a friend of mine is going to have a baby, she says she does not have give it her last name or the fathers last name, that she give it any last name she wants. Is this true?

As long as the name she has chosen isn't obscene...Yes. She can name the child George W. Bush Jr. is she wants to....

I can understand this is a frustrating situation for you. I suggest your friend speak to an attorney regarding the legal options. There may be legal consequences to what names are/are not listed as the father and/or the last name on the birth certificate, including potential impact on paternity and child support. In many states, however, aside from the paternity issues, the parent is able to designate a surname.

You can find more information about an attorney through the locator service on LawInfo's home page at: http://www.lawinfo.com/. Some do offer free consultations. Good luck.

I don't understand how a name can have an "impact" on paternity or child support. If the father is adjudicated as Daddy then he is Daddy. Child support orders are not based on the name of the child, but on parentage of the child.

Dad could (after paternity has been established) file for the child's name to be changed or hyphenated to reflect his last name..ie..Jones-Smith. But until paternity has been established Mom CAN name the child anything she wants.