Why Keeping Your Maiden Name is Important
When you get married, taking your partner’s last name is a tradition that many cultures uphold. It symbolizes the merging of two individuals into one unit, a true partnership that carries on for a lifetime.
However, in today’s society, more and more women are opting to keep their maiden names after marriage. Here, we explore the importance of keeping your maiden name and how it personally affects your life.
Personal Reasons to Keep Maiden Name
Someone once told me that my last name was a tongue-twister, and I found myself repeating it aloud for the first time in years. As I spoke the syllables, I realized how much it was a part of me, and I never wanted to change it.
For some women, their last name is unusual, meaningful, or simply part of their independent identity as a working woman. When we feel a sense of belonging connected to our names, why should we change them?
Avoiding Paperwork Hassles
Changing your last name and all the necessary documentation can be a tedious process. You’d have to go through the hassle of updating your driving license, passport, bank accounts, assets, and any other legal documents.
Not to mention the legal name change involves time, money, and running from one office to another. Keep your maiden name, and you’ll be saving yourself from all that paperwork fuss.
Confusion with Surname
Last names can often be confusing, especially when it comes to the format of first-name-middle-name-last-name or the South Indian naming convention. When a woman marries and changes her last name, it may cause confusion among friends, colleagues, or even strangers who have known her by her maiden name.
It can be embarrassing to explain to others that you are now using a different surname. By keeping your maiden name, you maintain consistency and protect your identity from being misconstrued.
Avoiding Extra Burden During Divorce
It’s sad that divorce is a harsh reality for many couples. During such trying times, the last thing any woman wants is to have to undergo additional stress and emotional drubbing by having to deal with affidavits and legal work for nomenclature changes.
Divorces in India are already challenging, given the legal system’s complexities. Thus keeping your maiden name can save you from some additional paperwork work that can be emotionally overwhelming during the tough times.
Personal Experience of Keeping Maiden Name
When I got married, I chose to keep my maiden name. Initially, I dealt with judgment and condescension from people who couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t want to change my last name.
For some, maintaining the sanctity of marriage is most important. Still, for me, my surname represented a part of my personality, and I loved that it made me unique.
Comfort with Identity and Decisions
Now, after being married for several years, I’m incredibly comfortable in my own skin and happy with the decision that I made. My maiden name carries a lot of weightage, and I wanted to retain that identity even after getting married.
Of course, as a result, my new address is always under my husband’s last name, but my identity remains unchanged. It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference to me.
Respect for Other Women’s Choices
At the same time, I respect that other women have made different choices and changed their last names; oftentimes, it’s a whole identity they associate with a new surname. Some women prefer to hyphenate their maiden name with their partner’s last name or incorporate it into their children’s names.
Everyone has different reasons for the name change or the decision to keep their maiden name. Our identity is greater than the sum of its parts, and it’s a choice we should all be able to make for ourselves.
Conclusion
In conclusion, keeping your maiden name or not is a personal decision. Some women don’t have any issue with changing their last name, while others find it fundamentally important to their identity.
There’s no right or wrong answer here. However, it’s important to know the implications of your decision, such as avoiding paperwork hassles and confusion with the last name, and mentioning it in legal documents like affidavits.
Ultimately, we should respect each woman’s choice and redefine our traditions to fit modern times. In today’s society, the choice of whether to keep your maiden name after marriage is more common than ever before.
It is a personal decision that women make based on a variety of factors, such as their identity, preferences, and practicality. The benefits of keeping your maiden name include avoiding the paperwork hassles associated with a name change, maintaining consistency in identity, and reducing stress during divorce proceedings.
At the same time, we need to respect each woman’s choice and redefine our traditions to fit modern times. Whatever women choose to do, it’s important to acknowledge the significance of their decision and understand their motivations.
Through this, we can more fully appreciate the diversity and complexity of women’s experiences.
