Did you change your name when you got married?

[sainour 0]

HI jenn 3539, about your wondering to change your last name: here ,i, morocco, you can share your husband's name in your ID so all you have to do just to proof your marriage to the authority and it will be done

I'm just wondering how many of you changed your last name (obviously, that is, if you are a woman, which most of us are!) From what Wadi told me, it is not common practice in Morocco - is that true? I didn't change my name.

[jordanianprincess 0]

Actually Rahma, it's the same in Christianity in the Middle East. There are no formal papers to change your name. I know in Jordan they have family books, do they have those in Egypt?. So when someone gets married there, the man will go make a family book with government and each time they have a child it gets registered in this book. The same is true for what you said about the fathers name too, its how people identify you there.

I was wondering about that. Thanks for sharing I haven't heard anything about a family book though. I'll ask Tamer tonight.

In any case, I will be changing my last name in America, but in Jordan it will remain the same. That will be kinda tricky I guess because I have dual citzenship and each passport will have a different name, I'd better look into that.

[Cassie 8]

I didn't change my last name.

There is a hadith that states that on the day of Judgment, we will be called by our father's names. Thus, in Egypt, kids are named (first name) (father's name) (grandfather's name) (great father's name) (family name). A wife doesn't change her name upon marriage, because she has her father's names.

very interesting! thanks for posting that.

I'm just wondering how many of you changed your last name (obviously, that is, if you are a woman, which most of us are!) From what Wadi told me, it is not common practice in Morocco - is that true? I didn't change my name.

Hi there, it's not common at any muslim country. The wife normally keeps her family name. But here in america I assume this is where you will reside its' common here to take our husbands name. Actually, I married in Morocco but for better indications show you are truly serious of your relationship via the paperwork I would change it to your husbands name. My husband agreed as well.

Just my input.

Hmm. I hadn't thought of that. I think the tradition is becoming less common even here in America. Hopefully my not taking my husband's name wouldn't be frowned upon.

Nah, there are lots of women who don't assume their husband's last name for various reasons. It's becoming more and more typical.

[MrsAmera 41]

I changed! I'm now Mrs. Amanda Marie Mouttaki. I couldn't wait to change it

[noura 0]

I will be changing my name to Skakri when we marry... but I will probably keep my maiden name for my business since my clients all know me as that. I already put them thru one name change and back....

I will be Noura Skakri for outside of work.... (& in work too, but I will stay listed as my maiden name)

Noura

ps.... I can't wait to share my husband's name!!!!!!!!

[dollface41601 0]

see now thats funny, cause sofyan, being muslim and middle eastern, wants me to change mine

[Meriem_DZ 37]

I am changing my name. I love Hachemi's last name. It kinda sounds like a french name. Meriem Wallace(maiden n.) Boussouar. (bousswaar) is actually how it is pronounced. And Hachemi's family also has a family book.

Meriem

[vanillabean 0]

Hi Jenn,

I did take my husband's name. I feel that by doing so, we share a much greater bond, plus I love what his last name means. He was happy that I did take it.

I believe by keeping one's maiden name is a woman's way of making a statement of equality in the relationship, which is ok, but I think that sharing your husband's name would be more meaningful.

As for religious reasons, I would know MY name if it was called anywhere or by anyone!

[Jenn! 918]

I believe by keeping one's maiden name is a woman's way of making a statement of equality in the relationship, which is ok, but I think that sharing your husband's name would be more meaningful.

I don't know if I agree with you on the "more meaningful" part, but I respect your choice.

I've actually already made the decision to keep my name. I just thought it would be interesting to see where everyone else here on ME/NA stood on this.

Frankly, I was expecting fewer to have changed their names. If only because my husband thought it was an odd thing to do, I figured others would have felt similarly.

He must be an odd duck!

Good thing it doesn't make a difference to me either way!

[Rocio 0]

i did, first cos i like it and he wanted me to , second cos it makes things easier, i have enough problem spelling my first name all the time at least i dont have to spell last name now

[honeyblonde 0]

If you say your name is Lisa Jones, there are a million people with the name jones, so thats why people there take their fathers name as the middle name, because it would be Lisa Michael Jones, Lisa, daughter of Michael Jones.

That's funny, I work with a Lisa Jones!

I didn't take my last Moroccan husband's name, but I did have my son's father's last name, so my ex gave me constant grief about having another man's name. With Abdel I decided to change my name to his so I wouldn't have another man's name any more.

Abdel is quite a feminist, so he actually didn't care. He even joked about changing his to my ex's name since he liked it better than his own. I love Abdel's name - it's so exotic - Zmarrou. I also love watching people figure out how to pronounce it. Getting everything changed over is a pain, but that's ok, it's worth it to me.

[iceyspots 0]

I'm taking Yacine's last name, ha ha.. well.. a lot in Algeria do it.. but anyways..

[lostinlove228 0]

I actually have a funny story. I had never wanted to change my name. So when I got engaged, I told my fiance I wanted to keep my same last name. He had no problem with it. After a While I found my self first Hyphenating it, then using his last name. I found myself wanting to change my last name. It signifies that we are family now.

Then during a trip to Lebanon I realize that women are being reffered to by there maiden name. So I ask my sister in Law. Did you change your name. What does your Passport and Papers say. It was her Maiden name. In the Middle east they keep there maiden name.

No wonder he didn't care about me not changing my last name.

[LebaneseMama 1]

Ok gonna be a little controversial here :

We live in AMERICA ... our SO's are immigrating to AMERICA. Yes, in Lebanon the wife does not change her name ... but I do not live in Lebanon. It is not haram in Islam to change your name, all Muslim women I know here have changed their names.

When my child goes to school I want that teacher to know that we are a family .. we all have the same last name. We are one unit. I am not "belittled" by taking his name ... I am honoring my husband, children, and family. I am going to be Mrs. Ali's last name. What's so wrong with that ? My mother changed her name in the US, in Lebanon she is still under maiden name .. but who cares cuz we don't live there.

Under Ali & I's family book I am under my maiden name . When he comes and we have our second wedding I will change my name to :

Massouna Maiden Name (as middle name) Married Name (as last name).

Just my thoughts ... cuz gosh if I did everything like they do in the Middle East what kind of a person would I be ? A very odd one. I live as a Lebanese-American ... half & half. I do not comromise on the things that are haram, but if it's not haram and does not fit in American society .. I am going to follow what they do in my homeland.

[jordanianprincess 0]

Ok gonna be a little controversial here :

We live in AMERICA ... our SO's are immigrating to AMERICA. Yes, in Lebanon the wife does not change her name ... but I do not live in Lebanon. It is not haram in Islam to change your name, all Muslim women I know here have changed their names.

When my child goes to school I want that teacher to know that we are a family .. we all have the same last name. We are one unit. I am not "belittled" by taking his name ... I am honoring my husband, children, and family. I am going to be Mrs. Ali's last name. What's so wrong with that ? My mother changed her name in the US, in Lebanon she is still under maiden name .. but who cares cuz we don't live there.

Under Ali & I's family book I am under my maiden name . When he comes and we have our second wedding I will change my name to :

Massouna Maiden Name (as middle name) Married Name (as last name).

Just my thoughts ... cuz gosh if I did everything like they do in the Middle East what kind of a person would I be ? A very odd one. I live as a Lebanese-American ... half & half. I do not comromise on the things that are haram, but if it's not haram and does not fit in American society .. I am going to follow what they do in my homeland.

I don't think you are being controversial at all! I am doing the same as you. I'm changing it in the USA, but not in Jordan. I don't even know if there is a way to change it in Jordan. I like also want to take his name, as I am proud to be married to him and I also love his last name. My mom also changed her name here but not in Jordan. I think when they immigrated to the USA, my aunt did the papers for my dad (her brother) and to list her as his wife, they put my dads name and its been like that ever since.

I think in the end its a matter of personal choice no matter where you live, even if I were living in Jordan and could not change my name, I'd still refer to myself with his last name. I even do that now and we are not married. He gets so happy when I send him e-mails and sign my name with his last name.