Re: Tell me what the negatives are for hyphenating your name

I would think the only negative is children and what to have their last name be. If you discuss with your FH then you can have a game plan and this won't be an issue later.

Re: Tell me what the negatives are for hyphenating your name

I returned to my maiden name after my divorce. It cost me a lot, not only financially but alod in heartache and emotion to get my maiden name back. I must admit it felt good, like getting my own identity back after an unhappy marrige. It was a triumph after the pain.

Now I am about to be married again to the most wonderful guy, I am hyphenating because I don't want to lose my maiden name and the feeling of identity it symbolises to me. My fiance wants me to have his name so hyphenating is a compromise which I hope works.

I have tried out my 'new signature' many times in advance of my wedding next month and I must say it does look long winded. Time wll tell if I get lazy and just start to sign in my married name!

Re: Tell me what the negatives are for hyphenating your name

I have found that when women hyphenate or take both names, the maiden name tends to get 'dropped'....

I work with an executive who is Mary Smith Jones (no hypen) -- and everyone refers to her as 'Mary Jones'. Her assistant even answers her phone 'Mary Jones' office'. It is only in formal documents and industry magazines that you see her full name.

But maybe if she corrected people, they would use all three names.....

Re: Tell me what the negatives are for hyphenating your name

I just printed out my Christmas address labels and they include my hypenated name on one line and DH's on the other. I hope people respect my name change. But at work I am still Michele Maidenname. That I will not change.

Re: Tell me what the negatives are for hyphenating your name

I'm graduating law school in May and was not sure if I could use my maiden name at work and my new name (my last name and his, no hyphen) for personal stuff. This s**cks!!

ABC7077: My parents are divorced and my mom had to keep my Dad's name because she got married at 19 and has been known by that name professionally for 26 years!

Re: Tell me what the negatives are for hyphenating your name

Question: For those that wanted to be 'traditional' all through the wedding process...wny did you decide to keep your name..to me sometimes it seems hypocritcal. Yes I realize this is a little different than the post but it just sparked my interest.

Re: Tell me what the negatives are for hyphenating your name

Debbie, I like to be eclectic. I dont think thats being hypocritical

Re: Tell me what the negatives are for hyphenating your name

to be honest Debbie, i am sort of being choosey about what traditions i incorporate and which ones i do not. basically, i am doing only what i want to do, which is what i plan on doing with my name change. for some things in the wedding process i am being very traditional, but for others, my goodness...well let's just say, i am not.

while i wish it would be easy and i could just take my FH's name, it is not that easy. i am an attorney. have not been practicing that long. BUT, i have passed 3 bar exams and been admitted to 4 different courts. I would need to go back and change all of those admittances, which does not just involve one form. There are huge applications involved and references as well. Plus, I own my own home. and if i can help it, i don't want to deal with the mortgage company again!

Besides, my FH's name means 'little ears' in German. i definitely have to think about that one!

Re: Tell me what the negatives are for hyphenating your name

JoRo I completely understand about the law degree and bar admissions problem. That is why I am keeping my own name. I also have a medical degree which is a doctorate and I don't want to have to change all of those things!! Besides I worked long and hard for those things and I want to be known by my maiden name!

Re: Tell me what the negatives are for hyphenating your name

wow ABC, you must be super smart! i am impressed. you definitely deserve to keep your own name! I wish there was some way that we could have it all. i have actually been thinking about taking my FH's name as a middle name, that way it is there if i want to use it, and not there if i don't. again, this will be a bit of a pain to change my name legally and with the Bars, but, i don't have to do it right away! and things like my license and passport can wait too!

Re: Tell me what the negatives are for hyphenating your name

My sister is getting married in January and she is finishing her doctorate in Psychology in May. She doesn't want to change because she wants to have her maiden name known as the one that did all the hard work! Also - her name is Kelly. Our last name is VERY Italian - and her new married name will be a 'McSomething'. To add to that, she is blonde with blue eyes! She feels like nobody will ever know she's Italian again! They will just assume she is full Irish (we are half ), and just feels like she is losing some heritage somehow.

In my case, my last name would be 17 letters long hyphenated with 8 syllables - a mouthful of Italian!!!! FORGET IT!