[Faith39]

My girlfriend and I are having a baby. Since we are not married, she refuses to give our baby my surname. Being in that situation, do I have any right at all to make sure that he has my last name? If I don't have this right at the time he is born, is there something that I can do about it, it really means a lot to me that the he has my last name.

[ScottGem]

Please pay more attention to posting guidelines. There is a Read First sticky in the Children forum (where this was moved from) that directs questions of a legal nature to this forum.

ANY question about law NEEDS to include your general area as laws vary by area.

So why don't you marry her?

Once the baby is born you will have to sign some document that acknowledges paternity. The document varies by area. If she refuses to agree, then you will need to go to court to have yourself declared the legal father. But that only means you have equal rights to the child. So something will have to give on naming the child.

[cdad]

After the child is born you can go to court to prove your paternity and set up support as well as visitation. After you are proven the legal father you can ask the courts for a name change.