I didn't change my last name for a few reasons...

1. I have accomplished quite a bit in my industry with my last name - changing it would mean losing some of that "brand recognition" i've built up.
2. I'm very proud of my last name because I'm very proud of my father and everything he's accomplished.
3. I kind of feel that it's an outdated way of doing things - as if I'm becoming my husband's property after marriage.

But I do use his last name socially, like on social media and such, because he really likes it and wanted me to change it but I just couldn't be bothered, especially because it's a whole mess of paper work like mentioned in the article lol.

I didn't change my name either. Several reasons:
Well established in my profession.
I changed my last name when I married my first DH. Never felt right and I took my own name back when we divorced.
Complete paperwork hassle.
DH wouldn't consider changing HIS name. Not that I really expected him to, but it clearly demonstrated a double standard. I'm not the quiet wifey type.

I changed mine. I loved my italian sounding maiden name, but it did make me feel more part of "the family"

It REALLY made it easier when it came to SD17. SD has Type 1 Diabetes and all skids are on my insurance. Having to sort out insurance issues is SO much easier since we have the same last name.....people just assume I'm her mom and give me the info I need and let me order what I need. When I was still "Italian Name" they would tell me they needed SD17's approval before they could make any changes, etc. UM excuse me! This policy is in MY name, the premium come out of MY paycheck, and the insulin and supplies are paid for by ME. I'll do what I want! Now it's easier.

My maiden name was a variation of my first name. I never liked the combination.
When I married the first time I was thrilled to change my name to have a "normal" combination.

When I met second husband I thought I'm glad we're just dating and I'm not marrying him as his last name is another variation of my first name. When we decided to get married I added his last name to first husband's last name so now I have a double last name. I wasn't going back to the simple variation again.

I like my name now. It was a good solution for me. It wouldn't have worked if I had divorced the first time, but since he died it works.

***names changed within the text for privacy****

I changed my name when I got married.
I had a high-profile family tragedy growing up and so I thought I would like to get rid of my last name. I had even considered a legal name change prior to being married.

As I signed the marriage license, relinquishing my last name, it felt a little wrong to me. It felt old fashioned and the feminist in me cringed a bit. I wasn't sure I liked being someone else's last name and it didn't make me feel connected or more unified.

So there we go. The skids and BM, DH and I all have the same last name now. The very first time I heard my new last name was when the minister pronounced us married. "congratulations Mrs. Reynolds" she said. I actually recoiled some and I knew I was in trouble.

I told myself I would give it 12 months and if it still didn't feel good, I would change it back to my maiden name. I only bothered to change my driver's license and even that took my 3 months to do.

Every time I encountered 'Reynolds' with the BM and skids, I sneered. I actually wanted a tee-shirt made that said "They're not mine!" that I could wear in public so people would not think that MY children were so misbehaved and awful.

I shifted back to using my maiden name but the bank....everyone was getting confused and it was a hassle either way.

I realized how much I had accomplished with my maiden name...Also, the family tragedy...I was no longer ashamed of it. That name was a badge of honor because anyone who made it through that was a damn hero!

12 months into marriage, I paid over $500 to change my name legally back to my maiden name. DH was devastated and furious at the time but now we laugh about it and he jokes that he should take my name because he doesn't want to share a name with BM anymore.

I had very unique madden and very unique exDHs name that I kept after divorce. By unique I mean only people of our families have it, no one else. I loved my ex's name and it goes well with my first name, I had for most of my adult life. Both my maiden and first husband's names are ethnic and suit me.

I got married second time last year and thought it would be rude to keep my exDH's name and my DH would. be hurt ( I did think about it, not because I love my ex lol I dint, I love my DH, but because I love the name, so does everyone else). So now I have very common last name that does not suit me but who cares? Many people (many of my students and their parents for example)still call me by my ex's name once in awhile and it's ok, doesn't bother me.

My last name is a man's first name.... I used to wear my ex-h's name but I never changed... I'm not sure yet whether I'll take SO's name, just wear it, or not at all.

As a teen, I wanted to change my last name because my older sister was a notorious druggie criminal in our small community, and I experienced backlash because of it.

As an adult, I kept my maiden name for professional reasons. Eventually, I took DH's last name. (It might have had something to do with the silent tantrum he pitched at the Dept. of Motor Vehicles when I renewed my license). It's unusual, hard to pronounce, and has been tarnished by HIS criminal relatives.

If the worst happens and DH predeceases me, I'll go back to my maiden name. After all the strife I've experienced with skids and inlaws, I have no desire to share a name with them.

I worked with a man who took his WIFE's name when they married. His 'maiden' name was Smith. She is the last in a long line and they want their children to carry on the line.

My DD kept maiden name. Sadly she widowed last year, they didn't have kids yet, were planning. My DD is of a mindset that women should keep their names. If she gets married again some day, she'd again keep maiden name.

I find it more convenient to have the same name.

I kept my name as a middle name since my education and career is attached to that name- and use DH's name as my last name.

I wanted to have the same name as DD, and bonus- I learned much later from the SDs that it pissed off BM. }:)

My maiden name has 12 letters. I couldn't change my name fast enough. Lol

I won't take my numpty's last name. I have a number of reasons to this.