I'd suggest that you give the child your last name. I think that as you will be the primary caregiver, you have the right to claim the child as legally your own.

I'm not with my daughter's dad. And she has my lsat name. In fact he isn't even on her birth certificate

I am not with my sons father and my son has my last name. It depends if the father wants something to do with the baby. At first and still the father of my son really doesnt want anythiing to do with him.

You could hyphenate the last name, so that the baby has both. Its what im trying to change my sons name to so that he at least has a part of my name, as i am having another baby that will carry my last name, i dont want him to feel out of place.

my son's father has his dad's last name. my father was the incredible hulk of abuse, so i refused to give my dad's last name, which he wouldve kept forever.
i m a women atlease i can change it when i get married. my father was a disgrace i dont want to carry his last name on. and my grandfather was just as horrible.

If the father plans on being involved why wouldnt you give your child his last name?

breck08,
if she gives her child her last name. and she knows the child's father isnt going to be in her life. later in life she could meet another man and have his kids. and it wouldnt be a big confussion of different last names.
i think its all a matter of opinion.

serviceu: She did state that the father was going to be involved in the child's life. I know it is a personal choice and I understand one's reasoning on not to in different circumstances. Confusion is what you put into it. If she married later and has more children who is to say that man would adopt her child? Either way she would be facing an issue. Why not go ahead and let her son know that his father is proud for him to carry his name sake? I still believe that is the wiser option.

yours! look at it this way: if things do work out between you two in the future and you get married then you can change his last name and all 3 of you will have the same last name. If things don't work out between you two then at least your child has your last name. My 3 year old daughter has her fathers last name (different from mine) and I still have not gotten used to it. People call me by her last name all the time (Mrs. R***) and it is weird. My child due this Aug. will have my last name...but be prepared for some reason men seem to have a "thing" about having a child with their last name. go figure

i originally had my heart set on giving my daughter her father's la!st name. about a month before her birth my family found out about this and threw a huge fit. i debated over this issue for ever and didnt even decide until the day i left the hospital 3 days after her birth what i was going to do. i ended up giving into my family and giving my daughter my last name instead of her fathers. i am SO glad i did! Her father was very involved for the first 3 months of my daughters life. now, hes in jail every time i turn around and i never hear from him. he turned out to be a deadbeat after all, even though we planned to spend our lives together. I am so glad my daughter has my last name, it would just be weird and awkward if she didnt. shes my daughter and rightfully should have my name. you never know what could happen in the future, but whatever happens, i think it would be best for your child to have the same last name as you, and i believe you will regret it in the end if you give your baby his last name...