Is it Legal in Massachusetts to Give Your Baby Any Last Name You Wish?

If you're ready to settle down and take the next step in your marriage or relationship, then you may want to consider Massachusetts when it comes to raising a family. As a matter of fact, Massachusetts is one of the top states to raise a family. In addition, some of the best towns in Massachusetts for young families include Stoneham, Marblehead, East Longmeadow, and Brewster.

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So you're ready to take that step. You and your partner are reading the books, taking some classes, getting the nursery prepared, having enough diapers and wipes to last you a while, and continually checking off the boxes on a list of items that will never seem to end. You may already have a name picked out but what about the last name?

Is It Legal in Massachusetts to Give Your Baby Any Last Name You Want? 

This is a question that may or may not come up that often. I mean it's pretty much a given that if you and you're partner share the last name, your child will have the same last name, right? Well, times have changed and both partners don't necessarily share the same last name so it is something to think about.

According to Mass Legal Services, the child's last name may be the father's last name, the mother's last name, a hyphenated version of both, or any other last name that the couple wishes. The only time there would be an issue is if the parents can't come to an agreement on the child's last name in which case the decision would be made in court. You can read more about this by going here.