Did you take your husband's name?

[neko1]

When I was married, I took my husband's last name. When I got divorced, I took my maiden name back. I did not want to be associated with my married name anymore!

Yeah the paperwork is a pain, but it's only a pain for a bit. Once everything is settled you're fine.

If I ever got married again, I would probably take my hubby's last name

[Karen]

I took Paul's last name. There were three girls in my own small hometown with the same first and last name as me, so I had no problem changing it. Besides, it made my initails easier to design with - all angles and straight lines now, instead of one curve thrown in. Though I will always be a Peterson in genetics and upbringing, and my old friend still calls me KP, I have been KAW (see how nice those letters work together) for 20 years now!

[M&M's Mommy]

I kept my last name. It's not in our culture for the wives to take their husbands' last names. The kids, of course, will have their father's last name.
I know I got married when we both lived in the U.S., where changing last name is common for most wives, but I wanted to keep with my culture by not changing . My husband, of course, didn't mind a bit - for it's his culture, too. None of the wives in our extended families changed their names, so I'm not the only one..

[chocolatepuppy]

I took my husbands name. Back in those days most women did. I don't have a problem with it.
Lut, that's interesting how they do it where you live.

[popcornbird]

I kept my maiden name when we married. Having different names doesn't make us any less of a 'family'. In our faith, girls don't change their last name. All people, whether male or female, have the last name of their father for life. My husband didn't mind...in fact, he also prefers it this way. We do plan on having children, and when we do, God-willingly, they will have their daddy's last name, as the tradition goes.

[Twisterdog]

I took my husband's name, but only because it was important to him that I do so. I actually liked my maiden name better, but it wasn't as important to me that I keep it. I really didn't care one way or another. My son has his father's last name, so he and I never "matched" anyway.

[Cataholic]

I don't think I would ever marry, but, if I did, I wouldn't change my last name. I just don't see the point. Traditionally, or as custom goes, I don't care for the connotation- the wife becomes the man's property. I think we have moved past that. I also just like my name. I see women marry, change names, divorce, change names, and I think it looks silly- no disrespect to anyone meant.

As for Jonah, he has my last name. It is easier, makes sense, and we have the same initials! So, if I get a personalized item as a gift that I don't care for, I simply re-gift it to him.

As for feeling less or more like I family, I don't really see that. It is just a name. There are plenty of people I feel 'familyish' with that don't have my last name.

[Logan]

I never had a middle name and my initials, prior to my first marriage were so boring! LOL!!! Just "LH". I took my first husband's last name and used my maiden name for my middle initial. I could finally have a monogram, LHG! After our divorce, I kept his name for my daughter's sake. I would have gone back to the "LH" in a heartbeat, otherwise.

When I remarried in 2002, I took my husband's name and dropped my first "married" name. Now I am "LHB", keeping my maiden name for my middle name. I never considered doing anything but that and my daughter was old enough to understand why I did it. Her friends still call me "Mrs. G" and I'm fine with that!

Logan

[Prairie Purrs]

Officially I changed to my ex-husband's name while I was married, but I continued to use my maiden name at work (I was a radio newscaster).

When we got divorced, I gave back his name (and took the savings account).

[dukedogsmom]

I even kept it after the divorce. My maiden name is often confused with another similar sounding name and I was so tired of being mistaken when making reservations, etc. Now, no one misunderstands me. I use my maiden name as my middle name.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I took Justin's name when we got married, I could never imagine doing otherwise.

[Glacier]

I did, but only because I had a very difficult, strange maiden name. He has a nice, normal, easy to pronounce last name! I was tired of having to spell and explain my name all the time! Stuart didn't care one way or the other what I did.

[fionapap]

At the time we married, back in 84, the law in Greece said that women were obligated to keep their maiden names. I was disappointed but could not do otherwise.

However I do not use my maiden name at all unless it has something to do with legal matters.

Greeks do not have middle names. Very confusing if you consider that half the population is called Maria or George.

Therefore, my 2 middle names cause a lot of commotion and complaints especially from civil workers who are too lazy to write all my names down and have even tried to dismiss them. Imagine have 2 hyphenated last names!!

Now there's thought. Most civil workers are so rude and insolent here that it just might be fun to make their lives a little more difficult as they do ours.

My appologies to any civil workers who might be reading this, but if you have ever lived in Greece, you will understand my comments on this issue.

[mina'smomma]

Considering my maiden name is Smith. I'll let you guess which I did.

[crow_noir]

I always figured i'd keep mine. No man is worth changing your idientity for. (I could only ever understand hyphinating last names, but not one person entirely throwing theirs away. I see it as coming from a time when women were nothing more than property.)

As much as my last name can be a drag sometimes, it has its benefits.

Both of our last names aren't our real last names. Our heritages had their difficut times and the names were forced upon our ancestors. I told him that if he ever chose to take his real grandfather's last name i'd chage to it too. It's a proud and noble name that I'd be proud to carry. It would be nice to have a "Real" last name for once.