did you change your name?- for the mena girls

[amal 4]

I took his last name. We talked about it before we married and he told me it was my choice and whatever I wanted to do would be fine. The look on his face when I showed him my new SSC with his last name was PRICELESS. He absolutely glowed - and still does when he hears me say it. I think it took all of 10 days after I got back to the USA to get it changed. I love my last name ALTHOUGH I wish I would have left the "al" off. It is pronounced without "al" so it just confuses ppl ON TOP of being hard to say anyway.

Still, I'm glad I took his name. My son doesn't mind at all either.

amal

[Meriem_DZ 37]

I took my husband's last name. It sounds like a French name. Most people when they hear it ask" What part of Louisiana are you from?"

Meriem

Edited September 11, 2007 by Meriem_setif

[RandyandRina 2]

I took my husband's last name simply because it's been our custom (Philippines) to do so. However, I had a choice to not to, but chose to change it anyways. I also thought about the whole immigration process, plus other personal matters.

[m&n 0]

I didn't change my last name.

[monnik 0]

I voted NO , doodle. But, that's because I haven't changed it YET.

Overall, we decided that it wouldn't matter. Even in Egypt, the kids don't have the same last name as the mother. So, it's no big deal.

I love my maiden name and my dad had all girls (5 total) so I wouldn't mind holding onto my dad's name for the rest of my life. Mina even suggested taking my dad's name after his citizenship.

Because he despises his grandfather & great-grandfather's names, that might be his most favored option.

And, I wouldn't want to change my last name to one of the names that he doesn't like. So, I think we will be different - for a couple of years at least.

[chaishai 1]

For the ladies, when you married your mena man, did you change your last name? I know this topic has already been done in the past but I'm too tired right now to look it up. lol.

I'm struggling on what to do. I currently have my ex's name and want to obviously get rid of that but I don't know if I should take my husband's last name or my maiden name.

I would want to vote other but that wasnt available. I never officially changed my name, however you would do that. But for some bank stuff I am my married name. For other bank stuff I hyphenated. At work I kept my maiden name as I am very established. At our son's school I go by married only. It totally depends on the situation and I like the flexibility. Oh and I sign for things based on how much I am in a rush - my married last name is 5 letters and my maiden last name is 10!!!

[slbois 0]

I voted yes. My husband has a two part last name. I love the name but I get so tired of explaining how the names are spaced apart but they actually go together to form one last name, yada yada yada

On the upside, the delivery guys at work will go out of their way to avoid me signing for packages. Especially when they have to key in the name afterwards.

[Carolyn 1]

I was happy to change my name, though I thought about it long and hard...

I always expected that I would keep my name if I ever got married (being quite the feminist), but somehow it seemed right to change it when I met Simo.

To me, changing my name meant marking a big life change... I did keep my maiden name as my middle name, but it seems unnecessary.

My husband said it was entirely up to me...his mom has her maiden name, and he still calls me by my old last name sometimes. I think he kinda likes that I took his name, but it wasn't that important either way.

Meriam--my husband's family name also sounds quite French (it is the name of a village in Algeria, even though they are Moroccan)...but nobody knows how to spell it!!

Carolyn

[coolred38 0]

I never took his name(and happy then and now that I didnt) and nobody ever suggested that i should...in Islam, especially among Arabs you stick with your fathers/family name...who you came from is very important to Arabs. To this day people (the nationals/arabs) ask me if my fathers name was....my last name....makes me laugh....some of you might know that among arabs your second name is always your fathers name so they always think my last name is my fathers first name.....if you knew what it was you would giggle too

[MHS 0]

I changed my last name to my husband's last name. When we were engaged we went shopping one day together and he was watching me sign my last name to a credit card receipt and he asked me "Honey, would you like to have my last name when we marry? It would be my honor for you to share my last name with me." I was totally shocked because I know that alot of arab women do not change their names to their husband's last name. I looked at him and I started crying because I was so happy that he felt that way and I could tell that he wanted to merge our cultures and traditions together. Some of my friends asked me was it hard for me to make that decision because my last name was my husband that died 3 years ago and I told them no it wasn't hard for me to make that decision because time does heal all wounds and Allah brought me another angel in my life and I am blessed to have found such a wonderful man. I know that my first husband would want me to move on and live life and not live in the past and mourn his death.

[monnik 0]

I understand about the father's name causing confusion about my American last name. Because, here, when anyone asks me my father's name & I tell them, they say "Oh, so your name is Nicky Eddie Murphy??" (if my dad's name was Eddie Murphy, that is..... ) Or I tell them my name, and I get "Oh, so your dad's name is Hefner!" (That's if I tell them my name is Niki Hefner )

It sounds kind of weird to hear my last names or father's name used in a different way, but that's how the names work in Egypt.

Good luck with whatever you decide, doodle.

Edited September 11, 2007 by monnik

[~Jess~ 0]

i took George's last name. it really wasnt a debate...the only thing we debate about is future kids having Georges as a middle name........im not fond of having a daughter with the middle name of Georges YKWIM??? so we will hafta see when the time comes.

[deadbird 2]

I'm going to take his last name. I thought my mother would throw a fit because after my parents split, she couldn't wait to get her last name back, but when I told her I intend to change my name she was just like "well, whatever, it's your choice and still begins with M so at least your initials won't change!"

[Alhamdulillah 0]

I took my husband's last name the first time around and after the divorce, changed it back to my maiden name. When I married this time, I kept my name because I don't believe it's a part of my religion to change it to his.... I'm his wife, not his property... we're not transferring title here (no offense intended to anyone who has a different view, it's just my opinion )

hahaha I just laughed at the bolded part 'cause I just called my husband and asked him if he's heard that it is haram to take his name. He said, "what is this thing you are talking about???? you are my wife, yes?" and I said, "well I sure hope so!!", and he said, "then you are MINE and you should have my name!!!"

Luckily, Islam does not regard us as property and so we do not become a man's possession once married... we are still our own individual person. Also, the Quran tells us to call ourselves by our father's names... not our husband's names.

Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers, that is more just with Allah. But if you know not their fathers (names, call them) your brothers in faith and Mawaleekum (your freed slaves). And there is no sin on you if you make a mistake therein, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend. And Allah is Ever OftForgiving, Most Merciful. (33:5)

[Nasturtium 500]

I like my name so I kept it. Ammar's name doesn't flow well with mine anyway. I asked him if he cared, and then when we got married it was about 3-5 hours afterwards that I fell into a panic and realized I didn't know if he had changed my name in the contract, but he just smiled and said he knew i liked my name and left it alone. He will call me by that sometimes, but not often... and no one has ever said Mr and Mrs anything to us so it's not an issue. I changed my name brieflt in my last one but then paid and had it changed back a few years before we divorced because i never used it an loved my actual name.