Maiden/Married name

[WDWAurora]

Just wanted to get a sample of how people normally do their names after marriage. Do you drop your middle name, and keep your maiden as your middle, then your new last name? That's what I'd always heard of, but it's pretty important that I keep my middle name, so I was thinking of keeping that and having my middle name and my maiden name, followed by my married name. I wouldn't use these often, mainly on official documents, etc. Does anyone drop their maiden name altogether? I don't know if I like that idea either, since there aren't any boys to carry on the family name so to speak, and I want my children to be very aware of their family names on both sides. I'm fairly traditional, so I don't want to hyphenate or not use my married name. What do you guys think/do?

Thanks!!

 

[caitycaity]

i dropped my middle name and replaced it with my maiden last name b/c i never liked my middle name. i think it's smart to keep your maiden last name in there somewhere b/c it's easier to "prove" it's still you. when i got married i was advised by lots of people, including the guy at the social security office to keep my maiden last name somewhere.

it was important to me also to keep my maiden last name just b/c it is who i am, and i didn't want to drop it altogether.

i think it might get kind of long to keep your middle name and you maiden last name and add a new name, but i think the most important thing is doing what feels comfortable to YOU.

 

[JC2]

I dropped my given middle name. So now I am Jennifer "maiden name" "married name".

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

I think it's been tradition in this area to keep your middle name and replace your maiden name with your married name. With women's liberation and such, more women decided to keep their maiden name in some form as part of their own name or passed it on to their offspring.

My boss never professionally changed her name, she's been married 12+ years. When she started working here, her reports and email were in her married name even though most of her contacts knew her by her maiden name. She often is asked when she got married, that suddenly her name has changed, even though it hasn't.

 

[meeshi]

Well, I'm traditional and dropped my maiden name and took my husband's last name. I don't even have a middle name, so I guess I could have used my maiden name as my middle name, but it's kind of long and I really didn't even think about it.

 

[Serena]

I kept my middle name and gladly got rid of my maiden name. Long, misspronounced and misspelled. When I do get divorced, I'm keeping my married name. When/if I marry again, I'll take his name. I'm pretty traditional.
My inlaws keep the maiden name as the middle name and add on the married name. I had never heard of that before.

 

[mickeyboat]

My maiden name was a challenge. It had 13 letters. I had to learn to spell it by using a song. I was glad to get rid of it and I always said I would only marry someone named Smith, Adams or Jones.

Denae

 

[Michelemouse]

I also kept my middle name, dropped my maiden name and took my husband's last name.

 

[nativetxn]

After trying to do some genealogical research on my family and my husband's family, I dropped my middle name and took my maiden name instead for a middle name. I took my husband's last name too.

I just wish that my great great grandmothers had done that--I would have found them more easily

 

[ead79]

I dropped my middle name and took my maiden name as my middle name. I never loved my middle name anyway, so it was an easy choice for me.

 

[ChibiJones]

I plan on taking his name. I'm at the end of the alphabet now & his name is at the beginning. I'm keeping my middle name because it was my grandmother's name.

 

[aynt79]

I kept both and use them as two middle names, so officially my name is Amanda MiddleName MaidenName Last Name. Social security didn't have a problem with it and my entire name is printed on my card. When I changed my license both names wouldn't fit so they put 2 initials. But when I moved to FL the lady couldn't (or didn't know what I was talking about) put both middle names or their initials on my new license, so my new license just says FirstName LastName. Whenever there is only space for one middle initial I use my original middle name.

My middle name is my grandmothers name and my maiden name was important to me too, so I didn't want to drop either of them.

 

[cinmell]

I dropped my maiden name and took my husband's last name.

 

[olena]

I just tacked it on, so I legally have 4 names.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I dropped my maiden name...HUTCHINSON...and took my husband's last name...so now I'm Dawn Denise (insert DH's last name here)

 

[MICKEY88]

question...I know some women that hyphenated their maiden name with their married name...as a way to pass the name on and not break the family line.....

wouldn't their daughters then have to hyphenate this hyphenated name with their married name to keep the line alive....then their daughters would have to do the same...wouldn't this make for some very long names...???

 

[disykat]

I use my middle name 60% of the time so it was important to me to keep it. For legal purposes I am first, middle, married name. However, I often identify myself as first, middle, maiden, married.

I had no problem at all switching last names and can't imagine how that would be an issue (legally) because you keep the same social security number. I also have outdated picture ID with my maiden name (drivers license, passport etc) so I guess I could dig those out for proof if necessary.

 

[preshi]

I dropped my last and took DH's It sounds much better.

 

[trishy]

Mickey88 - you've made my head spin too funny!!

I've never heard of dropping the middle name and using the maiden name in its place - I must have been living in a cave or something, but what a terrific idea. I wish I would've done that, because I hate my middle name. I just dropped my maiden name and have my husband's last name. Hmmm, thinking of a name change...

 

[helenabear]

I dropped my maiden name and kept my middle name. I disliked both my last name and my middle name, but I guess I disliked my maiden name a tad more. I believe my mom did it as well for the same reason. Truthfully I haven't heard of it causing a problem... I just have my old ss card on hand as well as my marriage certificate just in case (both have my old maiden name). I think you can do whatever you like!