Should I give up my last name?

Keep your surname professionally.

Pros: It won't affect your professional life, but you'll have the same last name as any children that you have with your partner. Cons: Having two names may be difficult to keep track of. Explaining this to employers, clients, and business acquaintances may become tedious.

What are the benefits of changing your last name?

Legally changing your name does offer quite a few potential benefits. First of all, it can give you a fresh start. Whether you want to put a difficult past behind you, escape the attentions of a stalker or start fresh during a new phase in your life, a legal name change can be very empowering.

What are the pros and cons of changing your last name?

Should I drop my middle or last name?

Q: Is it traditional for the bride to drop her middle or last name if she chooses to take her husband's name? A: It's long been tradition for the bride to take her husband's last name, and traditionally, she drops her middle name and keeps her last (her "maiden" name) as her middle name.

Should you keep your maiden name?

10 Still, research shows that highly educated, high-earning women are more likely to keep their names after marriage. Whether a woman keeps her name or uses her partner's after marriage is a matter of personal preference, and today there are no legal issues with doing either.

Here's Why Women Should Take Their Husband's Last Name

What do you call a married woman who keeps her maiden name?

If you're keeping your maiden name, you have options: You can go by "Ms." or use "Mrs." as in "Mr. Wong and Mrs. Woodbury." You can also go by "Ms." if you'd prefer your title not to be associated with your marital status.

Why would a woman keep her maiden name?

The New York Times describes some modern women's reasons for keeping their birth-given last names as "practical, not political," but also acknowledges that "from the time that the equal rights activist Lucy Stone became famous for keeping her name when she married in 1855, maiden names have been politically charged." ...

Can you have 2 last names?

A hyphenated last name is when you and your spouse combine both of your last names with a hyphen. This is also called a double surname. In many states, when you fill out your application for your marriage license, you'll be writing your intended married name on that application.

Can I legally use my middle name as first name?

In day-to-day life, you can use your middle name instead of your first name if that's what you prefer. However, to use only your middle name on legal documents, a court has to officially grant a change of name.

Can you have 3 last names?

In most states, you have the option to take your spouse's last name, hyphenate your last names, use two last names without a hyphen, or move your maiden name to your middle name and take your spouse's last name.

Does changing your name affect anything?

You probably expect to need to update your Social Security information and your credit cards, but there are plenty of other people who need to know about your new name as well. "A name change can have an impact on your taxes. All the names on your tax return must match Social Security Administration records.

Is changing your last name hard?

The process of changing your name is not difficult however it requires a tedious effort to do so. There are many steps, which can be slow at times, that are required to successfully change your name. It's easy to change your name in social settings, all you have to do is introduce yourself with your desired name.

What if I don't want to change my name after marriage?

If you don't want to change your first name or surname after marriage, you don't have to. And there's no law that says that you have to adopt your husband's surname after the wedding. However, there are a couple of perks that come with wife name change after marriage, irrespective of whether you go for it or not.

What are the cons of changing your last name?

It also makes it easier if you have children, travel together, or have any medical issues. Cons: If you've built yourself a professional reputation using your surname, changing it may cause confusion and a loss of reputation and profit.

Can changing your name affect your credit score?

Will changing my name affect my credit rating? No — not if you tell all record holders about your new name. When someone needs to run a credit check against you, they should ask you for any previous names that you've been known by in the past 6 years.

Why do people want to change names?

However typical reasons people change their name are: if you get married or enter into a civil partnership, or you want to take your partner's name. if you get divorced, dissolve a civil partnership, or end a long-term relationship. to take a double-barrelled name after you marry, or enter into a civil partnership.

Is it OK to have 2 middle names?

Two middle names make a statement, one that usually reminds us of country manors, polo games, royalty, and presidents. It's never been a common practice in the U.S. to give two middle names. With today's digitized records, it's become a bit of a bureaucratic mess for those who have four (or more) initials to deal with.

Can you have 2 first names?

A double name, or double-barreled first name, is often seen in Southern naming traditions and is when you choose two names for your little, often joined by a hyphen. It is an excellent option for those seeking unique baby names.

Can you have 2 middle names after marriage?

If you already have a middle name then your maiden name can either be a second middle name, or it can replace your current middle name. For example, if Sarah Anne Jones married Alex Jackson, her new name could either be Sarah Anne Jones Jackson or Sarah Jones Jackson.

Can I drop one of my last names?

Hyphenating your last name is considered a legal name change – meaning you can't drop your spouse's name or the hyphen in the future without having to go through a court-ordered name change. There a lot of great reasons to hyphenate your last name – but also a few things to consider.

How do you pick a last name?

Which last name goes first?

You can go the "traditional" route and list your "maiden" name first, or you could choose to list your new last name first, followed by your original last name.

Why do ex wives keep last name?

It may be hard for you to see it, but most ex-wives don't keep their ex-husband's last name simply to be a source of constant irritation. Continuity with children — One of the most common reasons an ex may keep your last name is to keep her name the same as any children.

Why should a woman change her last name after marriage?

The tradition of women changing their last names to match their husbands' has its origins in the property transfer that took place upon marriage, Scheuble said. Essentially, women went from being part of their parents' family to becoming their husbands' property.

Why do men change after marriage?

Men change after marriage because of different reasons. Most of the men become less caring and less romantic after marriage. ... After marriage, a man has to concentrate on several things from getting a house to making his wife and children happy. Their sense of responsibilities increases.