Comments on: How to Change Your Name After Marriage

on 10/29/2008 I recently went through this process and it was so frustrating I created my own change name kit for Australia. It is full of great tips, but one that works for every country is this:

Practise your new signature early, or you will find yourself with forms for your passport, drivers license, credit cards, etc. in front of you and every signature will be different. These are all important documents, so make sure you take the time to practise your new signature

on 9/10/2008 Thats correct. Your identity only changes if you submit your marriage certificate and any extra supporting paperbook to your local government & your bank/utilitity/finance/super etc companies.

on 8/28/2008 What if you want to change your first name at the same time? I have been spelling my name differently for 10 years, but now that I am married and changing my last name, I would like to change my first name all in one fell swoop. Can I do that just on the forms, or do I have to go through the court process for the first name? Also, my passport does not expire for a few more years, do I have to get a new one for my name or can they just do an ammendment in it?

on 8/28/2008 What if you want to change your first name as well? (I am actually just changing the spelling) Can you do this all at once with the marriage forms or do you have to go through the court process for the first name?

on 7/4/2008 it depends on where the marriage license was issued. In some states, the license has blanks on it for your new names after marriage if either spouse wants to change. If you don't fill those in, your name doesn't change. In other states, it's implicit. Changing or not changing the name on the driver's license is not what causes your name to legally change. You have to check the law in the state she was married in.

on 6/15/2008 Now that Same Sex Marriages are legal in at least two states. The rules for names changes change slightly in those states. For example in California, either party may change thier middle to thier Birth/Maiden and last to thier partners name or Partners to Middle name, then Maiden or Current to last. Or change their last name to a combination of both last names such as Reagan and Ford to Reagord or Hyphenate or take the maiden last name of one of the parties in the marriage.

on 4/20/2008 For women, I was under the impression that your name is changed automatically if you do not indicate otherwise. I know someone who got married and thinks that because she did not change her drivers license that her name has not legally changed. But she did not make in special request on the marriage license. Anyone know the scoop on this?

on 4/20/2008 For women, I was under the impression that your name is changed automatically if you do not indicate otherwise. I know someone who got married and thinks that because she did not change her drivers license that her name has not legally changed. But she did not make in special request on the marriage license. Anyone know the scoop on this?

on 4/20/2008 For women, I was under the impression that your name is changed automatically if you do not indicate otherwise. I know someone who got married and thinks that because she did not change her drivers license that her name has not legally changed. But she did not make in special request on the marriage license. Anyone know the scoop on this?

on 4/20/2008 For women, I was under the impression that your name is changed automatically if you do not indicate otherwise. I know someone who got married and thinks that because she did not change her drivers license that her name has not legally changed. But she did not make in special request on the marriage license. Anyone know the scoop on this?

on 4/20/2008 For women, I was under the impression that your name is changed automatically if you do not indicate otherwise. I know someone who got married and thinks that because she did not change her drivers license that her name has not legally changed. But she did not make in special request on the marriage license. Anyone know the scoop on this?

on 4/20/2008 For women, I was under the impression that your name is changed automatically if you do not indicate otherwise. I know someone who got married and thinks that because she did not change her drivers license that her name has not legally changed. But she did not make in special request on the marriage license. Anyone know the scoop on this?

on 4/20/2008 What a pain in the neck! No ladies, you DON'T have to change your name when you get married. Women should have more respect for themselves and their families. The "tradition" of women changing their names upon marrying stems from the archaic medieval pracatice of a man purchasing his wife so that she becomes his "chattel". Thus, she would give up her identity and take his name so everyone knew to whom she belonged. Who's name do the kids get when you keep your name? Pick the husband's or the wife's. Hyphenating gets silly. Of course, if you want everyone to have the same name, do what you want and go through the trouble indicated in the "How to" instructions. I just don't think it should always be the husband's name. Most women are the heads of their families. What makes his family more important?

on 4/20/2008 What a pain in the neck! No ladies, you DON'T have to change your name when you get married. Women should have more respect for themselves and their families and keep their birth name. This "tradition" surely stems from the archaic medieval practice of a man purchasing his wife and claiming her as his "chattel". Thus she gave up her name, or identity, so all knew who she belonged to. As to what to name the kids, pick one of the names. Hyphenating is silly. What do you do with a hyphenated name when you get married and you want to change names? Someone's name is eventually going to be dropped. Why should it always be the woman's?

on 4/8/2008 Is this an American site or a British one? The advice seems to be aimed at the UK user but the site is .com and the word Cheque is spelt Check here. Even more confusing the prices are in pounds but the above comments are from someone in Texas.
I would have thought that the advice would be different according to where you live.