# New Social Security Card! How should I sign it?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-social-security-card-how-should-i-sign-it/997153>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 5, 2024, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-social-security-card-how-should-i-sign-it/997153 "2024-02-05T18:39:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-social-security-card-how-should-i-sign-it/997153/41 "2024-02-06T14:47:10Z")

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> [@doreen](#):
>
> Not only do I sign differently depending on which version I’m using, my signature is legible . Which I think makes a big difference - if I sign with my first and last name on a document that has my middle initial , it will be obvious that I left out the initial. Not so noticeable if my signature is an illegible scribble.

I’m similar. I have three distinct name styles I use and the sig I use matches the name style used on the rest of the document.

- John Quincy Smith - used for all governmental and legal purposes. Passport, DL, IRS, SSA, will, trust, etc.
- John Q Smith - used for everything else financial. Name on credit cards, bank accounts,
- John Smith - used for everything else.

When I sign, the first letter of each name is clearly legible. The rest of each name is a random squiggle. So it’s real easy for anyone looking to tell which of the three name styles the sig represents, even if they have no idea what it says except that my initials are JS or JQS.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-social-security-card-how-should-i-sign-it/997153/42 "2024-02-06T16:04:10Z")

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My signature is a scrawl. It always has been and always matches. My gf forgot to sign her new passport when it arrived. The TSA guy acted all upset about it, but then laughed when she looked concerned. He gave her a pen and she signed.

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**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-social-security-card-how-should-i-sign-it/997153/43 "2024-02-06T17:26:40Z")

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> [@phs3](#):
>
> Funny. Have you ever tried to do that?

Local office answers the phone eventually. A lot faster some times than others.

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