Do you like your surname?

[cayennews]

It's so-so. Not the worst, but not the best.

 

[Threehearts]

I like the surname I grew up with so I kept it. It's part of my identity.

My husband likes his surname for the exact same reasons.

I offered for my husband to take my surname when we got married 32 years ago but he declined. We each had the exact same reasons for wanting to keep our own surnames. Neither one should hold more value than the other.

Our children have my husband's surname but they could have had mine if that had been important to me.

 

[citruscurtis]

So what happened to hyphenated names?? Since my first wife was an important figure we hyphenated our name in 1985.... very few folks did

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

I prefer my grandmothers surname - Charles Edwards.

 

[anrew]

sure.its not bad. I think most people grow into their surnames over time, even if they disliked them when they were younger. Mine used to get misspelled constantly, which drove me crazy in school, but now it’s just part of who I am. Family history definitely changes how you look at a name too. I recently had to dig through some genealogy paperwork and ended up checking vitalchek reviews while ordering old records and certificates. That whole process is a lot more complicated than I expected. It does make you appreciate the stories tied to a family name though.

 

[Mirabell Rose]

I think when people get married they should add their spouse’s surname after theirs with a hyphen. Then any boys get Dad’s surname and girls get Mom’s (same sex couples can flip a coin for the first and then every other). But I failed to think of that when I married decades ago.

 

[Threehearts]

My son and daughter both have hyphenated first names which is common in their father's country. Passports, national exams, social security and health forms, airline tickets and all manner of things that a person needs to manage their life becomes an issue with, "hyphens are not accepted."

I didn't think it through when we chose the names as school hadn't started. As adults, they do love their names but it has been a huge pain to constantly find workarounds on forms/applications.

Because my children are named for direct line family members, they each have five names with the first names being hyphenated(the names are quite short). There is next a middle name which has been the same middle name for centuries on my husband's side. The last names are my last name and then my husband's which are not hyphenated.

Years later, Billy and Susie would seem a better choice

 

[mjkacmom]

My maiden name German, 4 syllables, and the only people in the world who have it are my relatives. My married name is Italian, 3 syllables, and easy to pronounce. Growing up in a very Italian area, I hated not having an Italian last name like everyone else.

 

[Genie+]

Yes I do! Less than 50 people worldwide share it and we all track back to the same person.

 

[TippyThomas]

I strongly disliked my birth last name. It was changed when I was adopted and, although it's unusual for many people, I love it!

 

[Meriweather]

I'm fine with my name and then when I got married, I was fine with his last name. Although it is 2 words, so lots more junk mail.

 

[MamaMermaid]

Yes. Both my current name and maiden name are easy to pronounce and spell (for the most part!). Both very English last names.

 

[rndmr2]

Not a huge fan of my married name. Much prefer the maiden name, although it's longer. Even my signature flowed easier, LOL. I probably should have kept it when I got married but I'm a traditionalist so I deal.

 

[lilmc]

I do. It’s simple and plain, easy to pronounce and spell but without being too common. I kept my name when we married and the kids have my name because, simply, my name was better