Mom Or Dad’s ?
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Naming your child is always personal for most parents depending on the circumstances at hand.
The last name is often a gray area between couples, especially unmarried, as they have to agree on either using the mother’s name or father’s name.
Sometimes, parents opt to give their babies both names which is often hyphenated depending on the agreement between them.
Some of the common determining factors of the child’s last name are things like marriage status, relationship between the parents at the time of birth, parents’ preferences and family history.
Most moms who are expecting a child but not in good terms with the baby daddy often wonder how to go about the naming of their unborn child.
There is a common belief that single moms have the right to determine the child’s last name without necessarily involving the dads.
A lot of thinking, planning and maybe consulting is common with new single mums when it comes to naming.
A big number of moms in this kind of situation often end up giving the child their last name so that they can both have the same names.
If the father of the child is actively involved in the child’s life, though unmarried, most moms would consider taking the dad’s name.
The situation varies across with different parents making different choices.
Ultimately, moms are the ones mainly involved in deciding on the child’s name especially in cases where they are not in good terms with the baby’s father.
Single parents’ dilemma
Single moms prefer to share their last name with their babies as it’s much easier and less complicated.
They believe that as the child grows up, they ask less questions about their dad and they do not have to always explain why they gave them the name of an absent father.
Sharing the same name with their mom makes them feel less different and part of the family.
Some mothers opt to combine both their names and that of the child’s dad in cases where the dad is actively involved in the raising of the child.
Such arrangements are common in instances where the dad could be married elsewhere with a different family but fully supporting their child.
The two names are often hyphenated as last names.
In that case the father has to be present in the long term and commit to support their child in all ways possible.
Most parents accept that child naming decisions are personal and are often arrived at after long consultations with oneself.
Most single moms are however quick to note that last names are not permanent and can easily be withdrawn if need arises.
Examples of these situations would be differences arising between couples especially in cases where they are unmarried.
In such cases, there might be instances of name changes usually dropping the dad’s name.
Single mothers usually have a challenge when it comes to including the name of the father in the baby’s birth certificate.
For people who are married, it’s usually a bit obvious that the child automatically takes the father’s name as their last name and is included in the birth certificate before the child goes home from hospital.
Mothers are often advised to include the child’s last name in the birth certificate at birth so as to avoid complications that arise if there are any needs for name change.
By the time a child is born, it is expected that the mother has thought through the names and has already come to a decision especially on the last name.
It is however possible to add or remove certain names that are in your child’s certificate, but usually this is a long and tedious process in most states.
There are several cons of name changing; changing a child’s name comes with additional costs once a child leaves the hospital as one is required to pay extra fees.
Some parents may not be able to afford the extra charges.
The process in most countries is also long and you have to conduct a lot of follow up to eventually have the name changed.
It may take a lot of your time and energy which you would have otherwise used in doing something else.
If the birth certificate has already been issued, it may be even more complicated.
You might be required to present an affidavit showing the child’s paternity.
What happens if you don’t include the name of the father on your child’s birth certificate?
If the baby’s father has their name added in the birth certificate, this means that the father has fully admitted that he’s ready to take parental responsibility for their child.
They are therefore mandated to support the child in all ways including financially and emotionally.
On the other hand, excluding the dad’s name from your little one’s birth certificate may have several implications both in the short and long run.
You might have a lot of difficulties when your child is of school-going age and you need to register them in school.
Most schools may require a court order to fully identify the child’s paternity.
Issuing other government documents such as travel visas and passports may be problematic.
You might need to go to court if the child’s dad is not locatable or is not cooperating for whatever reason.
The court process is usually long, tiring and costly with delays that can be highly inconveniencing.
In the event of the father’s death, your child may not be entitled to any social benefits such as social security.
They may miss out on other important aids that may have been useful to them.
Child support of the father is also ruled out and the child only depends on one parent, mostly the mother for all their daily needs.
The father has no right to visit the child and has no child custody whatsoever.
Insurance such as health and life coverage can only be provided by one parent making it risky in the event of a job loss or death.
The mother is the only one with exclusive legal rights to the child.