hyphenated last names

[cellio]

Idle question:

Yesterday someone asked me if my husband and I have the same last name (we don't), and then asked why we didn't combine the names with a hyphen. We rejected that pretty much out of hand; I just don't care for it.

The practice has been around long enough that people who were born with hyphenated last names are now, potentially, marrying each other. I assume that no one hyphenates the hyphenated names, but I wonder what the most common practice is: keep your own, both take one set, or ditch all the hyphens in favor of something simpler?

Comments

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

The hyphenated thing is less common here in the UK, but seems to be catching on, friends of mine just did it, but as his surname is already rather unusual I'm not sure adding a second part to it was altogether wise. When I marry, I'll be taking Forest's surname quite happily, I've never much cared for mine and don't like the doubled thing works. What gay couples I know have done, as they can't be legally married, is come up with a complete new surname and change *both* names to that, which has its merits. I've often wondereed what two double barrels do on marriage lol

[cellio]

What gay couples I know have done, as they can't be legally married, is come up with a complete new surname and change *both* names to that

I've known straight couples who've done that too.