h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Last day at work for a while, and when I return I'll be a married woman!

I'm not changing my name, though. Last time I divorced, I chose a name for myself that would be mine for ever, and it's such a chore to get all passport, driving licence, mortgage and insurance details etc changed. So while you can call me Mrs G, (Hi Sho! )and I'll answer to that, and I'll double-barrel it on Facebook, but for offical porpoises, I'm still H.

It is an odd old patriarchal hangover isn't it, to adopt your husband's name? Good thing Ismarah's back, she can tell us all about the Icelandic convention

My wife, while I refer to her as Mrs G in my postings, never changed her name and isn't actually Mrs anything.

Among my female friends, I'd say about equal numbers changed their name as didn't.

congrats to the next Mrs. G! People will think we're sisters if you change your name (and given that all us Gs are related by one means or another we probably will be related by marriage...)

I wasn't going to change my name - I was 21 when I married and already in the Army establishing my name. My boss recommended that I didn't change my name and I agreed. But when I got back from getting married someone in our Orderley room had started the process and I was changed except for passport. His boss was so cross that they paid for my new passport

I've now had this name much longer than I had my maiden name and have informed my current husband that if I divorce I'm keeping it.

Being of the church variety, my bride insisted on taking my name. But nearly as many now do not. I really pity some of the girls in Quebec, who traditionally hyphenate ... Their surnames get so very lonnnnnng

Best wishes for the actual occasion. Reguardless of naming convention, you'll always be the Lady that shared the calamari cakes.

PS: Reguarding divorce and names, ...

A neighbor went through a very messy and drawn out one, her husband being a real arse about everything and really throwing his 3 daughters into distress many times. One day, when leaving the court-rooms, she told him that when it was all done, she was going back to her maiden name, and so would their girls.

He was beyond livid until his lawyer pointed out that BOTH, man and woman, were born to the name of Lowe.

How exciting Bea!

I wouldn't have changed my name when I became Mrs Zen, except that the name I was using wasn't my maiden name, and it seemed inappropriate to be married to one husband and have a previous husband's name. However, I'd got blogs and things in my previous name, so I have kept that for work and taken Dr Zen's surname for everything else.

I rather wish I'd done what you did, Bea, and choose one of my own on divorce; there are some rather pretty family names lurking in the background which I could have taken.

Ben

PS - I did suggest to Z that we did actually change our name to Zen but he refused. Spoilsport.

Mind you Ben Zen is probably not a good idea; I hadn't really thought it through.

B

Giolla Easpaig means the "servant of the bishop". Somebody with this surname was originally the son of the bishop's housekeeper.

My cousin is also a genuine Mrs G. Another relation, perhaps?

My brother new a couple who, when they got married, both changed their surname to "Platinum".

I had heard that, Gno - interesting, eh? Means i can call my names and it's all true...

Ben Zen - how cool, you really should reconsider!!

When I married, law still required for one of us to change our name.
My parents were totally against my husband, so I said I'd take his name, or rather, I had both names, and his name was the 'family' name. Both our sons were born as S****. A few years later, the law had finally changed, so I went and claimed my name back. I could have changed the name of the children, too, but then they had been born as S***, so I left it.

We gave our children a double-barreled name.

I can almost imagine how long our names might have measured, double barreled. With lineage that includes Voisin, Ernewein, Kupferschmidt, Schiestel, Batte and Kunkel, plus the base name. ...

Surely which name you keep is also influenced by the kids' name - especially if they're younger.

My sister doesn't have children, but she got married quite young and then her career took off. She left her husband standing, career-wise, and divorced. However, as she'd made her mark with that name, she kept his surname. It's not a particularly unusual name, so there are never any embarrassing questions.

I have an ex-sister-in-law who still depends on my brother's surname to get her in doors and conferences. Some 25 years since they divorced.

What's in a name?

In some cases, quite a lot ...

Endless Mrs Gs! I am too.

Family in Iceland were less than excited at the idea that I was going to change my name as there it's seen as vaguely subjugative / sexist - it did take me several years to change mine and I've not gone and got all my files and forms of ID changed, yet.

For me, the deciding factor was whether or not I wanted to be associated with my husband (+ his name is vaguely easier than my old one!) or with my biological father that I last spoke to at my wedding in 2005.

Oddly, if my stepdad had adopted me and we'd changed my surname as a kid, I don't think I'd have adopted DTs name. Certainly it would have been a harder decision.

Congrats on plans and weddings and future things

Thank you thank you!

Just had buns and a wee gift from the office staff.

Exciting times, Bea. Best wishes.