Snarky Brides

Are maiden names worth $500,000? (stolen from TN)

Completely unscientific study done simply to piss people off:

 

Are Maiden Names Really Worth $500,000?


Forget about cash-stuffed wedding envelopes. A Dutch study suggests a way for brides to pick up an extra half million dollars by doing nothing--specifically, by not changing their names. Women who kept their maiden names were judged to be more professional than married-name doppelgangers and proved more likely to win a job, according to the research. They also attracted higher pay.

 

If the study results have real-world implications—and more on some limitations of the research in a moment—then as this season's brides ponder a name-change, they might consider not only their shifting sentiments but economic realities.

 

Professors at the University of Tilburg in the south of Holland began their research by studying existing data for more than 2,400 married women. Three-quarters had taken their husband's name, 7% had hyphenated last names and the rest kept their maiden names. That seems comparable with the U.S., where a 2004 study found that the percentage of college graduate women who kept their surnames at marriage jumped from 2% to 4% around 1975 to just less than 20% in 2001.

 

According to the Dutch data, women who kept their names had higher average education levels and fewer children, and that they worked more and had higher salaries.

 

Next, the researchers asked 90 students (36 female, 54 male) to imagine meeting a married couple at a colleague's party. Some met Peter Bosboom and Helga Kuipers. Others met Peter and Helga Kuipers. Participants were later asked to judge imaginary Helga using five descriptions: caring, competent, dependent, intelligent and emotional. Helga Name-change was judged to be caring, dependant and emotional. Helga Kept-her-name was more intelligent and a bit more competent.

 

The researchers then confirmed these findings by asking 113 students about a scenario involving the fictitious Agneta. The name-keeping Agneta Vonk was judged less dependent, more intelligent and more ambitious than the name-changing Agneta Ellemers and the hyphenating Agneta Elemers-Vonk.

 

Finally, the job interview. Fifty students were asked to review emails containing job applications. Attached memos indicated that the applicant was either Roos Ellemers, whose own name was Fischer before she married Dirk Ellemers, or Roos Ellemers, married to Dirk Fischer. As before, name-keeping Roos was judged less dependent, more ambitious and more intelligent. She was also more likely to be hired--a 4.3 on a scale of 1(low likelihood) to 7(high), versus 3.5 for name-changing Roos. And she nabbed a higher monthly salary--3,020 euros, versus 2,159 euros.

 

That's 361,708 Euros over a lifetime of working, the professors reckon. At today's exchange rate, that's more than $524,000.

 

Before fiancées begin arguing the matter, they might want to look at some significant limitations of the study. First, the respondents stereotyping poor Helga, Agneta and Roos were students, and students, as anyone with knowledge of stereotypes must admit, know nothing. At the very least, they have limited experience with questions of who to hire and how much to pay. (Being Dutch, these students might have ridden their bicycles to school that day, leaving them too tired to think clearly.)

 

Also, the study didn't control for pre-existing judgments associated with the names. Anyone who has partied with a few Kuipers and Bosbooms knows what I'm talking about.

 

Nonetheless, with U.S. jobs scarce and income growth weak, it's probably best not to take chances. That's why I'm changing my name to Agneta Vonk.

 

Read more: Are Maiden Names Really Worth $500,000? - SmartMoney.com http://www.smartmoney.com/investing/economy/are-maiden-names-really-worth-500000-1303694755959/#ixzz1Km4uC5L4

Re: Are maiden names worth $500,000? (stolen from TN)

  • I see the point they're making, but when I apply for a job, the people interviewing me have no idea if the last name on my resume is my married name or maiden name.

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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_maiden-names-worth-500000-stolen-tn?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:1559efdd-7a0e-422a-ad57-abd824e674c6Post:d88a57df-8b0d-4336-9ff0-3f13e18cbf18">Re: Are maiden names worth $500,000? (stolen from TN)</a>:
    [QUOTE]I see the point they're making, but when I apply for a job, the people interviewing me have no idea if the last name on my resume is my married name or maiden name.
    Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]

    <div>
    </div><div>Yeah, this is what I was thinking. How would they know?</div>
  • Clearly there are limitations in its application to the real world but that's definitely interesting.
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_maiden-names-worth-500000-stolen-tn?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:1559efdd-7a0e-422a-ad57-abd824e674c6Post:d88a57df-8b0d-4336-9ff0-3f13e18cbf18">Re: Are maiden names worth $500,000? (stolen from TN)</a>:
    [QUOTE]I see the point they're making, but when I apply for a job, the people interviewing me have no idea if the last name on my resume is my married name or maiden name.
    Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]

    <div>Yup. Also, in the real world I'm guessing this would be more of a correlation, not causation kind of thing.  (These are all generalizations, but bear with me.)  Women who decide to keep their maiden names are probably already rather independent, so they're also probably mroe likely to 'climb the ladder' so to speak.  I doubt a super traditional woman is going to decide to keep her maiden name, then all of a sudden become really independent.</div><div>
    </div><div>OR, women who decide to keep their name (from my experience in the polls on here at least) could also be further along in careers anyway.</div>
  • PP hit the nail on the head. Correlation does not equal causation.
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  • I have found that many of the women who choose to keep their maiden name (whether hyphenating or not) do so because they already have a presence in their chosen field.  I added my married name onto the end of my maiden since my maiden name is the name under which i am already published and I wouldn't want to risk losing any notoriety i may have already earned.
  • Well, I kept my name and a girl who changed hers was just promoted over me. So, I beg to differ with that article.

    Besides, like J&K said, how would they even know if it's a new job?
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_maiden-names-worth-500000-stolen-tn?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:1559efdd-7a0e-422a-ad57-abd824e674c6Post:f7899b1c-4c1e-44f1-98ca-c6344dcda15c">Re: Are maiden names worth $500,000? (stolen from TN)</a>:
    [QUOTE]Well, I kept my name and a girl who changed hers was just promoted over me. So, I beg to differ with that article. <strong>Besides, like J&K said, how would they even know if it's a new job?
    </strong>Posted by Seshat411[/QUOTE]

    When I apply for jobs(teaching) I have to submit my certification, transcripts, letters of recommendation and test scores which all have my maiden name. If I'm still applying for jobs after I'm married then my application will have my new name. All the applications I do online (a ton of districts use the same application system) have a space where you have to indicate any other names you've been known by.
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  • I stopped reading at University of Tilburg because I thought it was Titburg and I thought that name was awesome.

  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_maiden-names-worth-500000-stolen-tn?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:1559efdd-7a0e-422a-ad57-abd824e674c6Post:9ce2c2be-049a-44d9-8afe-f16fe74e5a26">Re: Are maiden names worth $500,000? (stolen from TN)</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Are maiden names worth $500,000? (stolen from TN) : When I apply for jobs(teaching) I have to submit my certification, transcripts, letters of recommendation and test scores which all have my maiden name. If I'm still applying for jobs after I'm married then my application will have my new name. All the applications I do online (a ton of districts use the same application system) have a space where you have to indicate any other names you've been known by.
    Posted by Nina0528[/QUOTE]

    <div>Good point. That's usually only for jobs that require a background check, though, I think. (Mine does, too.) BUT I've never done a background check prior to job offer.</div>
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_maiden-names-worth-500000-stolen-tn?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:1559efdd-7a0e-422a-ad57-abd824e674c6Post:c1e4f520-6a0e-41e9-9e5f-a54528ac187a">Re: Are maiden names worth $500,000? (stolen from TN)</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Are maiden names worth $500,000? (stolen from TN) : Yup. Also, in the real world I'm guessing this would be more of a correlation, not causation kind of thing.  (These are all generalizations, but bear with me.)  Women who decide to keep their maiden names are probably already rather independent, so they're also probably mroe likely to 'climb the ladder' so to speak.  I doubt a super traditional woman is going to decide to keep her maiden name, then all of a sudden become really independent. OR, women who decide to keep their name (from my experience in the polls on here at least) could also be further along in careers anyway.
    Posted by Steph0871[/QUOTE]


    I agree. Also, the fact that college graduates are more likely to keep their last name... well, a college degree gives you more earning power over your career, period.
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  • I'll agree that it's a pain to have a different name now than all my degrees, awards, grants and certifications.  But I've had no problem with getting a raise at my current job or getting other great job offers even with the confusion.  I show people my wedding band and then show them my resume, and I don't think they think twice about the name change or judge me for it.
  • edited May 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_maiden-names-worth-500000-stolen-tn?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:1559efdd-7a0e-422a-ad57-abd824e674c6Post:c1e4f520-6a0e-41e9-9e5f-a54528ac187a">Re: Are maiden names worth $500,000? (stolen from TN)</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Are maiden names worth $500,000? (stolen from TN) : Yup. Also, in the real world I'm guessing this would be more of a correlation, not causation kind of thing.  (These are all generalizations, but bear with me.)  Women who decide to keep their maiden names are probably already rather independent, so they're also probably mroe likely to 'climb the ladder' so to speak.  I doubt a super traditional woman is going to decide to keep her maiden name, then all of a sudden become really independent. OR, women who decide to keep their name (from my experience in the polls on here at least) could also be further along in careers anyway.
    <p>Posted by Steph0871[/QUOTE]</p><p>Understanding correlation =/= causation FTW!</p><p>
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_maiden-names-worth-500000-stolen-tn?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:1559efdd-7a0e-422a-ad57-abd824e674c6Post:2d4aaae0-d644-41fd-9763-c832515d8b48">Re: Are maiden names worth $500,000? (stolen from TN)</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Are maiden names worth $500,000? (stolen from TN) : Understanding correlation =/= causation FTW!
    Posted by thesuninherhead[/QUOTE]

    <div>I love you for that.</div>
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