The opposite—a man taking his wife's name—remains incredibly rare: In a recent study of 877 heterosexual married men, less than 3 percent took their wife's name when they got married.
The Knot's 2021 Real Weddings Study surveyed over 15,000 respondents and found that 78 percent of couples who got married that year had one partner take the other partner's last name — but that survey doesn't break that data down by gender. The anecdotal evidence, however, is unambiguous: It's rare.
Brian Powell, a sociology professor at Indiana University, says men taking women's last names in heterosexual relationships is a “very, very rare event.” “The cultural norm still is overwhelmingly that men do not change their name at marriage,” Powell told Global News.
See for yourself what they had to say: 63.3 percent of Men's Health followers said they would be upset if their wives kept their maiden names. 96.3 percent of Men's Health followers said they wouldn't take a woman's last name if she asked them to. What are your thoughts on women who keep their last names?
No, it's not weird at all. I've had the same last name my whole life. I kept my name after I got married because: I consider it to be an important part of my identity.
A woman taking her husband's name on her wedding day has always been the norm. Historically, a surname denoted ownership. Children were seen as their father's property, and upon marriage, the girls would become property of their husbands instead.
Retaining identity. Among the 20% to 30% of women who don't follow tradition, the most common practice is keeping their own surname, followed by hyphenation, making a hybrid name or, even more rarely, coming up with a totally new shared name, Carr said.
Whether a woman keeps her name or uses her partner's after marriage is a matter of personal preference, and today, there are no legal issues with doing either.
Some, however, are challenging one of the most entrenched customs of all, opting to have the groom take the bride's surname, eschewing an age-old practice considered the norm across many cultures and continents.
While there is no law in the United States requiring a name change after marriage, the tradition is still very much alive and well, thanks in part to its historical underpinnings in English (and subsequently American) common law. Historically, a person's surname was not considered all that important.
Many women choose to hold onto their married name after a divorce because of their children. Sharing the same last name can make women feel more connected to their children. It can also provide a sense of stability for younger children who will not understand why their mother has a different last name.
People in Britain during the 15th century began hyphenating their last names in order to commemorate the combining of their family fortunes. Also, when there were no male heirs, the bride's name could be taken on by the husband.
Germany. In Germany, since 1977, a woman may adopt her husband's surname or a man may adopt his wife's surname. One of them may use a name combined from both surnames.
"Taking your wife's name is more accepted in Sweden than in the U.S.," says Neil.
No. According to prevailing jurisprudence, “a married woman has the option, but not a duty, to use the surname of the husband.” Therefore, upon marriage, married women have the option to continuously use her maiden name or: Her maiden first name and surname and add her husband's surname; or.
The traditional approach
This is because the bride's parents are usually the hosts, paying a greater share of the expenses. This affords the bride's family the right to have their daughter's name first on the invitation cards. After the wedding, the thank you cards should have the groom's name first.
“Mrs.” is the proper title for a married woman whether she has taken her spouse's last name or not. This was not always the case–you used to only use Mrs. if you were taking your husband's first and last name– but times have changed!
However, no matter your reason for wanting the change, there is no legal obligation for your ex to go back to her maiden name. With essentially no legal means to require your ex to change her last name, your best option is to simply get over it and try to understand why she wants to keep it.
When you marry you are free to keep your name or take your husband's name but one thing is clear—it's absolutely your choice in most states and countries around the world. In fact, it's becoming much more popular for a recently married woman to keep her last name.
Because dating apps like Tinder and Bumble only reveal people's first names when you're swiping through the app, last names remain a mystery unless you ask. Because of that, asking someone's last name is taken as a sign that the relationship is becoming more serious. It also means that every date is half-blind.
It keeps your professional identity consistent
Now, it's by no means insurmountable, but if you feel proud of what you have built up under one name and feel that your name is firmly secured in your field, it may be easier to keep your last name and keep growing your business and your brand under the same title.
The child's last name on a birth certificate
The mother's surname when the child was born; The father's surname when the child was born; Both parents' names, recorded in any order, hyphenated or unhyphenated; or. Any surname to which either the mother or father has a familial connection.