Changing your name

[Rio_Kohitsuji]

Professionally, I want to have it hyphenated. But outside in the non-professional world I want to be known as Mrs. hislastname. Much easier than my own last name!

[Diamond Delta]

I figure I have to have some man's last name anyway-why not the man I choose as my husband?

But if he had a weird last name that I didn't like-I'd keep mine probably.

[Taualumna]

In Quebec, women aren't allowed to change their name to their husband's after marriage. Apparently, it's because of the high divorce rate there.

[ADPiShannan]

My last name means crap to me. My parents are divorced and I dont care for my father after all that went down, this all happened when I was 5. My mom got remarried and my stepdad became my dad to me, but I didnt let him adopt me cause I felt bad for a long time about it and my real father, now I wish I had.

Anyways, as soon as I got married I changed my last name to my hubbys. One I didnt like my old one, but I wanted my hubbys. I am sooooo proud to take him name and everyone to know we are married and I like being Mrs. I know we hope to be married forever so I dont plan to change my name again.

[ADPiSAI]

Originally posted by Taualumna
In Quebec, women aren't allowed to change their name to their husband's after marriage. Apparently, it's because of the high divorce rate there.

I know a few more recently married women who have changed their name... but I was talking to my flute teacher about it last year, and she said that most people just don't do it anymore, so she wasn't going to either. I think it's more of a widespread personal choice than any sort of law.
If the divorce rate is the reason that people there have stopped doing it though... that just seems incredibly pessimistic to me.

[AlphaSigOU]

Originally posted by AlphaFrog
I'm going to move my maiden name to my middle name....but I really haven't decided if I will keep my middle name and just have 2. I would just drop my last name like tradtion, but my finace is Mexican and if/when we go to Mexico, if I use my madien as a middle name, I will already be within custom as Mexico is different then here...
Example...when the baby is born it is here in the US either:
Maria Anna Mylastname Hislastname

or

Juan Pedro Mylastname Hislastname

But when we travel/move to Mexico, it's the other way around, the father's name is first...and when a woman gets married in Mexico, if she chooses (yes, I was suprised to find that even in Mexico many women don't change their names) their husband's name replaces their mother's last name...

Ok now that I've confused you all with non-relevant info...

[/south of the border hijack]

Actually, tradition in Hispanic countries is that people are identified by their surname and mother's maiden name, especially with surnames as common as Perez. In professional circles, it's not unusual for both last names to be used to refer to someone. For example, my late grandmother's family doctor in Venezuela was always referred to as Dr. Marcos Matos. The current wannabe-Fidel running Venezuela today is usually called Hugo Chavez Frias. Back when I was living in Venezuela, I took the Spanish version of my name, Charles Corway Sanchez.

Women in Latin American countries follow the same custom of last name/maiden name until marriage, when the husband's last name is added with the prefix 'de' (literally, 'wife of'). Here's an example:

Single: Pastora Lopez Portillo
Married: Pastora Lopez Portillo de Santa Maria.

In many cases, to shorten a cumbersome combination of names the woman will drop the maiden name and simply refer herself as (example) Pastora Lopez de Santa Maria. She generally reverts to her maiden name combination upon divorce; in the case the husband dies, she may keep the husband's name and add 'viuda de' (widow) of (husband's name).

[kddani]

My maiden name will go bye-byes when I marry. I have a very Polish last name that just wouldn't make for a good hypenation or middle name. I've always said that I'm going to marry a man with a nice simple last name. Who knows, maybe it'll end up being even worse than mine.

[honeychile]

Originally posted by kddani
My maiden name will go bye-byes when I marry. I have a very Polish last name that just wouldn't make for a good hypenation or middle name. I've always said that I'm going to marry a man with a nice simple last name. Who knows, maybe it'll end up being even worse than mine.

My sister-in-law always says that she was looking for someone whose last name was Jones. It's one of the few names that isn't spelled more than one way.

My maiden last name (which I took back after my divorce) isn't even "mine", I have found out while doing genealogy. But I respected my dad too much not to use it. It's uber-German, and while my dad's family is Swiss-English, my last name should be Block. *sigh*

[LeslieAGD]

Originally posted by ariesrising
I am going to add it to my name I think.

So I'd go from:

Jennifer Carol MaidenName to
Jennifer Carol MaidenName LastName

I would probably go by my future husband's name, but do this in writing.

[valkyrie]

Originally posted by lauralaylin
What I want to know is, what are the reasons for not changing your name? Is everyone doing if for merely professional reasons? Or is it also a sort of independence thing?

I can't quite put my finger on exactly why I won't change my name. To me, it's bigger than just professional, but I don't think that saying it's independence is really right either, because I'm independent no matter what my name is. I just don't agree with the custom of the woman changing her name and I don't see how it's relevant to my life (that's not to say that I have any opinion on whether or not anybody else should or shouldn't change her name -- I'm only talking about myself). I think it's just a tradition -- and I'm not one for traditions unless I agree with them. My name is rather ethnic and very difficult -- it's impossible to spell, pronounce, and very long. Yes, it came from a man, but as soon as I was born, it became mine. It's been my name for my entire life, and as cumbersome as it is, it's mine.

Since I don't want to have kids, what name they'd get isn't an issue to me. However, I would not give kids dad's last name without at least a discussion. Since my name is so difficult, giving them hyphenated names would be unpleasant, but I don't see a problem with making up a new name for them that incorporates both mother and father's names -- or, making up a whole new name for the family. I don't see the big deal, either, about having differnent names within a family, and could see giving a girl mom's last name or a boy dad's, or something along those lines.

Also, it would offend me if anyone ever called me Mrs., especially Mrs. Hisfirst Hislast. That's just not for me, ever.

[polarpi]

Originally posted by lauralaylin
What I want to know is, what are the reasons for not changing your name? Is everyone doing if for merely professional reasons? Or is it also a sort of independence thing?

Well, I guess I'm *kinda* changing my name. The only reason why I'm not completely changing my name is to carry on my mother's maiden name to a new generation (my grandpa and his sibling had no sons, and their children had no sons, so the name would die when my grandpa and his brother die) that will hopefully include a boy. I don't know, maybe I'll find someway to make it a family middle name or something, and then I won't keep the one part of my "maiden" name. I'm not keeping my dad's name not because I don't love him, but since the name has carried on to another generation, it's not my concern

Originally posted by AGDee
It's very individual. But, as I said, if your name is different than your childrens' names, don't get rude if someone calls you Mrs. Child's last name.

Very true....but I also think that teachers need to also not get all flustered by the prospect of a different last name and tell a parent "well, whatever your name is" (one of my teachers actually said that to my mom! )

[rainbowbrightCS]

Originally posted by ariesrising
I am going to add it to my name I think.

So I'd go from:

Jennifer Carol MaidenName to
Jennifer Carol MaidenName LastName

I think it works=)

Same Here
I am Christia Melissa S.
When I marry I will be Christia Melissa S. M.

but I will go by Christia M. and I will be Mrs. M

I plan on pulling a Hilary Rodham Clinton myself.

When I get married I'll be Sandy D***** G*******. That should be fun.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally posted by lauralaylin
What I want to know is, what are the reasons for not changing your name? Is everyone doing if for merely professional reasons? Or is it also a sort of independence thing?

Pure and simple PAIN IN THE BUTT to do all the paperwork to change my name, that's it nothing else. I like my name and see no reason to change it.

Currently, I don't plan on having kids so I don't see there being a problem with the name stuff. If I did plan on having kids, I would change my name but only because I would like to name my child my maiden name (Kelsey).

No professional reason really and not an independence thing, just a whole lot less paperwork to complete.

[ADPiShannan]

I didnt think it was a pain at all to change my last name to my hubbys. We went to the office downtown and I filled out one paper to make it official and then they snet me a new social security card like in a week or so. I also hit the DMV that day and got it over with fast there too. We combined bank accounts so I didnt have to change anything there and all the new utilities in my name are in my new name. It actually for me was sooo fun. I was so excited last year before we got married. I couldnt wait to be able to sign it mrs p or shannan p. I was so excited especially since weve been together 6 years before we got married so it was about time lol.... I see myself married to him forever. His parents have been married for over 30 years and I see us being like them.