Married ladies- did you change your name when you got married? I kind of want to keep my last name professionally but then take his name legally for our kids or whatever. Is that a thing? I feel sad losing my last name entirely, I also feel like in this industry you kind of build a brand for yourself and your name is everything? He’s not huge the idea and I also hate being expected to or told to do anything.

I didn’t change my name. Happy I didn’t. The kids have my husbands name though

Been married almost 4 years and I did not change my last name. There’s a lot of equity I’ve built into my brand over the years and awards all attached to my name. I may hyphenate legally when we have kids for ease of travel. But my name is my name, it’s my identity, it doesn’t need to change just because I’ve chosen to share my life with my husband.

I legally changed my name once my son turned five and went to Kindergarten. Just so we all had the same last name. But for LinkedIn, I hyphenated with my maiden name (First name, maiden-married) so my old work colleagues would still remember me and could find me.

You don’t need to lose your last name as yes you’re right - it’s part of your identity. However, if you want to have a family name you can have your current last night become your new middle name and then take your husbands last name as your new family last name.

It’s not the same as double barrel, your current last name is now legally your middle name. Just use that going forwards.

E.g Sarah Louise Edwards becomes Sarah Louise Edwards Jones or for professional short on LinkedIn and emails sign off as Sarah Edwards Jones.

Didn’t change my last name and no regrets! Husband doesn’t mind either, even gets a kick out of when he is called Mr (my last name) because I booked something under my name like a hotel.

Didn't change my name, kid's name is a hyphenate, feel great about it. I hate paperwork and like my name.

I changed my last name. It had no impact on me professionally or personally. It really wasn’t hard I’m not sure why people say it’s a lot of paperwork 🤷🏼‍♀️

Remarried but kept first husband’s last name. Had no children with him. Was a much easier name to spell and pronounce than present husband or my original last name. Also built my career under that last name. Children with 2nd husband have his last name.

Didn't change my name. Zero regrets. Married 17 years, 2 kids. They have my husband's last name. My only sort of regret is not officially putting my last name on their birth cert.

No

I hyphenated, but my kids have my husbands last name. I’m an only child, and culturally I didn’t want my last name to end with my marriage. I also felt this might be safer from a voting POV… but I’m not entirely sure.

Never changed my last name. When I got married, back in the '90s, I had strong feelings about keeping my name, I think partly for feminist reasons, but mostly as a connection to my father, who died when I was in high school. Our daughter has my husband's last name. I thought having different last names might cause confusion when she was in school, but that didn't happen. My husband never had an issue with it -- his brother's wife also kept her name and his sister never changed her name so I guess that's their family tradition.

If you talk to HR from the beginning, you should be able to use a preferred name. They will even put your email on that name.

I got married in 1999 and kept my name. Husband and kids have a different last name and it's never been an issue. My observation is that I existed in a 5-10 year window where it was important to women to keep their name. After that, the pendulum swung and I observed that most women took their husbands' names. My daughters are now in their early 20s and plan to keep their names. FWIW, I'm glad I kept mine.

I didn't change my name and I have zero regrets. So much simpler.

I kept mine! I’ve been paying for that domain name long enough, don’t wanna just disappear online