My mum’s best friend’s daughter is getting married four months before us. When we got engaged those two got incredibly giddy and started talking about how they would go shopping for mother-of-the-bride dresses together, and help with invitations, and every other thing under the sun that best friends talk about.
But what made me laugh the most about the stories I heard was when my mum asked what her friend’s daughter’s name would change to after she was married.
“Well, I don’t normally beat you on many things,” my mum said to her friend, “but I think I beat you on this one!”
My mum hadn’t even asked me if I were going to take his name, she just assumed. And she assumed correctly.
I hadn’t even thought about not taking his name, if I’m honest. I remember before I met him that I joked about only going out with men with good surnames from then on, and his is definitely a good one. My mum’s friend’s daughter’s fiance’s (wow—say that after a few drinks!) surname doesn’t quite have the Italian flair that my mister’s certainly has.
It’s another thing I’m looking forward to once we’re married. 
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Image via Carlton Adkins Wedding Photography
A friend of mine has debated this subject a bit, first wanting to keep her name, then wanting a double-barreled name, and finally settling on turning her current surname into a middle name so she can continue to use it.
Me? Not bothered about keeping it. Don’t get me wrong, I love my surname—it’s my name. My initials, JQ, are awesome and JP is just, eh. JP doesn’t even look like me. That’s the first time I’ve ever written JP to reference myself…it looks weird. I’ll have to get used to that.
But would I want to keep my maiden name just because I like my initials? Nah. I like the thought of being Mrs P. His Mrs P. And if I have to lose my current surname to be that, then I’m happy.
My mum was an only child, and because of that her maiden name wouldn’t get passed on to another generation. So instead of keeping her name to herself, she gave it to my brother. Her maiden name is now his middle name and my brother absolutely loves it (it’s in his Facebook name and everything), so I think I may follow on that tradition and pass down my maiden name to a child of my own.
Luckily, my maiden name is also a girl’s name (and boy’s?! according to Wikipedia!). Although I’ve never heard of anyone in the UK with it as their first name, a certain character on a very musical TV show in the States leads me to believe it might become popular in the next few years over here, and passing it on to a daughter might be a nice way to keep it in the family.
Did you find it easy to switch over to your new name?
My new surname will be Martinez, which is quite different and much more common than my current very European and unique last name. It will be an adjustment but I can’t wait to be his Mrs. and have the same name as his amazing family.
I am SO conflicted about changing my last name.
For one my fiancees last name is Orellana…which I can’t correctly pronounce in Spanish. Also my initials would be BO 
Teehee surnames…I love British lingo 
I felt the exact same way, and I changed my name a few weeks after we got back from our honeymoon. I still forget to introduce myself as Mrs. Newname, though – it takes some getting used to haha.
I currently have a unique last name. I used to hate it as a kid, but now I love it. There’s a part of me that’s a bit sad to lose it, but I want to take my fiance’s last name. It’s also Spanish, Molina. I love it!
To the PP, I love Orellana! It’s beatiful! It’s pronounced o-ray-ya-na.
I’m in the process of changing my name and it sure is weird at the moment…socially I’m Mrs. NewName, but all my credit cards still say OldName, so I never know what to call myself and usually just go by my maiden name to avoid somebody thinking I’ve stolen a credit card! haha. It’s like the awkward growing out bangs phase ;-P
I’m struggling with this as well, my fmil seemed excited if I took his last name, but it’s not even her last name! She is remarried-lol. She remarried and made her first husband’s last name her middle name, so that she could have the same name as her boys. Interesting huh? I also have 3 1st names, and 2 last right now-complicated, I was thinking I could just hyphenate and have 6 names total, but that is kooky. I dont know what to do. My last name now I LOVE it’s A so I’m always first and it’s also my daughter’s last name, but she’s 18 now-so- I dont know I go back and forth. Its all very complicated.
@Miss Jackrabbit: ps having received an email directly from you with your name, I think that’d be a great name for either a boy or a girl I’ve seen it used a bit here in the states, but not too often. Just once or twice.
My name is like the John Smith of girls, there are so many of us. I’m going from a very common name to a very unique name. I am, however, going to miss my very common name.
I absolutely loooooove my last name. It’s easy, it very rarely gets misspelled, and it’s famous! Okay, I’ll just say it, my last name is McCoy. I LOVE it. BUT, it’s also very super common, I couldn’t get a gmail address without adding numbers, and if you google me, you’ll find millions and none of them are me. Which is, of course, both a positive and negative… I love my last name, but I still wouldn’t dream of not taking his last name.
I love the way you put it – “I like the thought of being Mrs P. His Mrs P. And if I have to lose my current surname to be that, then I’m happy.” I’ll never stop being a McCoy, but I’ll really enjoy being Mrs. H too. Because I WANT to be known as his wife, and I want our kids to be known as ours. It’s just a worthwhile change to me!
I’m lucky, my fiance and I have the same last initial so I’ll stay CM.
If your last name is what I think it is, I know a girl in real life whose named that. I really wish I had a maiden name that could be used as a first name. To me, that’s the best possible compromise.
I’ve seen your last name used as a first name for both girls and boys. My fiances last name is very very common Mitchell. I am very happy to take it.
I have an issue with changing my last name. I am Puerto Rican and my fiance is Irish. I adore my Hispanic heritage and find that my last name is a part of that heritage and to lose it because of marriage bothers me. It’s also my father’s name, and I love my father more than anyone in the world. He worked hard to raise me and I don’t know if I’ll be doing a dishonor to him, my family and my culture by taking a non-Hispanic name. This issue has really gotten to me. And whats worse is that my fiance won’t compromise on hyphenating my names. :\
I think your old last name is on the short list for girls names on my list. I’ve never seen that show and to be honest, the rising popularity is holding me back from loving it. But if its your maiden name, that’s PERFECT!
Our future son’s middle name is my grandmother’s maiden name. Love it!
I never really thought about taking his last name until Christmas. Just assumed I would. But I’ve started to get a little weird about it. I miss HS already and I don’t even know HB yet. :/
Oh, I think I know what your last name is! XD
I love that name!
I also think that planning on giving your last name to your child is a great idea. I wish things like that could be made in my country. Latin last names sound well, very “last name”. LOL
Wait, Did your mum win because her best friends daughter will have an awful name or because she isn’t changing it when she marries?
My “surname” starts with an S and newname starts with a G. As a kid at school and pretty much everywhere, I HATED that my name was among the last to be called. I am so pumped to move up in the alphabet! Although I think my dad’s a little sad to lose the name (he has 3 girls).
As soon as I saw ‘Q’ and you mentioned your brother loving it, I had an inkling and you totally confirmed it. I then thought about Daria. <3 Love it – so perfect.
This was a no-brainer for me as well. 100% all in on the name change and in the interest of full disclosure, I've been practicing writing my new last name for years. 
@fronkinzankinsbride: my new name will be cooler than hers
@Mrs. Wallaby: LOL i never even thought that that would be a strange word!! It’s so funny being reminded that we say different things :p
Miss Jackrabbit, Brighton, UK Age and Occupation: 26, Office Manager Fiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Songwriter Engagement Date: October 5, 2012 Wedding Date: September 2013 Venue: Fabrica Gallery, Brighton About Me: I honestly thought I'd go all Monica Geller when I started planning our wedding, but in truth, things couldn't have gone much differently. I am working my way through this venture, figuring things out as I go, and adopting a 'Que Sera, Sera,' approach to making decisions. When I'm not organising the biggest day of my life, I can usually be found drinking a glass of wine, crafting up one thing or another, or stopping my cat from head-butting me in the face.
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