Can you marry someone and both keep your own last name?

Question

I work with someone who was married before. She divorced him 9 years ago, but still has his last name. She is now engaged to another man. She told me she doesn't like her fiance's last name, so she wants to keep the last name she has now(her ex husbands). Maybe it's a stupid question, but can you marry without changing last names?

Answer 1

Yes of course you can there are many woman who are choosing to keep their maiden names. Most woman who keep their ex-husband name typical do if there are children involved. But even if you don’t have kids and you like that name, perhaps you used it for a long time, and don’t feel like having to go though everything and change your name to something else. From this question it seems she just doesn’t like her future husband surname.

I think i will probably just keep my Maiden name whenever i get married.

Answer 2

Yes, she can keep her current name when she gets married. When they fill out the marraige contract she will put her name as it is and not to be changed. If she doesn't have any children by the previous husband she should go back to her maiden name because it is extremely tacky and inconsiderate to marry another man and keep the first husbands last name.

Answer 3

Yes you can, you aren't obligated to take your spouse's last name, although I think it's a bit odd of your co-worker to keep her ex-husband's last name when she is marrying someone else, I think I would be offended by that if I were the man. However, you in any case can keep your last name legally.

Answer 4

yes, you only assume your spouses last name. your legal is still the name that you were given at birth. regardless how many times you get married.

In canada when you apply for your marriage licence you are "supposed" to put your maiden name on the form. yet if you havn't change your name back when you get divorced then you still have the ex's last name.

Answer 5

Yep, definately. Many people, especially people with large social circles (like movie stars) choose to keep their own last name to avoid confusion or because they like their last name better-- although more often, people settle for hyphenation.

I do think it's a little odd that your co-worker is keeping her ex-husband's name, though. Maybe her maiden name is just as bad as her fiance's?

Answer 6

Yes, you can keep your maiden name when you marry, or you can keep your married name when you re-marry. You do not have to ever change your name if you don't want to. The marriage will still be legal. Many professional women keep their names but use their husband's name socially. Dr. Sarah Smith calls herself Mrs. Jones when she's with her kids' play group.

Answer 7

Yes, of course you can. There's no law stating that one must change their name after marriage. Changing one's last name after marriage is merely a tradition that is done by choice, not by law. I'm married for the third time, and have never changed my name. It is completely up to the individual.

Answer 8

Same as keeping a legal maiden name once you've changed it. It's up to you unless there was an order in the divorce decree stating otherwise

Answer 9

Yes. A woman has the option to use any last name that was legally hers at one time, so she can leave her name as it is.

I'm married but I chose to keep my maiden name. I liked it better and have used it for a long, long time.

Answer 10

Yes you can I didn't change my last name. Too much work and really who cares. The fact that she would rather have her exhusbands name is wierd. Maybe she could change it back to her maiden name. Or maybe just pick a new one. You can do that too.