Should a woman change her surname?

No

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by Bhavya Dabas

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The question is not really whether a woman should or should not change her surname after marriage. It should be more about whether or not she wants to do it. What I'm trying to say here is that she should not have to do it if she doesn't want to.

In a lot of countries today, women and men are constitutionally granted equal rights. Women are making as much headway in their careers as men. They are finding their own footing and creating an identity for themselves in the world. And part of that identity is their name. Her name defines her, in some ways. Changing her name to adopt her husband's last name means that she now has an identity which is dependent on her husband's identity, in a way. Of course, you become a different person after you get married. Your identity becomes intertwined with your spouse's identity. You change your ways and habits and make adjustments for the new person in your life. But I don't see why this should be more true for women than for men. I don't see why a woman who is very successful professionally and socially and has done it all on her own should change her name.

In a free country, everyone has the right to choose whom to marry. The two people have to then build a new life for themselves, which brings with it a number of decisions, such as where and when to buy a house, and when to start planning babies. These decisions should be taken in consultation with each other, and either partner has the right to voice their opinion on these subjects. The subject of changing last names should also, similarly, be a subject on which both partners have a say, especially the wife, because it is a decision that affects her more, obviously, because she is the one changing her name.

Of course, if a woman wants to change her last name, there is no reason why she should not go ahead and do it, or why anybody should object to it. The point is that she has rights, is aware of her rights to make her own choices, and is able to make a well informed decision for herself. Because, whether she is married or single, she has a life of her own and a right to live it the way she wants to.

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