Making checkout fields optional

[jdrsunshine]

The apparent inability to make checkout fields optional, in my case the last name, is a serious issue with the blocks based checkout. With regard to the last name (surname), this has cultural sensibility and practical use implications. As it stands I have had to implement an elaborate JavaScript workaround. Using the shortcode version of the checkout, a step backward, is not an option. If someone has information and any suggestions for how a field can be made optional with the current version of WooCommerce, this will be greatly appreciated.

EDIT: That elaborate JavaScript workaround quickly proved problematic, so back to square one. Very awkward in a marketplace of over a billion people where many do not have, cannot use, or choose not to use, a last name.

[jdrsunshine]

Adding the foll. here for reference: Thomas at #62232 (comment) has thankfully provided code that works. I add the below here as well:

There are many important reasons why having an easy option to make the last name (surname) optional should be implemented. In India, for example surnames can be a delicate matter and many choose not to use them. In particular this affects Hindus (so a broader implication than just India) of which there are around 1.1 billion people in India alone.

For one reference see: https://doingsociology.org/2024/07/27/a-curious-tale-of-surnames-richa-srishti/

"The conventions surrounding surnames have broader implications on identity, belonging, and social mobility. In many Indian communities, surnames are closely tied to caste, regional identity, and family lineage. This linkage can confer a sense of belonging, pride, and, conversely, stigma and exclusion."