changing my last name or hyphenated?

WHY YOU SHOULD HYPHENATE -

* People Will Be Familiar With Your Name .

* Old Friends May Be Able To Contact You On Facebook , MySpace , Bebo , Etc .

* Can Keep Your Signature , Just Adding A Little Extra .

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T HYPHENATE & SIMPLY CHANGE -

* A Fresh Start With A New Name .

* Can Have A Totally New Signature .

* Shows More Respect To Your Partner With Your Willingness To Take His Name .

* Creates Less Confusion . People May Get Confused With Hyphenated Names .

PRO OF EACH -

* A New Licence Photo ! HaHa . Your Chance To Improve That Picture That Everyone Looks Bad In .

Good Luck & Congrats .

I personally prefer changing your last name to your husbands. If you would like, it's perfectly acceptable to keep the initial (i.e. Dana A Stevens). Usually, a hyphenated last name is unnecessary. If you're very well established in your career and are worried that losing that last name might deter someone from doing business with you, as they no longer recognize the name, then a hyphenated last name is acceptable. I don't really have a reason for disliking the hyphenated last name. And you said that your children would just use his last name, so that does make it better to me. I've seen five-year olds with hyphenated last names and it just strikes me as odd. It's hard enough for children to learn how to write their last name, let alone a double last name! It really comes down to what you and your future husband are comfortable with. My personal preference would be Dana A Stevens, simply for convenience and looks. Best of luck and congrats!

I understand why people hyphenate but really you are getting married, you are entering a union with your husband and becoming his wife. I think a new beginning should have a new last name. I also like the changing of the middle initial but do you like your middle name? Then keep it. Everyone knows you that way already.

I was contemplating this myself for two reasons. First, both my parents are deceased and I am the last "Anderson" for argument sake. Second, I work in law enforcement and I would like to keep my maiden name because people know me that way. But I love my middle name, it's the name my parents gave me so I wouldn't want to change it. If I kept all four initials, the three last ones would be JHS, like junior high school and I don't think so. I want to take my husband's name because I am proud to marry him and everyone will always remember me as "Anderson" but now I am "Smith". You are right you have to live with this decision the rest of your life. My opinion: change it.

The initial is nice. They hyphenated name comes off as pretentious most times, and is often cumbersome to say. Also, now that I'm in my late 30's, anyone I know who started out married life like that dropped it before too long--it just gets to be a pain after a while.

I wanted to use my maiden name as my middle, my mother and his mother did it, but he wasn't having it. So I just dropped my maiden name all together. My friend has not legally changed her name, but any paperwork she fills out now, she uses her husbands last name with hers: Dana Anderson Stevens (no hyphen).

It's really up to you and your husband. Just remember that whatever you decide you get all paperwork changed over to reflect the change.

Personally, I think that when you get married, it's nice to take on your new husband's name. If you use a hyphernated name and your two surnames are long ones, it could make things more complicated like signing your name etc. But at the end of the day, it's got to be your choice and do what you feel best!

I don't know...making your potential kids having hyphenated names...it is so snooty to me. what about the next generation?

Your daughter (hypothetically named Jane)

Jane Anderson-Stevens-Jacobs?

would you tell her to have a three pronged last name?

Where does it end

Change your last name. I find hyphenated names to be obnoxious. I am a traditionalist, and I tend to find it much nicer when the whole family shares the same last name.

-Are you famous?

-Do you have a career or business that would suffer if your name was different?

-Is your last name Rockefellar?

If you answered "No" to any of the above questions, then just take your husband's last name and call it a marriage. The girl above me is right. Hyphenated names ARE a pretentious eye-roller.

Not saying he would feel this way, but if I were him, I'd feel kind of like not as important, disrespected, or at the worst offended.

Why would you want to keep your maiden name?