When I got married for the first time 36 years ago I thought it would be cool to hyphenate my maiden and married names. That lasted about 6 months, the name not the marriage, that lasted a little longer.Since each name had three syllables and eight letters, it became cumbersome fast, so I opted to just go with the married name. I was 19, and wanted everyone to know I was married so I was fine with that.
I have known a few women who hyphenated their names. It seems less common now as more women opt to just keep their maiden names which makes more sense to me. Even those who use both names give their children their husband's surname rather than the hyphenated combination. I always wondered about that.
I finally saw what I worried about in the wedding announcements in Sunday's paper. Yvonne Hines-Bruce married Carl McCarthy and is now Yvonne Hines-Bruce McCarthy. I don't think that's going to fit on too many magazine subscription forms.
And what happens when their daughter, Jennifer Hines-Bruce McCarthy marries Joseph Jones-Smith Parker? Does she become Jennfer Hines-Bruce McCarthy Jones-Smith Parker? The kid's not going to be able to remember her name until she's 18. And imagine the monogram on the towels.
7 comments:
I've always wondered about that. I took my husband's name (not being too fond of my maiden name) which made deciding our kids last names very easy. But all those hyphenated last names? It's gotta end somewhere, and someone's feelings are going to be hurt.
Funny. I always hated my maiden name, until I had to sign it away. Not a hyphen person. And so confusing when kids have a different last name, although that is more often the norm now.
I've always wondering about the hypenating. How does it work with kids?
I voted to take my husband's last name becaues I kind of hated my maiden one.
I'm not a fan of hyphenating, either. But I will admit it was hard to suddenly have a new name. It felt odd saying it out loud and writing it was weird, too. All these years later, I can hardly remember having my maiden name.
I still think woman should take their husbands name. I always thought that a hyphenated name was used when you come from a well know family like Heines or something like that. Also if I was Bill Clinton daughter I would put my maiden name along with my husbands name. That's just how I see it.
Here in Sweden it's common for husbands to take their wives' names or for one of the couple to hyphenate their name. Of course, women still take their husbands' names and sometimes they make up a whole new surname for the new family unit they are creating.
I hyphenate my name and boy, it's very very long! I need two lines when writing my signature! ;-)
I have some friends who have done that. It can get mighty complicated! I would consider doing it professionally, but not for the magazines!
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