How attached should one be to his or her last name? Explain.?

Question

It seems like something we all can change but few of us ever do. Why?

Answer 1

This question has a lot of gender role implications.  

Historically, a woman takes the man's last name in marriage, but as times change, many realize that there is no point to this anymore.  A woman is not a man's property.  Furthermore, many women who accomplish a lot prior to marriage do not want to lose the identity they had throughout their accomplishments.  If Mary Brown became a doctor and then got married, why should she become Mary Johnson jsut because she got married?  She became an MD as a Brown.

I like the idea of hyphenating a last name in marriage, but I believe for me personally, I want my entire family to have the same last name.  Whether that means my husband will hyphenate his name and I will as well, as our kids will, or coming up with an entirely new last name, I do not think that because I am a woman, I should be the "odd man out" with a different last name than the rest of my family.

Again, I am not tied to my last name, but on principle, I feel that I should make a personal stand that it is okay for a woman to want to keep her last name, despite history.  Or have her man change his last name with her to form an entirely new identity.  But one could argue that would be kind of pissing on your ancestors.

Answer 2

Well i am rather pleased with my last name. Guess i will just

keep it. LOL

Answer 3

The last name...or family name..is not just a name...it is the symbol (much like a wedding ring) that shows membership in a select group....a family unit.

This sur name carries with it...the resume of a family...it gives its members a set of ideals, morals, beliefs, dreams, and goals...

We as individuals identify with our family members...and to a great extent...we are who they are...We are the name.