LOL, this has nothing to do with your poll, but I'm getting married in 6 months and thought I 'might' be able to shed some light on the name issue.
I don't plan to hyphenate, but I do plan on having 4 names: first name, middle name, maiden name, Husband's last name.
For me it's more of a 'identity' issue. I have a brother to carry on the family name, but my last name is just as much a part of who I am as it is for my brother, my Future Husband, my parents . . . and anyone else. I don't want to give up that part of me. If we look at the origin of WHY women changed their name to their husbands--we'll find that it was because the 'ownership' of the woman changed from her father to her husband. She was property. Today that is all lost (at least in the US in most cases), however, women still carry the last name of their fathers and husbands because it's still 'expected' of them. I personally have chosen to keep my maiden name a part of my name because it represents a part of me, and even though I will always be 'me', I still want it to show. I'm also taking my FH's last name because it's a part of me as well (now) and I want to show that part of me to the world as well.
Does that make sense?
Another thought, would you sacrifice your last name to take your Wife's last name? If not, why? Heredity, family, background--they all mean as much to her as it does to you. Why should she be expected to give up her name in the 21st century just to continue to preserve the archaic 'proporty' tradion? Just food for thought.
[This message has been edited by mgdzkm433 (edited March 20, 2001).]
Hybrid Mode
