us to do so with just the marriage license and no extra legal work. They'll work across the state, too.

We both love nature and even have some Cherokee in our backgrounds, so we're hoping to find a name that has to do with nature somehow, even if it's a different language.

I like the link provided in the first post (Thank you, Naomi!) and I'll keep trying to find something there.

Thank you for all the replies, everyone c: I really appreciate it!

calindi · November 2010

After a brief Google search, in Cherokee native language, "Kavi" means wise one or poet and "Kaumudi" means moonlight. "Awenasa" means home.

SeptemberFall2011 · November 2010

naomikb-you made me cry! Not really but figuratively. I have always wondered about my last name (all I know it is Norweigian) and it is nowhere in the dictionary! The same goes for my Fiance's German name! :-(

TheGlamourist · November 2010

I am SO glad to find someone else with this issue! FI isn't very attached to his last name due to old-time family drama, and I didn't feel twitchy about taking someone else's name until actually confronting it, so we're going to create ours, too!

The suggestions in here are all so good. Thanks for asking a question I hadn't thought to pose here.

What a relief...

FutureDondada · November 2010

Naomi. Thanks! I just looked up both FI and my last name and found out a lot.

FI was that kid in HS who had the most horrible last name and was always getting ripped on for it. I used to laugh "sucks for his future wife. Karmas a btch huh? Well, as it turns out, that was his adoptive step fathers last name and over the yrs SF became absusive toward him and his mom and mom left him and married someone else but the last name stuck with FI. After we started dating he really go to know his father (I like to take some of the credit as I pushed him to attend family partys that he would normally not attend) and he decided to change his name to his fathers name. What should have been his last name. And its a normal, irish last name. Phew. Dodged that bullet

FutureDondada · November 2010

Oh! But to go along with my last post. It was quite pricey for him to change it. I know it varys by state so anyone in NY be warned...its not cheap

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