Danielle Tate

Will Priyanka Chopra Change Her Name to Mrs. Jonas?

Tis the season for celebrity name change! Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas tied the knot on December first, and 9 days later Priyanka unveiled her new married name on Instagram. Based on the beautiful name card in the photo featured on her Instagram Page, Priyanka will be Mrs. Priyanka Chopra Jonas.There are several factors that affect a woman’s name change decision, and as name-change experts we thought it would be fun to break down the factors in Priyanka’s life that could influence her name change.

A huge factor in name change it the bride’s age at the time of marriage. The younger a woman is, the more likely she is to change her name in some way. The older a woman is at the time of marriage, the more likely she is to keep her maiden name in some way. Priyanka is 36, an age where a majority of women have established their careers, so it makes total sense that she didn’t elect to become Mrs. Priyanka Jonas… she kept her maiden name and added her husband’s last name.

Another name change factor is if a woman’s career involves name recognition. Doctors, lawyers, real estate agents, and of course actresses typically keep their maiden names. Priyanka joins the ranks of other celebrity women like Amal Alamuddin, Hailey Baldwin, Gwyneth Paltrow who decided name change wouldn’t affect their careers.

Level of education also factors into the married name change equation. Although Priyanka intended to study aeronautical engineering, she left college after winning the Miss World Pageant to pursue film roles that were offered to her.

A factor that cannot be measured in relation to married name change is love. Love makes us all do things that we may never have considered. Name change can be a couples’ symbol that they’re “all in” on their marriage, it may be a tradition they want to keep, or a choice they both made together. Regardless of the factors that influenced Priyanka’s name change, we wish her and Nick a lifetime of love and happiness! And, if Priyanka’s name change paperwork hasn’t been filed we’d love for her to use the MissNowMrs app to become a legal Mrs. in minutes!

New Break credit: Teen Vogue

Shaina’s Real Name Change Story

We all love a good love story, and as name-change experts we love the backstory of a good name change decision. Today’s Shaina’s real name change story has both! Read on for a story including high school sweethearts, broken bones, high heels, and a name change decision that spanned several years!

Mark and I went to the same grade school, junior high and high school. Our first date was in 2008 to his junior prom and we dated for 1.5 years after that. Mark went to college and I was still in high school, so we broke up for about 10 months. Then I went to the same college he did because I was continuing as an athlete, not just because of him. We dated off and on for most of my freshman year and then we took a long break, but we were constantly together, or texting, just like we were together. We officially got back together the second semester of my sophomore year of college, and have been going strong ever since!

I had thought about my wedding day for most of my life. I knew I wanted a late fall wedding, on a 3 day weekend and my heart was set on November. I did just that. We had our wedding and reception in the same building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. It was a very chilly day, but when you’re so excited to marry the best person in your life, you don’t really care. Also, two weeks before our wedding day we went to a Halloween party. My foot was stepped on by someone who had had too much to drink and they lost their balance, pushing me over, while my foot was stuck under theirs breaking the top of my foot. I was in a boot for 14 weeks, but you better believe I walked down the aisle in my wedding heels, significantly worsening the break, but it was 100% worth it

We talked about name changes long before we even got engaged. At the time, I was sure that I would just take his name and that would be the end of it. However, the closer we got to getting married, the less excited I was about getting rid of my maiden name completely. I went back and forth for a year on what I wanted to do. In our state you have to get a new license at 26, so I said I would wait until then to change my name. But when the time came, I didn’t change it at 26!

I said we had to move before I would change my name, but the 2 year window of only having to provide your marriage license was quickly approaching, so I really sat down and thought about what I wanted my name to be. I wrote it out every which way, I thought about if we had children how would I want them to have their names. I even thought about how I felt growing up when my mom married my step-dad and I was the only one who didn’t have the same name in their family. Did I want to spend the rest of my life feeling like that with my husband and children? Finally I decided, I was going to have two middle names. My middle name and my maiden name. It felt like the perfect combination of keeping who I am and my grandfather’s family name, but being a part of my family that I am creating with my husband.

I had finally come to a decision, filled out my MissNowMrs paperwork, took it to the DMV and every time (three times to be exact) they went to change my name the computer system froze! I was there over an hour and didn’t get to change my name. Talk about karma lol. I am returning this coming Saturday to try again. I think I will be excited about my name change once it happens, but I have a lot of apprehension when it comes to change. I am a creature of habit, so this will be out of my comfort zone for sure. I correct people when they call me Mrs. because that’s not my name. I think I’ll have to work hard to break that habit. All I had heard was how time consuming changing your name can be, probably can add that to the list of why I put my name change off. MissNowMrs got the paperwork completed in under 20 minutes, I printed it out and took it with me to the office and boom it was done! I honestly wish I would have done it sooner.

The advice I have for newlyweds is to enjoy your time together, don’t rush into what you think the next step needs to be, just be spouses for a while. It’s really awesome! Even though we lived together for a couple years before we got married, there is still some excitement and happiness that comes with even getting to say that you are going home to your husband. I just want us to build a life as two people and enjoy every part of that.

Photo Credit: Nick Goodin Photography

Lady Gaga Engaged – Will there be a Lord Gaga?!

Lady Gaga Married Name Change | Lord Gaga

Lady Gaga is officially engaged! Rumors have been swirling about Lady Gaga and her boyfriend Christian Carino, and she recently called him her fiancé during her speech at Elle‘s Women in Hollywood Celebration. So now that it’s official, as name-change experts we can’t help but wonder if there will be a Lady Gaga name change in the future.

Our Expert Analysis + Prediction

Usually we begin our name-change prediction analysis by looking at several key factors in the bride’s life. This time we’re looking at the groom first! On the tails of Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk blending their last names to become Mr. and Mrs. Faltrow… we could see a less conventional name change working for Lady Gaga and Christian. In fact, we’re curious if he’ll take her name legally to become Mr. Germanotta or if he’ll playfully become Lord Gaga in the public eye.

The basis for our supposition around Christian changing his name after marriage are his future wife’s level of fame and his level of commitment. Women’s name-change decisions are heavily influenced by their careers, especially careers that involve name recognition. Doctors, lawyers, real estate agents, and of course celebrities tend to hold onto their names post marriage. Christian already has a tattoo of Lady Gaga’s face on his arm, indicating a high level of commitment to his wife.

Applying known name-change factors to Lady Gaga we see that she’s 32 (the older a bride is at the time of her wedding the more likely she is to keep her maiden name,) and does not have a male sibling to carry on her family name. This information leads us to predict that Christian will become Mr. Carino Germanotta or Lady Gaga will choose to become Mrs. Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta Carino.

Regardless of their name change choices, we wish Lady Gaga and Christian a lifetime of love and happiness… AND if they do decide to change their names, we would love for them to use the MissNowMrs name change app!

Original Story from Martha Stewart Weddings
Photo Credit: Keven Mazur, Getty Images

Will Barbara Bush Change Her Name After Marriage?

Barbara Bush Name Change | 4 Factors — Photo credit: Paul Morse

Barbara Bush and Craig Coyne just got married in an intimate wedding in Kennebunkport! Barbara is the second daughter of former President Bush to tie the knot. So, we’re curious with her iconic name if she’s going to change her name or keep her maiden name.

While men have been carrying ancestral names for centuries, it is less common for women to carry the first names of living relatives. Barbara Bush was named after her grandma, former First Lady Barbara Bush. What an honor, and also what a big name to try to live up to. Can you imagine getting in trouble as a child and being told you were tarnishing your grandma’s good name? (We’re guessing about this… but still, can you imagine how you would feel?)

We’re curious if Barbara loves her current name, or if her marriage will give her the opportunity to take a new name and almost a new identity separate from her grandmother. Let’s examine the four main name-change factors that may influence Barbara’s married name change decision.

Our Expert Analysis

Factor One: The Bride’s Age
In the context of name change, the older a woman is at the time of her marriage, the more likely she is to keep her maiden name in some way. Barbara is currently 36, an age that usually correlates with women keeping their maiden name.

Factor Two: Level of Education
The more degrees a woman holds, again the more likely she is to hang onto her maiden name. Ms. Bush graduated with a degree from Yale, which has us thinking she will keep the name that is associated with that prestigious degree.

Factor Three: Occupation
If a woman has a career that relies heavily on name recognition, such as being a doctor, lawyer, or real estate agent, she is less likely to change her name after marriage. Barbara is the co-founder of a large non-profit and of course the daughter of former President George Bush. Her name is very tied to her work and activism.

Factor Four: Family Tradition
Family tradition can heavily influence a woman’s married name change decision. Barbara’s twin sister option to keep her maiden name and add her husband’s name after her marriage in 2008. She became Mrs. Jenna Bush Hager, a name-change choice that allowed her to keep her ties to Bush, but also adopt her husband’s family name.

Our Prediction

Name change after marriage is a very personal choice. While there are the known factors associated with name change influence, there are also the factors of personal style, what their spouse wants, and if they view name change as a way to show commitment. In our expert opinions, Barbara Bush will soon be Mrs. Barbara Bush Coyne.

Regardless of her choice we wish her a lifetime of love and happiness… and if she does opt to change her name, we’d love for her to use the new MissNowMrs name change app!

Gwyneth & Brad Faltrow | 3 Tips for Newlyweds Following the Blended Last Name Trend

Mr. and Mrs. Faltrow | Blended Last Name Tips

Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk just got married AND they decided to go with a blended last name change. They combined their last names into a new name: Faltrow! This story is making waves. But, as name-change experts we’ve been seeing the blended last name trend picking up steam for over a year now. Before you jump on the blended last name wagon be sure to read our tips below!

Tip 1: Talk about name change with your fiancé

It sounds dumb, but many people come into a marriage with name change expectations. By chatting about what you both want/envision BEFORE you get married, you can have a calmer discussion and more time to make a decision that works for you.

2: Consider your heritage

If you’re super other-oriented, it is smart to think about what your families may be hoping for regarding name change. In-laws and parents tend to want to see their legacy carried on. Are one of you the very last person to carry on the family name? If so, blending last names will mark the end of your former name. Depending on your situation that could be a good or bad thing! Again, by thinking big picture you can make a choice that makes you both happy.

Tip 3: Understand Your State’s Name Change Laws

Currently California is the only state that allows newlyweds to take a blended last name. *This is only possible if you write the blended name on your marriage license application. If you wait until after you’re married you will need to go through the legal name change process to created a blended last name.

Non-Californian residents who want to create a blended last name will need to petition the court system for a legal name change order. This is basically a legal document that allows you to file for your name change. The filing process includes being fingerprinted, running ads in papers, and appearing in court.

With more and more couples considering blended last names, we’re expecting to see more states change their name change laws in the future.

If you’re stuck on what name is best for you, play our Married Name Game. Or text/call one of the MissNowMrs name change experts at 800.301.9296. We’ve helped over 500,000 brides change their names, and we’re happy to assist you as well!

Original story credit: Inquisitr