Giving Up Your Maiden Name

By Wendy Jaffe, Esq.

For my mother's generation, there was no question that when you married you exchanged your "maiden name" for your husband's last name. That was true even where the woman had a last name that was easy to pronounce and spell, and the husband's last name was let's say "unique." Today, women have many options. Some use their maiden name exclusively; some drop their maiden name and take their husband's name; and others keep their maiden name sort of as a middle name and add their husband's name. Apparently, Eva Longoria has opted for the option of keeping her maiden name and adding her husband's name. Her new full name, she announced, is Eva Longoria Parker.

I noticed that someone VERY famous seems to have also made some changes where her last name was concerned. When Hillary was First Lady and running for Senator of New York she always seemed to be referred to as Hillary Rodham Clinton. Yet, now that she is running for President, she seems to just be "Hillary Clinton." The Rodham seems to have disappeared.

Maybe her strategists have determined that middle America might be ready to break with tradition and vote for a woman for President, but not ready to vote for a woman who kept her maiden name.

Personally, I think that she should keep the Rodham. What do you think?

Comments

[Jennifer]

I agree with keeping your maiden name along with your husband's name. I'm getting married next year and debating how to handle this, but so far, I think I prefer the idea of keeping my maiden name as sort of a middle name.

[Mateja]

Keeping your maiden name besides your husbands is something that Europe handles very well. So to me it is realy no news, and after I get married I will keep my maiden name and my husbands. We will have chatolic marriage and I personally believe that when you do so, you are JOINING families, so why not join the names. It is a great way to show respect for your spouse and a great way not to forget about where you came from. People usualy remember women by maiden name anyways.