Legalize My Name

This isn't new or uncommon, but now that Hillary Rodham Clinton's daughter Chelsea got married July 31, there's some speculation about what name she'll choose to go by.  Many first-time American brides are consulting a website www.ImaMrs.com to help decide how they'll be ID'd.  www.Ask.com  gets over one million questions daily. Currently the 'what-should- my married-name-be' scramble is well among the top 25 questions asked! 

The average American gal isn't marrying till 27, and apparently a very large percent still change over to his last name. I think it would be safe to say most women wait to marry for a couple reasons; 1) they get themselves through university and/or established in a career and 2) let's be risque here, they didn't wait to sew their wild oats!  3) No one really wants to make a career of getting married do they? 'Let's get it right the first time'  might be chanted stronger than the in dreamy-eyed Doris Day movies " Ohhh, Imagine,  soon I'll be Mrs. Robert Smith."…But that's another story!

The majority of gals who are staying with their maiden names or hyphenating hers – with – his are well educated and/or established  in a career.  Some also keep their middle name out of  respect for their roots, (then add hubby's last name after,… again because they're 'traditional').  It's nice too for your future children if they and you and your spouse have the same last name I'd think!  In the Netherlands someone studied the situation and determined that name-changing wives earned less than maiden-named women,… (based on the fact that most name changers were older and less educated).

Way back when I was trucking I'd stay with a friend sometimes,… she hooked up with a fellow who had 2 children, an ex-step child and the son's girlfriend all living at his house.  At maximum capacity there'd be minimum 5 last names at the same residence.  My driver's lisence said "Alberta' and I kept a PO Box in the town nearest  the company HQ, (rural Ontario)!  Often the guy would also have two or three other trucker friends camped out.  Just take a number at the door…  The only problem really with the whole arrangement was buying groceries or beer as it'd be long gone from one visit the next!! That and the fact he'd been at two or three houses over the time-span of their relationship.  Like that country song, Where am I gonna live when I get home?!  My truck, the International Inn, was very cozy and quiet and was often preferred!   She eventually left him, and later married,… changing to his last name.

When I met & married my hubby I had no truck with changing my last name. Most people couldn't pronounce or spell it anyways!  l still get Lynne without the "e" or our last name with an "s" added, but in North America, our names are about as common as Smith and Jones!  We have friends whose last name is Pole.  Her maiden name was Fish!  You can bet she didn't want to hyphenate!  There are no real rules either.   A woman can choose to hyphenate hers then his or vice versa.  It's all the same paperwork and money!  Keeping her maiden name can make things less complicated therefore. Quebec laws say a woman must keep her maiden name.  In Nevada, I know, the maiden name must (also) be on her driver's license.  Again, maybe because women are marrying at an older age,… their criminal record can be checked easier!  See, if a gal marries at 16 or 17 like so many of our Grandmas did their juvi record is burried! "Geeze Gandma, did you really rob trains when you were 14?"  Grandma, back then, might not have gone past grade 8….

Anyhow, Chelsea had a dual-religion wedding ceremony and I imagine that was harder to figure out than what she'll call herself!  Over the last 40 years daughters of past presidents have kept their last name or added his to the end of it.

Funny, if her new hubby, Marc Mezvinsky, was considering a name change to Mezvinsky-Clinton, there'd be big time headline-hogging!