In cases where the child is born out of wedlock, the child often gets the mother's last name. But if paternity is established, both parents have the right to petition the court to change the child's last name. After the name change, the court will issue a new birth certificate with the
Who decides what last name the baby gets?
State laws vary regarding the right of the mother to solely choose the child's last name. Some states give that right to the mother while other states require both parents to agree on the child's last name.
Does baby take mom or dad's last name?
Baby gets the mom's name
Pros: Although this arrangement is much less common (4 percent of families, according to BabyCenter's survey), it's a good choice if sharing a name with the kids is more important to the mother than to her partner, or if she wants to encourage the child to identify with her heritage.
