Last year, the famous Heidi Klum waved her beautiful German hands to the distinctive surname that everyone recognized and adopted her husband Seal's last name. Now, on legal documents, credit cards and home addresses, her name reads Heidi Samuel.
I was never the type of girl to doodle my first name along with my crush or boyfriend's last name in my loose leaf notebook during geometry, but I've always kind of assumed I would take up the surname of whoever I married.
But then there are the independent women who have strived to literally make a name for themselves and refuse to adopt their husbands last name once married.
And then there are those who may be torn in-between the traditional and contemporary views of the situation and combine both parties' surnames with the help of a hyphen.
Obviously, there are countless more reasons as to why one would drop or keep their last name. What are yours?
Did/Would you drop or keep your last name once you got married? Would you garnish both of your surnames with a hyphen?
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Comments (71)
If the name sounds too weird, I'll just keep my name.
no, since we're in an age of equals, I'd keep my name and have the ceremony, not actually get married. I don't believe in marriage or daing. It's someone who you chose to have a baby with and then raise 1/2 and 1/2.
I avoid.
I definitely plan to take my husband's last name. It's all part of the deal, right? I can understand celebrities who keep their maiden name, because their name is part of their identity. But as a normal young lady, I think I'll take my husbands name.
@Colorsofthenight@xanga - Why would you have a ceremony if you aren't really getting married? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the ceremony?
I don't have a strange or uncommon last name, but I still don't like it because it belonged to my father. It sounds better than my mom's maiden name, but I want to get married and change it.
I'll probably change my surname. I like the symbolism behind it.
I love my last name, but would never hyphenate it. I'd probably take his last name, to be honest.
@Masked_Melody@xanga - it's cultural, and to define who and who are making the baby.
i would change it. i love my last name, but can't see keeping it if i got married
I wouldn't expect my wife to take my last name, tbh, considering I'm Asian and the chances of me marrying a white girl are extremely high.
my boyfriend and I discussed this just the other day. I've always been a dance-to-the-beat-of-my-own-drum kind of person, and I think he just assumed that I would do the hyphenated last name thing; in order to keep my identity or whatever. But I don't plan on that at all. When you get married, your spouse is your family. So why wouldn't you change your last name? Plus, I want my kids to have the same last name as I do. I want to be able to send out christmas cards signed, the so-and-sos wish you a merry christmas!
so basically I agree with@unabridgedtales@xanga
It was never a question. I took my husband's name when we got married. I know that most of the readers of datingish aren't Christians, but there is a verse in the Bible that talks about leaving your parents and cleaving to your husband. I find it very symbolic of that statement.
I would probably hyphenate it, just because I love my last name too much to fully let go of it. Also, because I plan on establishing my career before getting married, if at all I get married. So I would already be known by my own last name. But I also love the traditional method of adopting your husband's last name, so why not have the best of both worlds?
@Colorsofthenight@xanga - That makes no sense. People don't get married solely for the sake of having a child. :S
In a little less then a year I will be Mrs. Jon Smith, but I'm going to keep my last name too. I'm not going to hyphenate, instead just be one of those 4 name annoying ppl, lol.
I've never assumed that I would take my husband's last name. I actually got into an argument about it with my mom when I was very little. I like my last name. I don't see why I have to change it - I'm not asking him to change his. I understand that it's traditional and cultural and whatnot, but I've always done things to the beat of my own drum sooo... yeah. I wouldn't hyphenate it, either. The kids can surely have his last name.
I would take my husbands last name.
I wouldn't be upset if my spouse wanted to keep her last name, but that hyphen shit is pretty ugly, I've always thought.
@fire_drill_09@xanga - tbh, I don't believe ones name is the total source of ones identity.
@CrossYourHeart21@xanga - wtf?! to me thats a pretty offensive reason. But who am I to say.
I would personally expect for my wife to be to take my last name. The whole idea of two becoming one is meaningful to me, yes. I don't know why though.
@Thumper49047@xanga - sure, i'd like to become one with my husband but i think that's what rings are for. I think symbolism is very important to me...one's name is not the total source of ones identity.
like tina turner in whats love got to do with it!
my name sounds pretty cool now, not sure what ill do. my mom changed it early in her marriage, then had it hypenated for a bit, then changed it back to hers. i hope im not that indecisive. lol.
but ps. i have never liked the idea of being mrs. guy name. you're only being acknowleged as a mrs.
@Morningstarrising@xanga - interesting to know since I'm not Christian. If a woman wanted to keep her name so she didn't lose that tie to her family, it sounds reasonable.
Sigh she is so pretty...and he is so lucky. Both of them are lucky!
I hate my last name. I'm so excited to get my fiance's in November.
I'm certainly taking my husband's last name..I don't want my last name anymore..in fact I hate it.