With so many women now opting to keep their maiden names when they get married, there’s a new conundrum for some couples once baby comes along, whose name does the baby get?
Let’s talk this one out: does your child take your surname? Or the classic format of your partner’s? Or what about a hyphenated version to maintain the equilibrium? Or what if you’re a gay couple, which surname do you take?
In our modern world of makey-uppy, unusual and awkward- spelling baby names, why don’t we apply the same logic to the baby’s surnames?
The meshing of surnames when you get married isn’t exactly a new trend, according to The Telegraph,
“… meshing seems to be adopted by younger couples in their twenties or early thirties as opposed to older couples. Meshing has allowed couples the freedom of reinvention – meshing their names as a symbolic reflection of their union with a completely new start without any history being tied to their surname.”
Like Dawn Porter and Christ O’Dowd, who fused their surnames and are now, the O’Porter’s. But what if you don’t want to change your surname, but you want your child to adopt a little bit of both your names? Well, there’s a little name shift taking place…
Emma Bloomberg, daughter of Michael Bloomberg (ex-NY Mayor) has done just that. Married to Christopher Frisson, the couple has just had their first bouncing baby, and have given their little offspring the benefit of both their lovely names – enter the hybrid surname. We kid you not! Welcome to the world, baby Zelda Violet Frissberg.
While we love the names, Zelda and Violet, we can’t help thinking Frissberg sounds like a type of crossbreed lettuce, but the couple has said their fusion surname has been their nickname as a couple to date, so it seemed like a natural progression to give it to their baby girl.
We’re not sure how it would work for some of us; my own kids would be called O’Beirne, Beirnbrien, or Brienbeirno…. perhaps leading to some confusion at school. It probably doesn’t have the same ring to it as Brangelina or Bennifer.
Let us know your thoughts. Would you give your baby a meshed surname?
