Name Change After Marriage for Newlyweds

Looking for name change advice or some tips for newlywed life? The MissNowMrs experts have created state-specific name change articles and checklists for you. We’ve chronicled our recommendations for how to travel while changing your name AND how to handle voting during the transition.

We’ve also compiled our best guidance for how to handle difficult sister in laws, holidays as newlyweds, the ever-annoying baby questions, and much more. Why? Because, while we are name change experts, we’re also newlywed wives, moms, and sisters.

We hope our name change advice articles help smooth your transition to your new name, and a whole new phase of life. Congratulations and best wishes from the entire MissNowMrs team!

Name Change Questions to Ask Yourself

As wedding season hits full bloom, brides are beginning to ask themselves name change questions. Remember back to middle school when you tried on various boyfriends’ last names to see how they sounded? This is the real-life version of that game. Newlyweds have to decide if they will keep their maiden names or change to a married name.

The MissNowMrs name change experts have come up with some facts and name change questions to help you as you ponder your married name change decision.

There are many name change options to consider. You don’t have to choose between your maiden name or your spouse’s last name. Brides today can hyphenate, take two last names without hyphenation, take their maiden name as a second middle name, replace their middle name with their maiden name or keep their maiden name. Not having to part with your maiden name completely can make your decision process easier.

Think about your life now and in the future. Is your career tied to your maiden name? If so, it may be wise to keep your maiden name or choose a married name change option that includes your maiden name with your spouse’s name. Do you plan to have children? How would you and your spouse feel about having different names than your children? How will your children feel? Asking these questions can help you refine you feelings about married name change and what is best for you.

Will you? Won’t you? While there isn’t a time limit for deciding to change your name after marriage, it is wise to make the decision as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more things you will need to change if you opt to change your name (ex: leases, insurance, mortgages, bank accounts.) We’re big fans of the Band-Aid mentality.

If you’re going to change your name, do it, and do it as quickly as possible. That’s why we created MissNowMrs.com to streamline the 13 hours hassle of changing your name after marriage into a 30 minute app or online experience! We’ve also created a free married name change checklist that details the entire process of making the transition to Mrs!

Photo credit: Kenziemil

70% of Americans Believe Women Should Change Their Name After Marriage: A Name Change Expert Sounds Off

70% of Americans believe women should change their name after marriage. And, half of the citizens of the United States believe a woman should be required by law to change her name after marriage. Those are insane statistics and beliefs… right? A recent article in the Gender Issues Journal raised some eyebrows. As a name-change expert who contributed to a name change journal article on the topic of name-change predictors, I was very curious to learn more about the study. Here’s what I learned.

Ms. Emily Fitzgibbons Shafer’s abstract states that she surveyed a diverse sample of 1,243 individuals to evaluate how committed they think a woman is as a wife by her last name choice. And whether a woman’s last name choice causes individuals to hold her to different standards (known as a backlash effect.) I understand the key life variables that impact a woman’s name change decision. But, have not studied how her choice might impact how others view her. So this is interesting sociological stuff. I’m also curious if Emily’s double last name is from her parents or due to her own married name change decision.

Schafer writes about the suggestions that Hillary Rodham using her maiden name contributed to Bill Clinton’s loss in his 1980 re-election campaign. Her name change to Hillary Rodham Clinton did happen afterwards. So, there may be a kernel of truth or societal pressure there. Name change is a highly controversial topic before you sprinkle in politics, so on page one this journal article is explosive!

The Good News:
This study found among women and highly educated men, women’s surname choice seems to have little effect on their perceptions of women as a wife or the standards to which she is held in marriage. So, if you’re surrounded by highly educated women and men you won’t subject yourself to negative views if you keep your maiden name.

The Bad News:
Schaffer found “among men with low education, a woman with a last name that is different than her husband’s is seen as being a less committed wife than a woman whose last name is the same as her husband’s. Further, less educated men feel that a woman who didn’t take her husband’s name should be forgiven for fewer days late than a woman who has the same last name as her husband’s. And they believe that the woman’s husband would be more justified in divorcing her for her perceived neglect of the marriage (as measured through repeated lateness).”

So, if you spend a majority of your time with under-educated men and don’t change your name after marriage you stand a high likelihood of being viewed as a bad wife, deserving of less forgiveness, and those guys would totally understand if your husband divorced you for neglecting your marriage.

Name-Change Expert Opinion:
Because I founded an online name-change service to help women change their names after marriage, most people assume I’m a gung ho name change advocate. Yes, I do make money on name change, but I am also a female founder in tech. I view name change after marriage as a personal choice. It reflects each woman’s situation, heritage, and personal style.

Name change should not be correlated with being committed to a relationship, nor should it influence forgiveness… something that is vital to a healthy, long-lasting marriage. In my opinion we need to be having open discussions with our families and peers about name change as a personal choice, not a law.

Want to learn more about this topic? Check out these stories from Elite Daily and Refinery29.

Kylie Minogue’s Married Name Change

First comes love, then comes marriage, and 88% of the time name-change is the next step. It seems like the very successful singer, Kylie Minogue, will be part of that majority when she gets married. In a recent newspaper interview the star opened up about her up-coming nuptials and her intention to change her name.

Why would someone who’s name has been linked with fame for over 20 years change it? Typically the older a woman is when she marries, the more likely she is to keep her name (Kylie’s 48). She is even more likely to keep her maiden name if it is tied to her career (um hi she’s a star). Outside of these key indicators of name change is that wonderful thing called love. When asked why she would change her name, Kylie said “It makes a statement.” Indeed it does. More and more brides today are choosing to change their names as an expression of commitment or of being “all in.” Another famous figure who recently changed her name after marriage, is Amal Clooney and we totally called that name change before it hit the news!

As name-change experts, we have a prediction for Kylie Minogue’s married name change choice. Based on her star status and interview statements, we think she will take her maiden name as a middle name and become Mrs. Kylie Mingoue Sasse. Mrs. Kylie Sasse has a nice sound to it! We wish her and fiancé Joshua Sasse a lifetime of love and happiness together.

4 Tips To Make Your New Year’s Name Change Resolution Happen

Did you make a name change resolution to make your married name change a reality in the New Year? Whether you were a New Years bride or have been procrastinating for months, January is an ideal time to change your name after marriage. So, if you’ve made the decision to officially switch to Mrs. how do you get started? Below are a few tips to ensure your name change resolution actually happens this year.

Name Change Resolution Tip #1

Decide on the last name that is perfect for you. You can take your spouse’s last name, hyphenate, take two last names, take your maiden as an additional middle name, or replace your middle name with your maiden name. Undecided? Play the Married Name Game and let its patent-pending algorithm suggest your ideal married last name(s) and factor in state laws, as some states do not allow all forms of married name change.

Name Change Resolution Tip #2
Request 2-3 certified copies of your marriage certificate. This is the legal document that you will need to file with your name-change forms. Having several copies will allow you to file at several offices simultaneously, and become a Mrs. that much faster. *Trust us, the faster you go through the process, the less hiccups you will encounter.

Name Change Resolution Tip #3

Determine the filing order for your state of residence. Different states require different forms of ID to be filed first. Some want you to file with Social Security 24-48 hours before filing for your new driver’s license. Some states want to see your social security card in your maiden name to process your new driver’s license application, and still others require that you bring your new Social Security card with your new married name (which take 2 weeks to process) before they will issue your new driver’s license. Understanding the filing order where you live will help you plot where you file first, second, and third. That knowledge will also help you avoid making mistakes that can result in standing in long government office lines several times. Feel free to use our detailed married name change checklist as you map out your transition to Mrs

Name Change Resolution Tip #4
Skip the stress of re-creating the name-change wheel and use the MissNowMrs.com easy online name change service. Sure we’re a little biased (it is our company) but honestly…wouldn’t you rather spend $30 to save 13 hours of tedious form research, completion, and filing? There’s a reason we have over 350,000 customers. Smart busy brides see the value in outsourcing their name change so they can spend more time doing fun newlywed things like decorating, celebrating, and spending time with their spouses!

Name Change After Marriage in Alabama

Newlywed in the Heart of Dixie? If you are considering name change after marriage in Alabama, there are a few key things to keep in mind as you make the switch to your new name.

Alabama Name Change Options

Alabama’s policies make it a great state to change your name in. All of the name-change options are allowed under state law. So, you can take your spouse’s last name, hyphenate your last names, take two last names sans hyphen, take your maiden name as a middle name or replace your middle name with your maiden name. If you’re on the fence about the new name that is right for you, play the Married Name Game. Its algorithm determine your ideal married last name based on key life factors and your personal style.

Alabama Name Change Forms

Any newlywed in Alabama changing their name needs to file the SS-5 form to update their social security card. Then the IRS 8822 to update their name associated with taxes. Followed by, one of three passport forms to update their married name with the State Department and the USPS form to change their name with the postal service.

The Alabama DMV does not have an official form for newlyweds changing their names on their driver’s licenses. But, you will need to bring your current license, your certified marriage certificate, and proof of residence if your address has changed.

Alabama Name Change Fees

It is free to file all federal name change forms except for the passport form(s). If you have had your U.S. passport for less than twelve months you can update your married name on your book for free. If you have had your current passport for more than twelve months you will need to pay $110 to have your married moniker on your passport.

The fee for your duplicate driver’s license is $18.50. So, if you’re changing your name after marriage in Alabama you’re going to spend approximately $118.50. This does not include certified marriage certificate fees. Not too bad to become a newly named newlywed!

Save Time On Your Name Change

You can manually fill out all of the forms mentioned along with notification letters for all of your banks, credit cards, insurances, employers, mortgages, etc. OR, you can use the MissNowMrs easy online name change service. It’s like TuboTax for married name change. Answer a few questions and all of your forms will be prepared for you. You can print, sign, and file. Or opt for our premium package and have them mailed to you with pre-addressed envelopes and postage. For only $29.95 it’s a no-brainer for busy newlyweds!

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