What did you change your name to?

laurenlizzyb

I can't decide how to change my name-  I've been bouncing back and forth between First Maiden Married and First Middle Married.  J/w what everyone else did:)

MoonlightSilver

I'm doing First Middle Maiden HisLast (with two last names, not two middle names).  My mom did FirstMiddle Maiden HisLast (combined her middle and first name).

BlackRose21

i'm going to take my FH's last name cuz Smith is way too damn common!

jennipea382

Mine will be First Middle HisLastName. I'm not super attached to my current last name. I like it, and of course I love my family, but it's more important for me to have the same last name as our future kids. I like the idea of us all being connected by the last name. I know it's just a name, that's just how I see things. Nothing against anyone that does it differently, that's just what I prefer :-)

I actually don't know (or I don't think I know) anyone that has put their maiden name into their name, whether it be their new middle name or a second. IMO, it would be confusing, but that's just me. I do know a lot of people that have hyphenated though.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

I didn't change anything.

My mom did first maiden married for her first marriage and first middle married for her second. My MIL is first maiden married.

laurenoliveira23

im not positive what im doing yet

i discussed with him us both hyphenating our last names - he said hes cool with that but i wonder if hes just saying that lol

i might just assume his last name hyphenated with mine but not legally change it

coopsbaby

I'm doing first maiden married, since I hate my middle name but love my maiden. I have a lot of cousins who are first maiden married since their mother didn't give them middle names. My first marriage I did first middle married, but took my maiden back after the divorce. 

I think you just need to think about what names you want to have and include them, anything goes anymore!

laurenlizzyb

Thanks for the comments!  I'm still torn!

I hate my last name, but I work for my parents in our family-owned business and when they retire I will take it over with my brothers.  So, on one had, I think keeping my soon-to-be maiden name as my middle name makes sense professionaly, but I hate the way it sounds.  It's just such an ugly last name that kids used to tease me for it in gradeschool!

On the other hand, I love my middle name.  It's my mom's name.  If it weren't for the above I would do First Middle HisLast, but I'm just not sure if that's wise professionally if I want vendors and people we deal with on the business level to recognize me as part of the family.

midgetthemighty

I'm doing First Middle Hislast

HobokensFury

Mine is First Middle Married

natsfans84

I'm in love with my last name, and getting rid of it never crossed my mind. I'm going to have two middle names and take FI's name-- First Middle Maiden HisLastName because it's important to my FI that our future kids have OUR last name, and it's important to me to keep my maiden name.

rlavach

I did First Middle Maiden-Married. I only kept my maiden because it's rather rare in the US and I'm the last generation of our branch with the last name (no boys with it). So after me, it's dead. I figured I'd keep it alive just a little longer.

gundy21

I am first middle my last-his last.  It is long.  I got married later in life (nearly 38) so I wanted to keep my identity (especially on the professional side) and it was important to DH for me to take his name.  This was the compromise that worked for me.

TaraKeeley

I'm keeping my first, middle and two last names ) My mom dropped her maiden name and too my dad's name (her last name kind of sucked, though, as did the family got it from). My MIL kept her name, also. Our kids will have his last name followed by my last name, no hyphenation, as is tradition in his culture.

erbear84

I will choose to be First Middle HisLastName.  I'm a teacher, though, so I will probably keep my last name to finish out the school year.

jemmini6

I did First Middle Married.  I never had a doubt that I'd take my H's last name (even when I was a kid), so it wasn't a big deal to me.  Plus, H's name is so much easier, it's been nice to not have to spell/pronounce it for everyone.

blush64

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_customs-traditions_what-did-you-change-your-name-to?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:36Discussion:624038a6-572e-4436-8ac7-ad1cb4a0112aPost:ea897c6e-a28a-4aa6-98a6-73da5d17e4d7">What did you change your name to?</a>:
[QUOTE]I can't decide how to change my name-  I've been bouncing back and forth between First Maiden Married and First Middle Married.  J/w what everyone else did:)
Posted by laurenlizzyb[/QUOTE]

I kept my name. I don't plan on changing it at all. Our future kids will have both names. In situations where someone makes a mistake and calls me by his last name I would either let it go or correct them. (if I'll never see them again I'd probably let it go)

I just never wanted to change my name.

becky659

This has been the hardest thing to decide for me...
I think I'm doing Myname MyLast HisLast.
My grandfather was named Louis, my grandma was named Louise after him, my mom got Louise as a middle name and so did I.  I'm pretty attached to it... but if legally it's too messy to have four names, we're just going to hand Louise or Louis down to our kids as well as my last name, which is a great first or middle name, but an awful last name (people always try to put an S on it).

aragx6

I'm adding my last name as a second middle and taking his last name as my own. Mostly because I genuinely like it better.

KJeffs

I am going with First-current last name-married name. My last husband died but I have gone by that name for over 20yrs, and it is our kids last name so I am keeping it. That way I can still sign my kids homework with the same last name as them.

Annas2013

I haven't done it yet, but mine will change to First Maiden Married.  

jlocascio85

I will be doing First name, my current middle name, and FI's last name.

shaina925

I will do First middle his last name.  I don't care so much for my maiden name to be honest and I definitely do not need two last names... plus it wouldn't go together well if I did my maiden plus his last.

Lisa50

I did not change my name.  I still have my one and only, original name. 

Kris012

I debated this and decided I will do first, maiden, his last name. 

kimiandgary

I always wanted to take my husband's last name and my middle name is a tradition for all the women in my family so that wasn't an option.

First Middle HisLAstName

Amanda1443994

I'm not changing my name. I love my name and may change it later on in life, but for the time being it's staying (: My FI is originally from Montreal so he's used to wives not changing their names. He didn't care either way.

whitneymarie504

First Middle HisLastName

I LOVE my middle name, which is very common (Marie), but it is a "family middle name" on both sides of my family. Every girl on my Dad's side except 2 who are sisters (their dad didn't like it) have the same middle name as my grandmother. On my Mom's side I am the oldest grandchild and have my grandmother's middle name as well. SO THATS STAYING.

I love my last name and it's rare but not hard to pronounce. However, my FI's soon to be ex SIL hyphenated her last name when his brother got married and they always thought kind of badly of her for doing so. Now there getting a divorce so the family frowns upon it even more. I don't want that. In addition, both last names are 8 letters long and that's a lot to hyphenate and write out. I love my FI last name which is also slightly rare and yet not hard to pronounce. He stole my heart, I'll take his last name

aragx6

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_customs-traditions_what-did-you-change-your-name-to?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:36Discussion:624038a6-572e-4436-8ac7-ad1cb4a0112aPost:e785b9dd-9f9c-4bd2-9ff0-67e6da51cc6e">Re: What did you change your name to?</a>:
[QUOTE]First Middle HisLastName I LOVE my middle name, which is very common (Marie), but it is a "family middle name" on both sides of my family. Every girl on my Dad's side except 2 who are sisters (their dad didn't like it) have the same middle name as my grandmother. On my Mom's side I am the oldest grandchild and have my grandmother's middle name as well. SO THATS STAYING. I love my last name and it's rare but not hard to pronounce. However, my FI's soon to be ex SIL hyphenated her last name when his brother got married and <strong>they always thought kind of badly of her for doing so</strong>. Now there getting a divorce so the family frowns upon it even more. I don't want that. In addition, both last names are 8 letters long and that's a lot to hyphenate and write out. I love my FI last name which is also slightly rare and yet not hard to pronounce. He stole my heart, I'll take his last name :)
Posted by whitneymarie504[/QUOTE]

Why?

Summer2011Bride

I did first, my middle name, his last name. I definitely wanted to take his last name--I just like the idea of it, always have, and I didn't lose any independence or whatnot by taking his name. I totally respect those who want to keep their own, ,but it wasn't for me.

coopsbaby

I think it's so interesting to read all the different thought processes behind name change or not. Especially all the girls who love their middle names since it's a family tradition. That's exactly why I hate mine! My parents both have the same middle (Ray/Rae) and gave sis and I both Rae. I intensely dislike it, especially the whole "OMG you all have the same middle!" reaction. Parents gave me total crap when I didn't name my first child with that middle. Ummm.... I don't like it. I will feel a weight lifted when it's gone. 

Also think it's funny that some are happy to get rid of a common last. or don't want to give up a unique last. I'm going from a created maiden name (my grandfather changed his from a common name to a new spelling) to a seriously common new last and am pumped! My ex's (and kids) last name is easy to spell, but everyone assumes it should be more complicated (not telling, but it's a 4 letter noun that is not a usual last name). I've never had a last name I haven't had to spell.

Just goes to show it is such a personal decision, no wonder people have so much trouble choosing!