'Meshing' surnames latest trend among married couples

Increasing number of couples in the UK are now fusing their surnames in a new trend, that sees, for example, Mr Pugh and Miss Griffin to become Mr and Mrs Puffin, a new survey has revealed.

According to UK Deed Poll Service, 800 British couples have already have already 'meshed' their surnames this year, after the practice originally became popular in the US with American newlyweds, six years ago.

"Meshing has changed from once being a rare novelty to now being noted as being one of the main reasons couples may use a Deed Poll to change their names," The Telegraph quoted Claudia Duncan, an officer at the UK Deed Poll Service, as saying

"Many clients feel meshing is more romantic than double-barrelling their surname, whilst we did have one very honest client simply say they could not decide whose name should come first in the double-barrelling so meshing seemed the obvious solution," she added

According to the paper, examples include: Miss Clifton and Mr Mole becoming the 'Moltons', Miss Price and Mr Nightingale became the 'Prightingales', and Miss Harley and Mr Gatts becoming the 'Hatts'

Last week Dawn Porter, the British television presenter, also opted to fuse her surname changing it to 'O'Porter' after her marriage to Chris O'Dowd, the Bridesmaids actor, the paper said.