Registering A Birth

[Blackpearl88]

Hi

Can anyone tell me what is the legal rules of registering a child, My son and his partner have had a little boy, they don't live together and his partner has a daughter to a previous relationship, however the girl has her mothers surname and not her legal father's, My son wants to be recognised as the baby's father and his partner has said he is the baby's father but she does not want to give the little boy my son's surname. I know she had to use her own surname when she was in hospital as they are not married, but i would like to know if he goes to the Registry office with his partner would she be allowed to name my son as the father but refuse to put his surname on the certificate,, Please help as i am truly desperate to find out what rights he has if any in choosing his son's name. He and his partner cannot agree on the names and he needs to be registered within the next week. This is my first Grandchild and i thought this was going to be such a happy ocassion having waited many years for the day, but i am so upset and depressed i don't know how this will all turn out. All advice will be so greatly appreciated

[NOX]

An unmarried mother can name her child as she sees fit- and tbh it makes no difference it's the quality of relationship the chiild has with his parents that matters. She can name the child for your son's surname, her surname or simply make one up that she likes- it's her perogative.

[evil__sheep]

have answered on your thread in law

[Blackpearl88]

Thank you both, i can't see them working this out as it looks and feels like a control thing to me.

[evil__sheep]

as in my other post, if the baby is living with the mum it makes sense for it to have the same surname as the sibling and mum

[k8bailey]

Maybe mum just wants both kids to have the same name? she's legally allowed to give the child any surname she likes. It should't matter in the long run what the boy is callled, and if they ever marry I think they can change the child's surname....or he might reach 18 and like me choose his own! Enjoy your new grandchild but try not to let his name become an issue. :)

[boxtops]

It doesn't matter if the father is present and is on the certificate, she can still call the baby what she likes.

[grasscarp]

I was about to say the same as k8. You now have a grandson and his name as registered at the moment is not something to get upset and depressed about. Be happy that he is healthy and happy. He is going to be your grandson for the rest of yours and his life so I hope that you enjoy the time that you spend with him and that things turn out well.

[atalanta]

We actually have 2 different issues here which are getting mixed.
Can the father have his name on the birth certificate as the baby's father ? - yes, he can, and nobody can stop him. It gives him the right to stop the mother having the child adopted by someone else.
Can the child be forced to have the father's surname if the mother wants a different one ?
No. That applies to England and Wales, and is certainly different in France, and possibly different in some of the States of the USA and maybe also in Scotland

[dotty.]

Yes I agree with the above, you are getting confused with the legislation on birth registrations and individual choice. My grandson has both his parents surnames and he used either or both depending on what he has to do, for day to day school he just uses one as it is easier for the teachers, for his passport and his building society account he has to use both as he used his birth certificate to get them, he'll either carry on using both or drop one of them, to be honest it doesn't matter, but to you as a grandmother it will seem desperately important, your son needs to get this sorted out and the mother cannot refuse to allow the child to have the father added.