Surnames of Women

I've had a lot of surnames. First, I was adopted. Then, I was married. I was married again. Now, I am married again, for a total of five different last names.

I'm all in favour of keeping one for all time, but, in my case, I didn't like my maiden name. It combined with my first name to produce an unfortunate set of initials.

There needs to be some sort of coming-of-age ceremony in which a woman may choose a name to use for her entire adult life. Not her father's name, or her husband's, but one that is uniquely hers. An occupation name, perhaps, or a place name. Whatever she wants.

We don't think much, in this day and age, of being owned by another person. But slaves were given the last names of their owners in much the same way as children are given their fathers' names, and wives, their husbands'.

I like my husband's last name. It goes very nicely with my first. I would not have liked to be the one to tell him I didn't want it. This is probably why the custom still obtains. "Look, Honey, I love you, but really don't want to take your name," can't be the easiest thing to say. I'd put it right up there with the pre-nup! How much more difficult to add, "I don't really like my name, either, so I thought I'd just try for something different. I've got it! Why don't we both change our names?"

Not going to happen in my lifetime!