Should I change my name?

[Phoebe]

My mom changed back to her maiden name after her divorce. I always hated having a different last name (before marriage). Growing up I thought I would try and hypenate. Then I married someone whose name didn't jive with mine.

Brown-Pyle? Not.

I wanted our family to have the same last name so I switched.

[MissCrabette]

:thud: I'm sorry but that's absolutely hilarious. I almost choked on a TJ's truffle.

[Gwendolyn]

I kept my maiden name and do not plan to change it. I kept my name because I don't like the tradition that women are supposed to take their husband's name. It just doesn't make much sense to me. I must say, though, that my family gave me a lot of crap about why I was not changing my last name to his last name. They thought it was "weird." I asked DH if he was willing to change his last name to mine, and he wasn't, so why should I change my last name to his? I like my name. So I kept it.

ITA! I even hyphenated for a few months and couldn't hack it. For me if our marriage was about entering a union equally... Really what bothered me was that when he completed his MD, he got to put his name on his diploma, why did I have to put his name on my diploma? DH was not super excited about my decision to go back to Ryan, but he's gotten used to it and like most things, he is proud that I stick to what I believe in, even if it irritates him. James has his name (that was the compromise...it doesn't bother me). I have not had any problems with medical stuff, school stuff, traveling domestically...most people are familiar with parents having diff. last names from their kids. I think many assume that it is because I am divorced or re-married, but who cares? I don't owe them any explanation and that is why they ask for custody paperwork, not proof of name.

[Vanquisher]

My mom changed back to her maiden name after her divorce. I always hated having a different last name (before marriage). Growing up I thought I would try and hypenate. Then I married someone whose name didn't jive with mine.

Brown-Pyle? Not.

I wanted our family to have the same last name so I switched.

I don't think that is a good recess name!

[Michele]

We're both Dr. N...my mom wanted me to keep my lastname...and I thought about it b/c then we'd be two diff doctors and I'd be one of the only Dr. R...it's a great italian name that is really uncommon...but in the end the sense of family unity won out. I never had a middle name so I just moved my maiden name there...so my diploma still says Michele R but followed by N. Works for us.

oh and we briefly considered making a new name. I wish we had, we could make a good combo name...but Russ said nope.