Maiden Name/married Name

[Cloverjo]

Can I use both? I got married 18 months ago and now use Husband’s name for general things like our joint bank account, one other account, driving licence and receiving parcels.
I’ve got other accounts, NHS stuff and passport still in my maiden name.
Can I carry on using both, or am I committing fraud by pretending to be something I’m not? I never really wanted to change my name. Just that everyone started calling me Mrs P as soon as we were married.

[Bazile]

//I never really wanted to change my name//
Why didn't you opt for a double-barrelled surname ?

[Theland]

My wife took my name, my daughter kept her name so I think it is what you are legally registered as.

[woofgang]

you can call yourself whatever you like so long as the intention is not fraudulent. NHS stuff doesn't matter but you might like to add your married name as an aka (also known as) just to make things easier for the NHS record keeping. Passport I am not sure about. Receiving parcels again no problem. I have got several names I use for mail order stuff. Bank accounts, you'd need to talk to the bank, not because you can't do it but again because if you haven't told them and they suspect fraud it can be difficult for you.

[andy-hughes]

I believe that you can use any name you wish, as long as you are not using it to represent yourself fraudulently - so you should be fine using any accounts and so on in your maiden name.

[Mamyalynne]

Re your passport, make sure any tickets booked are in the same name as the passport is showing.

[albaqwerty]

not a legal answer, but you are not pretending to be someone else for nefarious schemes. (I hope lol)
I'm sure there are lots of married women who use their maiden name - it may just be convenience to have a joint bank account for utility bills for instance, or married names for mortgage etc.

Belated congrats on the marriage :-D xx

[Theland]

I have several names.
Mrs T calls me all of them :-)

[woofgang]

I did a quick google, the only time it seems to be a problem with passports is if your tickets/reservations have been booked in a different name. If it was me and it wouldn't hurt my husband I would just tell people not to call me "mrs P" but by my chosen name. No idea about driving licence, sorry.

[nescio]

You are not pretending to be something you are not. You are known to various parties under either name and continue to identify as either person - no problem.

[Cloverjo]

Thanks everyone.
I think I’ll stick with how things are, and make sure any holidays are booked in my maiden name.

It’s so much faff - sending your marriage certificate off to every company you’ve had anything to do with.

[MallyJ]

I did not change my name when I married . That has posed no problem!!

[bhg481]

It's perfectly acceptable for your husband to change his name to yours. It's only convention for the wife to take the husband's name.

[Denton]

Plenty of pretentious people have double-barrelled names.

[jackthehat]

I am Mrs 'my original surname', my good lady wife is Mrs 'her original surname'. All of our documentation, etc. has stayed the same as before we were married.....we occasionally double-barrel for our own amusement, or the bemusement of others.

[Tilly2]

Is that Mrs. Hat and Mrs. Coat then?

[jackthehat]

Something like that, Tilly. :o)

[Tilly2]

Thought so. :-)

[Maydup]

You can call yourself anything you like, but in the end its probably best to keep the more official things like bank, tax, driving licence, savings, house, NHS, work or pension, etc in the same name as your passport, what ever that is. For ID purposes.

Things like shopping online or memberships really dont matter.

[twix123]

I think that you also ensure that your Will indicates that you are known under both names, in order that when Probate/Letters of Administration are obtained, your Banks, Insurance Companies, etc. will not be will not be in a position to query your different names.

[elliemay1]

When we got married I had booked my ticket in my new name but forgot to get name changed on passport. Explained at check-in that we had just got married and was given a form to fill in details. We were pleasantly surprised when, on boarding the plane, we got moved up to 1st class and were presented with champagne! It was such a nice touch.