My Marriage Certificate Is Missing My Married Name. Now What?

So, your marriage certificate is missing your married name, and you're wondering if you can still change your name. Maybe it just has your maiden name or current name.

Did you leave the new name field blank, forget to choose, or miss it entirely? Are you stuck? If so, what's the fix?

Your marriage certificate isn't broken

In most states, you can change your name after marriage even if your marriage certificate doesn't display your new name—this is completely normal.

Woman with wide eyes and outstretched hands looking up in shock

That's because marriage license applications in 35 states don't ask for a new married name. As a result, marriage certificates in these states only list your current and maiden name.

However, in 15 states, you can specify a new name on the application. If you left that field blank, your certificate won't show a married name—but you may still have options.

Which states ask for your married name?

Here are the 15 states where you can designate your new last name when applying for a marriage license:

California
Georgia
Hawaii
Iowa
Kansas
Maine
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Nevada
New Hampshire
New York
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Dakota

If you got married in one of these states and left the new name choice blank—or want to change your selection—keep reading to learn your options.

So, everyone's good to go?

In the 35 states that don't ask for a new name on the marriage application, your marriage certificate is all you need—it's legal proof of your authorization to change your name.

Woman with a peaceful expression, eyes closed, head tilted up, and hands raised against a dark background

Quick note: You can change your middle name through marriage in 47 states, including those listed above. In a handful of states, you can even change your first name.

Want to avoid the headache of figuring out all these state rules? Our name change kit does the heavy lifting for you.

Why the split?

So why do those 15 states even bother? Why doesn't every state just omit new name options? Because the states that ask for a new name tend to offer more choices.

Woman with her back to the camera standing in front of grocery store shelves stocked with peanut butter and jelly

In these states, you can opt for more creative name combinations. They provide explicit clarity—everyone knows what they're allowed to change to, including men.

For example, states like California, New York, and Nevada let you mix and match names in multiple ways—it's written right into their statutes.

Bearded man with glasses crossing his arms, nose turned up in a smug expression against a dark background

Not impressed? How about this—in California, a Williamson marrying a Hamilton could legally create up to 1,980 unique hybrid surnames, from Willton to Hamson to Liamil.

That's a level of creativity most states don't allow.

States that don't ask for a new name follow a default system: you can take your spouse's name or hyphenate, but extra options aren't clearly spelled out.

And by default, we don't mean these states have statutes listing approved name changes—most don't mention name changes at all.

It's simply a minimum understanding accepted by federal, state, and private agencies, such as when updating your social security card, driver's license, and passport.

They asked for my new name, but I left it blank

There are many reasons someone might leave the new name field blank: they overlooked it, forgot, or didn't realize it was an option and froze in the moment.

Woman sitting at a table, holding a pen and paper, staring into the camera with wide eyes and a fearful expression against a dark background

Some may have wanted to preserve the option but feared that listing a new name would make the change mandatory—not true, by the way.

Let's talk solutions…

1. Get a new marriage license

If you haven't gotten married yet, you're in luck. Just apply for a new marriage license and include your preferred new name.

Woman holding an official document above her head, wearing a stern, worried expression against a dark background

Both your marriage license and certificate will reflect it, and that's it—you're done.

But if you're already married, read on…

2. Accept the defaults

Even in states that let you choose a new name on the marriage application, leaving it blank doesn't mean you're out of options.

Serene woman in yoga pants sitting in a lotus position, meditating with eyes closed against a dark background

Your marriage certificate will simply reflect your existing name, but you can still take your spouse's last name or hyphenate—these default options are widely accepted.

Consider this the Que Sera, Sera, Zen-mode approach:

Creative name changes? Gone.
Traditional options? Still there.

Except in California—if you don't select a new name when applying for a marriage license, you lose the ability to change it through marriage. A court petition becomes your only option.

Close-up of a red-haired woman covering her mouth, eyes wide in fear against a dark background

Who would've thought California, the state with the most flexible name change options, would also be the one to slam the door shut—without much explanation? Go figure.

This only applies if you married and live in California:

If you married there but live elsewhere, no problem.
If you live in California but married out of state, you're fine.

We've reviewed statutes for every state, and California appears to be the only one with this restriction. For everyone else, default name changes remain an option.

3. Get your marriage certificate amended

If you're already married, you can ask the clerk who recorded your marriage license to amend your certificate with your new name. It'll likely be an attachment to the original.

Woman sitting on the floor under a dramatic spotlight, studying a document against a dark background

Marriage record clerks have wide discretion, especially since state statutes are often ambiguous, but amendments are typically for typos, not changes of heart.

That said, clerks are human. Some might be willing to make a slight edit—a quiet nip and tuck—especially if it's a small adjustment. It never hurts to ask.

If a lower-level clerk denies your request, politely escalate to the head clerk—they have more leeway, and how you present your case can make all the difference.

4. Petition the court

If the default options don't work and amending your marriage certificate isn't possible, your only remaining option is to petition the court for a legal name change.

Woman with glasses sitting in a courtroom, appearing bored, while the judge sitting on the bench in the background

It takes time, money, and effort, but it guarantees you the name you want. Once approved, your court order—not your marriage certificate—becomes your legal proof of name change.

Your name change isn't blocked

If your marriage certificate doesn't show your married name, don't panic—it's usually not a problem and often standard, even if it only lists your current name.

In most states, your certificate serves as legal proof that you're authorized to change your name, no matter what it does—or doesn't—show.

If you married in a state that lets you specify a new name on the marriage application but left it blank, you can still take your spouse's last name or hyphenate.

California is the exception—if you didn't specify a new name when applying, a court order is your only path to change it now.

If you'd rather skip the research, our name change kit makes the process easy.