why do some women not take the last name of their husband or hyphenate it? is it a feminist thing?

Answer 1

I know women that kept their maiden name for career reasons and others that kept their maiden name for feminist reasons.

I can understand keeping your maiden name for business reasons but keeping your maiden name because you're afraid of giving up part of your identity? I just don't get that.

I'm getting married soon and will be taking my fiance's name. I don't feel like I am losing a part of myself at all. I think whether or not you "lose" yourself by taking someones last name has to do with not continuing to be yourself. What you can't continue to ride horses, draw, dance, be your own person with a new last name?

I'm not trying to be mean, I really do want to know where that fear comes from because I don't understand it.

Answer 2

Why would anyone want to give up part of their self identity? Why shouldn't you take her last name when you get married..it's done here and in other cultures. Whether or not it is a feminist thing, it is certainly a professional thing. Perhaps the best answer would be for both to hyphenate the last name...less confusion, especially with divorced people.

Answer 3

Some women feel in taking their husbands last name only they are losing a part of their identity. I can understand that you may get divorced one day and you are going to go right back to your madden name. Some women do it for professional reasons. Throughout your career you have been known as Ms. Brown then you get married and have to assume the name Mrs. Brokowski. Then there are those women who look at it like a feminist thing. It all depends on that person I guess.

Answer 4

I don't think it is necessarily feminist. I think it is a change in customs in the states. Taking the husband's surname is not a world-wide custom.

Women today often have degrees and careers prior to marriage. Also, at least half of all women will divorce, many remarrying. Other divorced women take back their birth names, which I did. Name changes cause confusion.

There is really no practical reason for taking a husband's surname. As times change, so do customs.

Santa Fe

Answer 5

I didn't do it because it is a lot of work to change everything. I will do it eventually when I have time. I don't care of people call me by his last name though. I am fairly feminist about things that I think matter like equality in the work place not about name changes. I like some traditions.

Answer 6

I think there are two valid reasons this takes place.

1. A woman who has a career and is known in her field of work gets married. She would want to continue to be recognized by people reading or hearing her name.

2. A woman gets re-married and her children keep their birth name. By hyphenating her name it maintains the connection with her children.

Answer 7

Some women have established themselves in a career with their maiden name. Look at Connie Chung...she keeps her last name as the entire country knows who she is. If she suddenly called herself Connie Povich (she's married to Maury) that would have taken away her branding so to speak. No matter how successful I become in my career, should I marry someday, I will take my husband's last name as I was raised that way. When my brother got married, his wife didn't take our last name. She turned out to be a cheating wench so it's good she's not parading around, ruining our family name. Some may indeed choose to do this for feminist reasons.

Answer 8

I think now it's usually because a woman has created a life and career using the name she was born with and doesn't want to complicate or confuse people with a sudden change. It's a modern life thing, not a feminist thing.

Answer 9

Yes it is a feminist thing. I chose to keep my life's last name after I married.
If someone has to change names, let it be the man.

Answer 10

Depending on how old you were when you got married. If you have had your last name for years it is more difficult to change it. But you will still answer people if they call Mrs. whatever. It just that sometimes it's not worth the hassle after all it doesn't make you less of a wife.