Your name change decision is a big one. While some of us newlyweds don’t want to change our names (and shouldn’t.) 88.6% of brides/newlyweds are still making the switch to Mrs. What if you can’t decide if you want to change your name? Read on for 3 tips to make your name change decision a snap!
Tip 1 –Talk to your spouse. Find out if they want you to change your name and why. There may be some fact or factor that you are unaware of that will make the decision easier. Perhaps they’re the last to carry the family name or have spent a lifetime imagining introducing their wife as Mrs. XYZ. Conversely, you may have assumed they want you to change your last name, but they might be happy to take yours.
Tip 2 – Figure out your options. There are SO many ways to change your name these days! You can take two last names, hyphenate, take your maiden as a middle, replace your middle with your maiden or even blend last names (in some states). Check into your state laws or play the Married Name Game to find out all of your married name change options…you may feel much better when you find your ideal compromise
Tip 3 – Try it out. Test your new name out by introducing yourself as such and signing it on a few things (nothing official)…you may feel less awkward than you thought. You can also talk to your friends about the whole new name idea and see what they think about your situation.
At the end of the day, married name change is entirely up to you. Do what feels best for you and your relationship. There is no official time limit on name change, so you can take your time to make the right decision. If you do decided to go from Miss to Mrs. be sure to use MissNowMrs to streamline the name change process and save 13 hours of hassle!