The Premier Gatannahs

Since I have received about half a dozen queries about my new surname, here's the scoop for everyone to read! :)

James and I have both changed our names before in our lives. James took on his mom and stepdad's surname and I, of course, got married. James' given name was James Gates. Mine was Laura Hannah.

When we were talking about getting married, I had just read an article about couples making up a unique last name to take as a family. Of course, I thought also about Jen Yates and her husband, who had taken her last name... but Hattaway's not *my* family name (although it's my daughter's, and we've talked about that, too). And as much as I adore my husband, I did *not* want to be "Laura Ashley."

Neither did I want to be part of the "Gates-Hannah" revolution. But I think, if you look at that, you can see where we're going.

When I mentioned the third name idea to James, he immediately said (or typed, because this was when he was living in Dallas) "Gatannah."

The rest is history!

Here are some more answers to your questions...

1) How do you pronounce it? guh-TAH-nuh

2) How does one change one's name? Here in Texas, and in Travis county specifically, you get yourself finger-printed, you fill out an application to change your name, you get that notarized, and you take all of that to the county courthouse where you file it with a court clerk. This costs $220, and we were planning to pay that twice. Because we were married, they put us on one docket and saved us some cash!

Once you file, you can go as early as that day to one of the unscheduled docket court sessions and present your paperwork (along with the permission-granted form, all filled out except, of course, for the judge's signature) to the judge for approval. It's ultimately up to him or her whether to grant the change or not.

After the paperwork is approved, you go file it again, and then you start dealing with all of the government entities, credit card companies, employers, banks, etc. that you need to inform of your brand new name!

3) Is Daphne going to change her name? Unless her dad approves it, not until she's 18.

Interestingly, (to me) Gatannah appears not to have existed as a surname before. If we were to have a kid, it'd be the first child born with the last name Gatannah.

Anything I've missed? Let me know.