Name change
Some people undergo a name change after the wedding, especially in Western culture.
It's estimated that around 60-80% of American brides choose to change their last names after getting getting married. [1]
A small minority of men are choosing to change their names after marriage as well. Some of these men have reported significant obstacles to changing their names, especially from states and localities.
Same-sex weddings also create challenges, as there isn't a clear custom established for how to handle same-sex name changes.
Alternatively, some couples choose to change both of their last names to a new last name.
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[edit] Pros and Cons
Pros
- Kids will have the same name as both parents.
- Less hassle if married couple shares the same name (e.g. if one spouse is hospitalized, it's easier to demonstrate that the other spouse is married to them).
Cons
- Loss of last name can feel like a break from the family with that name.
- Sometimes one spouse's last name is "better" than the other's last name. For example, one name may be shorter, easier to pronounce, make a better monogram, or be closer to the beginning (or end) of the alphabet.
- If a last name is ethnic (e.g. Kim, Ramirez) or represents a prestigious family (e.g. Kennedy), a name change can result in a loss of identity.
- If a last name is dropped, it is less like to "survive" through the generations; the next generation is much less likely to inherit the dropped last name.
[edit] Options
Couples have several options when it comes to their last name.
Some couples choose to have both people keep their last name.
Others choose to have the bride change her last name. If she does, she has many options available:
- Add his last name as a middle name
- Hyphenate his last name to her last name
- Add his last name as a new last name (some brides drop their own middle name)
If both partners choose to change their last name, they have several options:
- Choose a new last name and have both members of the couple change their name.
- Both hyphenate their last name in the same way (e.g. Bob Jones and Sally Smith both change their last name to Jones-Smith or Smith-Jones).
- Both hyphenate their last name in different ways (e.g. Bob Jones becomes Bob Jones-Smith and Sally Smithy becomes Sally Smith-Jones).
[edit] Process
The process of changing one's last name varies by gender.
It is generally much easier for a bride to change her name than it it for a groom to change his.
For choosing an entirely new last name, some couples will choose an ancestral family name that was used in the past. Others can search for a name that has a particular meaning to them, such as those on baby name sites: [1]
Other resources for finding a new surname include this site (click "Search in description and meaning): [2]
[edit] Variations
Different cultures have different customs around changing names after marriage.
In Japan, men will sometimes takes his wife's family name; this is especially true if she is an only child or if the groom is expected to take over the bride's family business.
In Korea, it is customary for women keep their own last names, while the family as a whole uses the husband's last name.
[edit] References
- ↑ Source: New York Times, To Be Safe, Call the Bride by Her First Name
[edit] Weddingbee Posts
- The Name Thing by Miss Toucan
