Last name change.

[J & L 10]

Just curious.

Hopefully no one has made a poll like this before.

[ChuckM 8]

My wife is from Iran where it is customary to keep her fathers name so she did. Now most people assume she changed her name a she receives a lot of mail with my name. She has thought of changing it when she applies for citizenship but that is two years away so we will see. It makes no difference to me. I told her before we were married that this would be her decision and I would not pressure her on it.

[J & L 10]

We'll probably end up doing the same!

[Chantal&Marjo 4]

I changed my last name to my married last name but just in Usa here in Italy I have my maiden name

[Pecker 17]

This is offensive for males that changed their names.

[Eldridge C. Dange 0]

Hmm, for changing your name in citizenship you have to also do changes in your passport after getting your legal order paper only, you will be able to change the name in your citizenship.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Eldridge C. Dange

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I kept my maiden name. I have published material and a long professional career under my maiden name. Moving to the US, l was already leaving behind my career, my family, my friends, my home, my heritage, even my credit, and everything with which I was familiar . I loved/love my husband, but 'giving up' my name as well felt too much like I was also giving up 'me', that I would no longer exist and who I was would disappear into the mists of time. My husband actually raised the issue of me keeping my maiden name saying he had no problem if I wished to do so, and I am very grateful that he did. In the long run it proved much easier with all of the immigration paperwork and establishing my new life here in the States.

And yes, I also receive mail addressed to me as Mrs <husband's last name>. Interestingly, that has become one way I can identify junk mail, because anyone who knows me or with whom I have business knows I go by my maiden name. Anything that comes in addressed otherwise is almost always unsolicited and unwanted.

Edited September 16, 2014 by Kathryn41

[Caryh 5,206]

Its traditional in my wife's country to take her husband's last name, and move their paternal last name to the middle name position, while dropping the maternal last name that was in the middle before. They even codified this into their laws, although they do allow for keeping of the maiden name also it is not a common thing to do.

Edited October 1, 2014 by Caryh

[jaimelee 12]

I kept my maiden name and added my husband's last name because if I dropped my last name and took only his last name and if we ever had children they would have the same 2 last names in his country. Plus, I wanted my name to be as similar in possible in both the United States and Chile. Therefore, I have both last names and in Chile i will just have to add a "de" in between my two last names.

[berber_wife 90]

I had decided long before I met my husband that I was unwilling to change my name without some reciprocity on his part. So I had always figured I'd keep or we'd combine into a family name. Well, name-changing isn't a part of my husband's culture and we both have complicated last names so we decided to just keep as is. The kids will have his last name as it means more to him culturally and my family is about 90% male and there's plenty of others who can keep the name alive. I don't mind if people call me Mrs. His Last, although most people in my generation know to ask before assuming.

[YouAndMeForever 1,022]

I took my husband's last name when we got married.

[oncefuturealien 45]

I'd had my name for more than 40 years when we got married, so I kept it.

The only people who call me Mrs his name are his relatives

[MiaPA 12]

I kept my maiden name when my husband and I got married. I do plan on changing it with my citizenship and will finally be able to share my husband and kids' last name.

Edited July 10, 2015 by MiaPA

[MordecaiRigby 29]

I kept my maiden name for a number of reasons. First of all, I don't see a reason why I should change it just because I'm a woman. Just because something is a tradiction, doesn't mean I need to do it. Secondly, it's a way of keeping my heritage. I don't think I will ever feel American, so I don't want to pretend I am one. Furthermore, it was just much easier to keep my maiden name. Didn't need to change any documents, didn't need to get a new passport, new ID, update my info in bank, tax office, social security. And last but not least, my first name (which is very Slavic) would just sound ridiculous with an American last name.

I think things might change in the future and it might turn out that it wasn't such a smart move to keep my maiden name. At this point we still live in Poland. We just filed our I-130 petition. When we move to the States it might be a pain in the butt to have to spell my last name (which is quite long too). And if we ever have any children it might be hard to travel abroad if the kids have a different last name (border patrol could think I'm kidnapping them or something, lol). But I see many ladies here opted for keeping their maiden name, so I guess it's do-able and I'll survive!

[aminah 6]

I took my husbands last name even though in Morocco it is customary for the woman to retain her family's name.