I took my husband's last name.  I think it was mostly because I was tired of my maiden name, which was somewhat unusual and rhymed with annoying things.  I prefer Ms. to Mrs. because I don't feel old enough to be a Mrs.

My wife kept her name because she saw no reason to change it. Neither did I. After all, I wasn't dating xxx Lemert.

There have been a couple of times over the years that she's been tempted to change her mind, though - usually when the credit agencies screw up her file. She has a very common last name, and she's convinced the credit agencies use it as their 'garbage can' when they can't figure out who the information really applies to. I've never (knock on wood) had trouble with my reports.

As for children, Marilyn vos Savant (iirc) (of "Ask Marylin" in the Parade Sunday magazine) suggested that sons be given the father's name, daughter's the mother's. This way each would actually have their own identity instead of a "place-marker designating future property status".

  Also, there's nothing sacred about traditions. They start because someone thinks there's a good reason to do what someone else did before, and they can stop whenever someone disagrees with that reason. New traditions can begin the same way.

Didn't change my name. Wasn't an option. I asked my fiance how he felt about the idea of changing HIS name after marriage and he was like "oh HELL no". And I said "well, that's the way I feel, too, sweetie" and it was the end of the discussion.  !http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/smile.gif|src=http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/smile.gif|border=0!

I don't really mind being addressed socially as Mrs. Hislastname, though. It kind of makes me roll my eyes but it's certainly not a hill I'm picking to die on.

Things have gotten a little tricky now that DD is in preschool, the teacher asked me how I would like to be addressed by the children (it's a cooperative preschool so I'll be helping in the classroom sometimes). DD's name is Natalie Mylastname Hislastname. The teacher said it would be easier for the kids to understand if they called me Mrs. Hislastname, which I think is a load of BS b/c I dont' think they have the faintest idea what Natalie's last name is... but again, not a battle I really care about. I'm sure they'll just call me Mom Lady anyway. 

:: Bonita

This is french for "I don't like to change things that work to my benefit or don't cause me  to expend any effort"

I didn't change my last name. When we got married I was in the Air Force- no way I was going to get all new name tags, besides I like my last name. My kids are hyphenated, that was kind of a pain though.
Even after 20 odd years my mother refuses to go with the program, she addresses all stuff to us with "Mr and Mrs evilG" evilG's_last_name. Anything monogrammed she sends us has his name on it.
I don't care if anybody calls me by his last name, when the girls were in school, the teachers called me by the hyphenated name, my kids' friends all called me "miniG's Mom".

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Originally posted by Chris the Wheeler:

Tradition.... What's wrong with tradition?

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Tradition works.

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[http://This message has been edited by gebuh (edited Dec-07-2007).|http://This message has been edited by gebuh (edited Dec-07-2007).]

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Originally posted by rlemert:

As for children, Marilyn vos Savant (iirc) (of "Ask Marylin" in the Parade Sunday magazine) suggested that sons be given the father's name, daughter's the mother's. This way each would actually have their own identity instead of a "place-marker designating future property status".

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This is exactly what I plan on doing :-)

ETA: Here's the Ask Marilyn answer that I love !http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/biggrin.gif|src=http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/biggrin.gif|border=0!

"Why is it so much more likely that parents will give a son his father’s first name than give a daughter her mother’s first name?
—Kary Anne Tamblyn, Ellicott City, Md.

Daughters are not reared as independent individuals with lifelong surnames, so giving a girl only her mother’s first name is mostly pointless. It’s the combination of a first name and a surname that creates an identity.

Boys and girls both start life with their father’s last name. But girls usually drop their surname when they get married, changing to the name of their father-in-law. I believe both men and women should keep their premarital surnames throughout life. When they get married and have children, sons would take their father’s surname, and daughters would take their mother’s surname. The benefit to girls and women would be enormous while costing boys and men nothing—except the fun of claiming ownership of the opposite sex!"

[http://This message has been edited by RunsInGA (edited Dec-07-2007).|http://This message has been edited by RunsInGA (edited Dec-07-2007).]

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Originally posted by Ive got a crush on you:

And our kids bearing his last name signifies that I'm not a single mom, and that they have a father present in their lives who is primarily responsible for their well-being, education, etc.

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Wow, who knew my kids were missing out on so much?

:: Bonita

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Originally posted by BonitaApplebum:

Wow, who knew my kids were missing out on so much?

:: Bonita

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They're not. But you're opening a hole where they could. !http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/wink.gif|src=http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/wink.gif|border=0!

Hey, I have my reasons for using my dh's last name, and so do you.