Keeping your last name?

[Summer-Caitlin]

I'm still not sure how I stand on this! I have nothing against anyone taking their husbands name or keeping their own, I guess I'm still on the fence

I am me and my name fits with who I am, I don't believe that just because I marry my name should automatically change because it's tradition, why can't he take my name?

We discuss this every night now, he knows my position and I guess I'm more adamant than he is about the name thing. I agreed last night that I want my children to have the same name, I think this is my only concern, is what happens when the kids come along?

Again I stick by us both changing our names, it doesn't help that I don't like his surname and associate it with the MIL from hell.

 

[JandJ]

I never really liked my middle name, so I took my maiden name as my middle name and took my husband's last name. There's no way I would've hyphenated because my name was already really long as it was, LOL! I think you've just got to do what you want to do.

I did the same thing. I never liked my middle name (mom wanted it to be my first name but daddy said no - thank you daddy!) so I moved my maiden name up to my middle.

My maiden name, pardon me if I sound vain, was refined and beautiful and DH's last name is, well, let's just say less than beautiful I thought about hyphenating but my maiden name was 2 words I didn't want a 3 word last name (as my middle name I smooshed it together since it was smooshed into 1 word on my SS card all my life anyway). I also thought it will be much easier when we have kids to have the same name as they have. DH said he didn't care, and he's so far from a chauvenist it's not even funny, but when I decided to take his name he told me it made him happy, that he would have been fine either way, but he liked that I changed my name.

The other day I was at the post office, mailing off my passport with the name change, and the clerk and I got into a discussion. He asked what my maiden name was and I told him, then he asked what my married name is and when I told him, he looked at me and said "it MUST be love!!"

 

[JDR2b777]

I can't wait to change my last name. I have always been "Jana Dean" and some people even call me "Jana Dean" as if my last name was part of my first name. My last name comes with alot of prestige here in Mississippi and is very well known. I am going from Jana Dean to Jana Rodrigues. I will drop my middle name b/c it is not much importance to me and become Jana Dean Rodrigues. I have an older brother who has a son so his son will carry the Dean name.

My fiancee does not understand my ways. He wants me to four names like him. He is from Brazil so, having your mother's and father's name plus your name and a middle is normal to him. He wants our kids to be a "Dean Rodrigues". I refuse to do that to my kids. Haha.. so he will just have to get over it. Family trees are for helping figure out where line you came from.

 

[druidia]

I don't consider it an issue of maturity as to what name you use; to me it is an issue of identity and choice. I kept my maiden name, after discussing with my husband because I did not want to hurt his feelings if it was important to him.

I am in my 30s and have obviously had my name for a long time. I didn't want to go through the trouble to change it, personally or professionally, but if it meant that much to him, I would have considered it seriously. My husband and I discussed it, it wasn't a big deal to him either way, so I kept my maiden name.

IMHO, you should do what feels right to you, not what society and tradition dictate if it makes you uncomfortable.

Contrary to popular belief, you are still a whole person after you are married!

 

[The Charmed One]

I'm glad this has been posted, were discussing names at the moment, I'll show dh2b at the weekend, glad I'm not the only one who want's to keep her own name, I never thought to have my name as a third name.

Love Wendy xxx

 

[Skylarr29]

I have never thought of using my maiden name as a middle name but since my last name is Shannon I guess it would work if that is what I decided. I don't really feel any need to keep my maiden name though, a name does not define me in anyway, so I am happy to change my last name and start my own family.

 

[smoof]

You can make your name whatever you want. If you want four names, you can have four names. I told my husband I wouldn't hyphenate if he didn't, so I didn't even change my name at all. However, the beautiful thing about hyphenating is you can use either or both names. Do what you want.

 

[ducklovr]

I can't wait to have my DF's last name. I want to shout to the world that I'm his one and only!!!!!

 

[Summer-Caitlin]

After a long discussion with my fiance last night, I have decided to hyphenate my surname. I don't want to give up my own and I decided this would be best and we are both happy with my choice. Finally one less thing to worry about

As of my Wedding on August 17th 2007, my name will be

Summer Caitlin Carson-Dines

Hmmm, I like it!

 

[SRUAlmn]

After a long discussion with my fiance last night, I have decided to hyphenate my surname. I don't want to give up my own and I decided this would be best and we are both happy with my choice. Finally one less thing to worry about

As of my Wedding on August 17th 2007, my name will be

Summer Caitlin Carson-Dines

Hmmm, I like it!

I like it too! You're lucky they're both short. I really wish I could hyphenate.