Name Change After Marriage for Newlyweds

Here are several options to consider to make an easy name change compromise

• Hyphenate your last name with your spouse’s.  He can keep his name the same or add yours too.  You can also choose whose name should be first in the hyphenation.

• You can keep your maiden name as your middle name.  This option allows you to change your last name, but still keep your maiden name as part of your title.

• Adding your maiden name as a second middle name is also a great compromise.  If you have a long middle and maiden name, consider that this option may make your name quite a mouthful.

• Using your maiden name as your child’s first or middle name to preserve family history is also a popular choice.  If your name was Sophia Carlin you could name your child Henry Carlin Green or Carlin Henry Green.

• Your husband could take your last name.  While this is not the most common choice it is a great way for a man to support his wife and potentially escape a terrible last name of his own.

• Change your name legally and use it socially, but use your maiden name professionally.  You can be Mrs. Green at school and church, but still be addressed as Ms. Smith at work.

Ready to have some fun? Play the married name game to show what other brides with similar personalities have selected for their name change option.

Curious about reasons not to change your name after marriage? The MissNowMrs experts have compiled a list of the top reasons to keep your maiden name. We recognize that not every newlywed should change their name. We simply help the ones who want to!

• You may have established yourself in a career and depend on name recognition for your business and reputation.
• You may not believe in the politics of women changing their last names after marriage since men don’t have the same expectation.
• Your identity may be closely tied to your name and you don’t want to lose your sense of self.
• You may be the last person to carry on your family name and want to make sure it lives on.
• Your husband’s last name may be difficult to pronounce or create an annoying joke when combined with your first name (ex: Mrs. Mary Christmas).

Want some ideas about your name change options that you may not have thought of? Play the Married Name Game to see you options.

A Tailored List of Reasons to Change Your Name After Marriage

• Changing your last name after marriage is still a socially acceptable thing to do, and people will automatically start addressing you as Mrs. Green regardless of whether you have decided to legally change your name or not.
• If you plan on having or do have children it is easier to share a last name as parents then to continuously explain to teachers, doctors, playmates, and other parents that you are indeed married and the mother and father of your child.
• His name may be easier to pronounce than yours, or it just sounds nicer with your first name.
• Some women feel that changing their last name joins them to their husband and makes them a family.
• Booking travel plans, making dinner reservations, and monogramming will be much less complicated if you share a last name with your husband.