Not changing your name

kittychik1318

Initially, Fi and I were gonna keep our names and then hyphen any kiddos that came. Then we got talking about it, and decided if we were gonna "torture" our kids with such a long-hyphenated last name, we were gonna go through it ourselves. So now we're both hyphenating.

[Deleted User]

I don't remember how it came up, but at Christmas dinner this past Saturday I said the phrase, "I'm never going to be a [hislastname]" to his family.  I explained that my initials are very important, I'm the first ADK with ADKs 2-6 following along.  I think FFIL said, "I'm glad you explained that."  So, I wonder if he was planning on giving us a lot of stuff with his family last name on it once we actually get married.

whovianstark

melbenso said:

I'm not changing my last name and it hasn't been a big deal.  No one's really asked me about it yet, but I planned to go with the best response I ever heard when a bride was asked:

Asked (to couple): Are you changing your name?
Answer from Bride: "Well, Tom really likes his last name, so I don't think I'm going to make him change it."

Never saw anyone else ask her about it again. 

I did ask a friend about this after her wedding, but only because I hadn't decided what I wanted to do! Hopefully I didn't offend her.

hoppytogether

My FI and I aren't too picky over names...but it doesn't at all feel like "us" to be traditional and have me take his.  

Some of our options thus far:

* Keep our own names; he would still go as Mr.L___and I would go as Ms. E_____ rather than Miss.  

* Combine our last names into something new (not sure how though, they don't mesh well.)

* Hyphenate our current last names together.  Most likely mine first because of how it sounds.

Whatever we do, I'm going to have a cute banner at our reception saying something like "Mr. _ & Ms. _ Welcome You" (ok idfk what to do but it will have our names there somehow) above our table.  That + a verbal reminder by whomever is announcing our arrival should cover it.

dcaviston

I am not changing mine, but I have toyed with Hyphenation, though once we have children I will most likely change mine since I will forever be call Mrs. W by the children's friends no matter what my name truly is... still happens to my mom to this day