Name Change after Marriage

Looking for name change advice or some tips for newlywed life? The MissNowMrs experts have created state-specific name change articles and checklists for you. We’ve chronicled our recommendations for how to travel while changing your name AND how to handle voting during the transition.

We’ve also compiled our best guidance for how to handle difficult sister in laws, holidays as newlyweds, the ever-annoying baby questions, and much more. Why? Because, while we are name change experts, we’re also newlywed wives, moms, and sisters.

We hope our name change advice articles help smooth your transition to your new name, and a whole new phase of life. Congratulations and best wishes from the entire MissNowMrs team!

2 Ways to File For Your Married Name on Your Social Security Card

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When you decide to change your name after marriage, the first thing you typically thinks of is your Social Security Card. And, you’re right! Filing to updated to your married name with the Social Security Administration is at the top of the name-change list. There are 2 Ways to File For Your Married Name on your Social Security Card. Read on to find out what they are!

I vividly remember standing in the endless line at the Social Security office when I got married. There was an armed guard at the entrance. And, no one was allowed to use their phones. That experience definitely took some of the wind out of my newlywed sails.

Guess what? That doesn’t have to happen to you. You have options when filing for your married name with the Social Security Administration. There are two ways to file for your new Social Security Card.

Too busy to take time off of work to file for your new Social Security Card? Elect to file by mail! Simply complete the SS-5 form, include a certified marriage certificate, and your driver’s license or U.S. Passport (photocopies are not accepted.) Mail them to the Social Security Administration Office within your city. Two important things: If you do not have a passport to file with your form, do not mail in your driver’s license. This leaves you driving without proper ID for a minimum of 2 weeks. Also, as you are mailing important documents, we highly recommend using certified mail.

Method 2: File the SS-5 In Person

If you do not have a U.S. Passport to use as your identification document, or if you’re paranoid that your form and passport might get lost, filing in person is the option for you. When you file for your new Social Security card at the office, the clerk will take your form, make copies of your license or passport and marriage certificate and then give them right back to you. Your new Social Security card with your new name will be mailed to you within 10-14 business days. To minimize your wait time, we advise filing mid-week around 2:00pm.

Still feeling a little overwhelmed after learning the 2 Ways to File For Your Married Name on Your Social Security Card? The MissNowMrs name change app and service were designed to streamline your form completion and filing process. When you use our service you have access to name-change experts who are happy to answer your questions. And, give you the support you need to make your name change a breeze!

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Married Name Change: 3 Nuances Every Newlywed Needs to Know

Tis the season for weddings, followed by millions of brides changing their names. While it might seem like a simple process, married name change had a great deal of nuance. The MissNowMrs experts came up with the 3 name change nuances every newlywed needs to know.

Once a newlywed has decided they want to change their name after marriage, They need to choose the option that best suits their situation and personal style. Thankfully we created the Married Name Game for that! Next she has to file a series of state and federal forms to change to her new name, and then notify all of her creditors. Once again, we’ve got the solution: MissNowMrs.com. So where does name-change nuance come in?!

There are several nuances, or subtle differences, to the married name change process that make it different from the legal name change process. Read on for the big three…

1. Newlyweds cannot change their first name.

Using the married name-change process, women cannot change or even correct a mis-spelling of their first name. They can only use their certified marriage certificates to file for a change to their last names, and sometimes their middle names.

2. Brides cannot omit their middle name.

Women changing their names after marriage can take their maiden name as a middle name or as a second middle name in most states, but they cannot completely eliminate their middle name and just have their first name and new last name as their legal name.

3. Blending last names isn’t possible.

Unless the newlywed is a resident of California and wrote a blended* last name on the marriage license application, she/he cannot use the married name change process. In the 49 other states, taking a blended last name requires petitioning the court system for a legal name change order. *A blended last name is a mixture of both partners names. For example Faltrow.

Now that you know the nuances of name change, you can move forward with confidence. It’s a complicated process from emotions, to societal expectations, to the actual legal process, but don’t worry… the MissNowMrs team has your back! You can also reference our married name change checklist to understand each of the steps in your transition to Mrs!

Omarosa Married Name Change?

Omarosa Manigault just tied the knot with John Allen Newman… and of course we’re all curious “will she change her name?” Omarosa became a reality star on the first season of The Apprentice. Most Americans know her by her first name, so perhaps a switch to Mrs. Omarosa Newman is in the cards.

There are several factors that heavily influence a woman’s decision to change her name. One of the biggest is the age of the bride at the time of her marriage. Omarosa is 43, so that would point to her keeping her maiden name. Another factor that plays into name change after marriage is a woman’s level of education. The more educated a woman is, the more likely she is to keep her maiden name in some way (just think of all the framed diplomas that would have to change.) Omarosa has a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and started but did not complete her Ph.D., so that skews her more towards keeping her last name of Manigault.

Another name-change prediction detail to consider is the fact that Omarosa opted to hyphenate her name with her spouse’s last name in her previous marriage.

Despite all of these factors pointing towards Omarosa sticking with her maiden name, there is the wild card called love. Many female celebrities and professional women opt to make the switch to Mrs. for a variety of reasons. So, our prediction for Ms. Omarosa’s name change is hazy with a chance for surprise. Regardless, we wish her and John a lifetime of love and happiness!

Name Change Questions to Ask Yourself

As wedding season hits full bloom, brides are beginning to ask themselves name change questions. Remember back to middle school when you tried on various boyfriends’ last names to see how they sounded? This is the real-life version of that game. Newlyweds have to decide if they will keep their maiden names or change to a married name.

The MissNowMrs name change experts have come up with some facts and name change questions to help you as you ponder your married name change decision.

There are many name change options to consider. You don’t have to choose between your maiden name or your spouse’s last name. Brides today can hyphenate, take two last names without hyphenation, take their maiden name as a second middle name, replace their middle name with their maiden name or keep their maiden name. Not having to part with your maiden name completely can make your decision process easier.

Think about your life now and in the future. Is your career tied to your maiden name? If so, it may be wise to keep your maiden name or choose a married name change option that includes your maiden name with your spouse’s name. Do you plan to have children? How would you and your spouse feel about having different names than your children? How will your children feel? Asking these questions can help you refine you feelings about married name change and what is best for you.

Will you? Won’t you? While there isn’t a time limit for deciding to change your name after marriage, it is wise to make the decision as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more things you will need to change if you opt to change your name (ex: leases, insurance, mortgages, bank accounts.) We’re big fans of the Band-Aid mentality.

If you’re going to change your name, do it, and do it as quickly as possible. That’s why we created MissNowMrs.com to streamline the 13 hours hassle of changing your name after marriage into a 30 minute app or online experience! We’ve also created a free married name change checklist that details the entire process of making the transition to Mrs!

Photo credit: Kenziemil

70% of Americans Believe Women Should Change Their Name After Marriage: A Name Change Expert Sounds Off

70% of Americans believe women should change their name after marriage. And, half of the citizens of the United States believe a woman should be required by law to change her name after marriage. Those are insane statistics and beliefs… right? A recent article in the Gender Issues Journal raised some eyebrows. As a name-change expert who contributed to a name change journal article on the topic of name-change predictors, I was very curious to learn more about the study. Here’s what I learned.

Ms. Emily Fitzgibbons Shafer’s abstract states that she surveyed a diverse sample of 1,243 individuals to evaluate how committed they think a woman is as a wife by her last name choice. And whether a woman’s last name choice causes individuals to hold her to different standards (known as a backlash effect.) I understand the key life variables that impact a woman’s name change decision. But, have not studied how her choice might impact how others view her. So this is interesting sociological stuff. I’m also curious if Emily’s double last name is from her parents or due to her own married name change decision.

Schafer writes about the suggestions that Hillary Rodham using her maiden name contributed to Bill Clinton’s loss in his 1980 re-election campaign. Her name change to Hillary Rodham Clinton did happen afterwards. So, there may be a kernel of truth or societal pressure there. Name change is a highly controversial topic before you sprinkle in politics, so on page one this journal article is explosive!

The Good News:
This study found among women and highly educated men, women’s surname choice seems to have little effect on their perceptions of women as a wife or the standards to which she is held in marriage. So, if you’re surrounded by highly educated women and men you won’t subject yourself to negative views if you keep your maiden name.

The Bad News:
Schaffer found “among men with low education, a woman with a last name that is different than her husband’s is seen as being a less committed wife than a woman whose last name is the same as her husband’s. Further, less educated men feel that a woman who didn’t take her husband’s name should be forgiven for fewer days late than a woman who has the same last name as her husband’s. And they believe that the woman’s husband would be more justified in divorcing her for her perceived neglect of the marriage (as measured through repeated lateness).”

So, if you spend a majority of your time with under-educated men and don’t change your name after marriage you stand a high likelihood of being viewed as a bad wife, deserving of less forgiveness, and those guys would totally understand if your husband divorced you for neglecting your marriage.

Name-Change Expert Opinion:
Because I founded an online name-change service to help women change their names after marriage, most people assume I’m a gung ho name change advocate. Yes, I do make money on name change, but I am also a female founder in tech. I view name change after marriage as a personal choice. It reflects each woman’s situation, heritage, and personal style.

Name change should not be correlated with being committed to a relationship, nor should it influence forgiveness… something that is vital to a healthy, long-lasting marriage. In my opinion we need to be having open discussions with our families and peers about name change as a personal choice, not a law.

Want to learn more about this topic? Check out these stories from Elite Daily and Refinery29.

Name Change after Marriage

Social Security Name Change

Method 1: File for our Social Security Card By Mail

Method 2: File the SS-5 In Person

1. Newlyweds cannot change their first name.

2. Brides cannot omit their middle name.

3. Blending last names isn’t possible.