I personally am somewhat torn on this whole last name thing, right now. I very much like the idea of having a shared family name with my partner, but I’m also pretty darn attached to my birth name. I’m a blogger and writer, a working professional, and have lived several places, so it’s also my identity. It’s important for employers, readers, friends scattered around the world, or potential ‘clients’ to find me, by last name.
Until Zack and I really started getting into “we’re getting married, for real” mode. You know what I mean… I had always, every single day of my life, assumed I would keep my name. But he really changed every opinion I had, when it came to the marriage and kids department. Not forcefully — just my love for him and the growth of our relationship with time changed the way I viewed marriage and unions.
Zack really wants me to change my name. He doesn’t mind hyphenating. I can’t say “Charlotte Fowler” sounds bad by any means. I love the sound of it… I could combine names. “Charlotte Neitzel Fowler” but holy crapsticks that’s a mouth full!
So, I haven’t yet decided what to do. The feminist part of me is all “No way will I change my name”, but some part of me likes the idea of a name change as a way of defining a new chapter in my life. As being a team. Not to mention the agonizing pain our kids would have to deal with being “Neitzel-Fowlers” oh gosh. That’s an ugly name.
My mom kept her last name, but when my parents had kids we got our dad’s name. My mom gave my brother, Matthew her last name for his middle name. It worked really well. “Matthew Howard Neitzel” …. No matter what name you put in front of “Neitzel Fowler” it’s going to sound ridonkulous. Yea, I went there. It will sound so badly it needs over used words like RIDONKULOUS!
The other night I got to thinking about this a lot and started looking up the things I would need to change, legally, if I change my name.
Car Registration
Car Insurance
Social Security
Drivers License
Payroll
Taxes
Bank Account/Card
Email since mine is literally LAST NAME, FIRST INITIAL @ yadda yadda
Work Information
Phone
Rental Agreement (though this wont really matter much since we’re moving shortly after)
All Utilities including, Water, Electricity, Internet
Post-Office
Passport
Voters Registration
HOLY SMOKES Y’ALL THAT’S A LOT OF FREAKING STUFF! Plus, Don’t you literally have to PAY to change your name? I’m exhausted just looking at all of this stuff. Jeebus.
Ooooof.
Those of you who are married, did you change your name? why or why not?
If you aren’t married — do you plan to if/when you do get married?
