Name changes in marriage

[tgg]

Hi,

Something which has caused a bit of a debate recently with some Christians is women who decide to keep their original surnames even after they get married. What do you all think of this? Should it be an issue, or do you think that married womewn should be allowed to retain their individuality? I personally don't have a problem with it, even though I'm not married.

 

[ScMay]

Its a cultural thing that has its roots in our patriachial past, I don't see the need to continue it. As you said, whats the problem with women retaining their individuality? Why should the men be the only ones? I don't think this is a religious issue since I don't think the bible mentions it (I don't think they even had last names back then).

How about the reverse, is there anything wrong with the husband taking on the WIFE'S last name? I'd be tempted if it sounded cool (mines so boring...)

 

[lmnop9876]

I agree with ScMay. This is a cultural issue, not a religious one.

Personally (if my future wife should agree to this, of course), we will both be changing our surnames to include both of our last names in a hyphenated surname.

 

[Neenie1]

I don't see an issue with it. I don't think it's a religious issue at all.

I chose to take my husbands name simply because it's tradition and to have 2 last names, hyphenated etc. makes it so much harder when you are talking about children. So what do the children do then when they get married? Do they end up keeping their name and hyphenating that, and maybe end up with 3 names?

It's all very confusing.

 

[MOTHY]

There is no religious standing on this, I believe. To adopt either the husband or wife's surname or to hyphenate it is an individual choice. And anyway, isn't it easier on naming the children, don't you think? Imagine the children of these unions with a swag of different surnames. Life's confusing enough, already.

 

[SemperFidelis]

I feel sorry for my poor wife who adopted possibly the most boring surname ever. She always laments that I didn't have a more interesting surname.

 

[GodsoldierClintus]

You could always change it...

 

[emmanemena]

I am going to take my future husbands last name because of tradition and I'm not really in love with mine anyway. I think the family should just have 1 name not 2 or 3 because it makes things so much more difficult when you have kids.

The only reason I would consider keeping my last name and passing it onto my children would be if it was stopping with me. My mother's family name is going to die (globally I think, definitely from Australia) out in the next generation unless my two male second cousins have sons, we have too many girls and not enough boys in my family. The name has been extremely lucky to survive this far, the family almost died out in the French Revolution!

Also, I don't think it has anything to do with a woman keep her individuality.