Name Change after Marriage

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!

Lady Gaga Engaged – Will there be a Lord Gaga?!

Lady Gaga Married Name Change | Lord Gaga

Lady Gaga is officially engaged! Rumors have been swirling about Lady Gaga and her boyfriend Christian Carino, and she recently called him her fiancé during her speech at Elle‘s Women in Hollywood Celebration. So now that it’s official, as name-change experts we can’t help but wonder if there will be a Lady Gaga name change in the future.

Our Expert Analysis + Prediction

Usually we begin our name-change prediction analysis by looking at several key factors in the bride’s life. This time we’re looking at the groom first! On the tails of Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk blending their last names to become Mr. and Mrs. Faltrow… we could see a less conventional name change working for Lady Gaga and Christian. In fact, we’re curious if he’ll take her name legally to become Mr. Germanotta or if he’ll playfully become Lord Gaga in the public eye.

The basis for our supposition around Christian changing his name after marriage are his future wife’s level of fame and his level of commitment. Women’s name-change decisions are heavily influenced by their careers, especially careers that involve name recognition. Doctors, lawyers, real estate agents, and of course celebrities tend to hold onto their names post marriage. Christian already has a tattoo of Lady Gaga’s face on his arm, indicating a high level of commitment to his wife.

Applying known name-change factors to Lady Gaga we see that she’s 32 (the older a bride is at the time of her wedding the more likely she is to keep her maiden name,) and does not have a male sibling to carry on her family name. This information leads us to predict that Christian will become Mr. Carino Germanotta or Lady Gaga will choose to become Mrs. Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta Carino.

Regardless of their name change choices, we wish Lady Gaga and Christian a lifetime of love and happiness… AND if they do decide to change their names, we would love for them to use the MissNowMrs name change app!

Original Story from Martha Stewart Weddings
Photo Credit: Keven Mazur, Getty Images

Will Barbara Bush Change Her Name After Marriage?

Barbara Bush Name Change | 4 Factors — Photo credit: Paul Morse

Barbara Bush and Craig Coyne just got married in an intimate wedding in Kennebunkport! Barbara is the second daughter of former President Bush to tie the knot. So, we’re curious with her iconic name if she’s going to change her name or keep her maiden name.

While men have been carrying ancestral names for centuries, it is less common for women to carry the first names of living relatives. Barbara Bush was named after her grandma, former First Lady Barbara Bush. What an honor, and also what a big name to try to live up to. Can you imagine getting in trouble as a child and being told you were tarnishing your grandma’s good name? (We’re guessing about this… but still, can you imagine how you would feel?)

We’re curious if Barbara loves her current name, or if her marriage will give her the opportunity to take a new name and almost a new identity separate from her grandmother. Let’s examine the four main name-change factors that may influence Barbara’s married name change decision.

Our Expert Analysis

Factor One: The Bride’s Age
In the context of name change, the older a woman is at the time of her marriage, the more likely she is to keep her maiden name in some way. Barbara is currently 36, an age that usually correlates with women keeping their maiden name.

Factor Two: Level of Education
The more degrees a woman holds, again the more likely she is to hang onto her maiden name. Ms. Bush graduated with a degree from Yale, which has us thinking she will keep the name that is associated with that prestigious degree.

Factor Three: Occupation
If a woman has a career that relies heavily on name recognition, such as being a doctor, lawyer, or real estate agent, she is less likely to change her name after marriage. Barbara is the co-founder of a large non-profit and of course the daughter of former President George Bush. Her name is very tied to her work and activism.

Factor Four: Family Tradition
Family tradition can heavily influence a woman’s married name change decision. Barbara’s twin sister option to keep her maiden name and add her husband’s name after her marriage in 2008. She became Mrs. Jenna Bush Hager, a name-change choice that allowed her to keep her ties to Bush, but also adopt her husband’s family name.

Our Prediction

Name change after marriage is a very personal choice. While there are the known factors associated with name change influence, there are also the factors of personal style, what their spouse wants, and if they view name change as a way to show commitment. In our expert opinions, Barbara Bush will soon be Mrs. Barbara Bush Coyne.

Regardless of her choice we wish her a lifetime of love and happiness… and if she does opt to change her name, we’d love for her to use the new MissNowMrs name change app!

Gwyneth & Brad Faltrow | 3 Tips for Newlyweds Following the Blended Last Name Trend

Mr. and Mrs. Faltrow | Blended Last Name Tips

Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk just got married AND they decided to go with a blended last name change. They combined their last names into a new name: Faltrow! This story is making waves. But, as name-change experts we’ve been seeing the blended last name trend picking up steam for over a year now. Before you jump on the blended last name wagon be sure to read our tips below!

Tip 1: Talk about name change with your fiancé

It sounds dumb, but many people come into a marriage with name change expectations. By chatting about what you both want/envision BEFORE you get married, you can have a calmer discussion and more time to make a decision that works for you.

2: Consider your heritage

If you’re super other-oriented, it is smart to think about what your families may be hoping for regarding name change. In-laws and parents tend to want to see their legacy carried on. Are one of you the very last person to carry on the family name? If so, blending last names will mark the end of your former name. Depending on your situation that could be a good or bad thing! Again, by thinking big picture you can make a choice that makes you both happy.

Tip 3: Understand Your State’s Name Change Laws

Currently California is the only state that allows newlyweds to take a blended last name. *This is only possible if you write the blended name on your marriage license application. If you wait until after you’re married you will need to go through the legal name change process to created a blended last name.

Non-Californian residents who want to create a blended last name will need to petition the court system for a legal name change order. This is basically a legal document that allows you to file for your name change. The filing process includes being fingerprinted, running ads in papers, and appearing in court.

With more and more couples considering blended last names, we’re expecting to see more states change their name change laws in the future.

If you’re stuck on what name is best for you, play our Married Name Game. Or text/call one of the MissNowMrs name change experts at 800.301.9296. We’ve helped over 500,000 brides change their names, and we’re happy to assist you as well!

Original story credit: Inquisitr

Mrs. Shannon Shannon We’ve Got Expert Name Change Advice For You

Mrs. Shannon Shannon | Name Change Expert

I recently read about a bride-to-be who is named Shannon. She is getting married in September to the love of her life… who happens to have the last name Shannon. So, Shannon is facing the reality of possibly becoming Mrs. Shannon Shannon! She posted her situation on WeddingBee and advice has been pouring in.

As the founder of MissNowMrs, an online name change service for brides, my own name-change misadventures sparked the idea for the company that has now helped over 500,000 women transition from Miss to Mrs. with ease. Not only do I understand state name-change laws from all the research done to create our service, I have a decade of counseling newlyweds on the topic of name change. I’ve fielded calls from doctors, teachers, ladies in their 60s, divorcees, brides with hyphenated last names marrying men with hyphenated last names (facing the reality of FOUR last names,) individuals handling cultural expectations from their heritage (did you know it’s illegal for a woman to change her name in Greece?) and many more!

I didn’t set out to be a name-change expert, but my experience has made me the official married name change expert. I’ve ended up on FOX Business News, KTLA, and NBC to discuss the in’s and out’s of married name change and my tips to streamline the process.

When a woman contemplates name change she’s juggling her personal identity, her spouse’s hopes, her in-law’s and parents’ expectation and of course her personal style. Married name change is an intensely personal decision. However, from my experience and myriad conversations, there are few key factors that heavily influence name change choices. They are the age of the bride, her level of education, her occupation, her regional location, and if she has male siblings.

Using these factors and our data from more than 500,000 customers, I built the Married Name Game to help brides and newlyweds find their ultimate last name. It’s so accurate we have a patent pending on the algorithm that powers the Married Name Game. (It even predicted Amal Clooney’s name change!)

A name change experts weighs in on Shannon Shannon’s dilemma.

We’ve seen a large up-tick in women taking two last names without a hyphen in the last 12 months. This option allows one to use both names, or either name as they see fit. So you can avoid the mouthful of hyphenated last names, but still have the same name as your children. Many newlyweds see it as having the best of both worlds. This might be a great option for Shannon, but again we’d love to ask a few questions to give an official recommendation.

Mrs Shannon Shannon — Image Credit: WeddingBee

So, Shannon… if you’re reading this, please call or text the MissNowMrs office at 800.301.9296. We’d love to ask you a few questions and lend our expertise along with a gift card to use our online name change service or our new Name Change App when you’re ready to make the switch to the version of Mrs. that suits you and your life best!
The entire MissNowMrs team wishes you a lifetime of love, happiness, and adventure!

Is Hailey Baldwin Now Mrs. Hailey Bieber?!

The celebrity wedding of Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber is causing quite a stir. Are they really married? Is she really changing her name to Mrs. Hailey Bieber? She did make a name change on her Instagram account… which is a clue! As name change experts, we have the great fun of predicting celebrity name change. So, read on for our analysis on Hailey Baldwin.

Married name change is a personal decision, but there are several key life factors that typically come into play. By evaluating how Ms. Baldwin stacks up on factors, we can make a solid name change prediction. In the past we were on the money in our predictions about Amal Clooney and Angelina Jolie.

Here’s the Name Change Analysis Breakdown:

Hailey is currently 21. Statistically, the younger a woman is at the time of her marriage, the more likely she is to take her spouse’s name in some way. That’s one factor that tips the scales towards name change. Miss Baldwin was home-schooled and does not have a college or graduate degree. According to recent studies, the less educated a woman is, the more likely she is to change her name after marriage

Professionally, Hailey is a model with a well-known name and following. Most women who have name-recognition tied to their careers tend to keep their maiden names in some way. Those ways include hyphenating, taking two last names, or moving their maiden name to their middle name.

Another factor to consider is that Hailey doesn’t have any brothers. This may seem like an odd name-change predictor. But, women who grow up without brothers are more likely to hang onto their maiden names to continue carrying their family name.
Next up are the wild card factors of young love and the social climate where men and women are seen as equals in relationships. Name change no longer denotes ownership. Instead, many newlyweds see name change as a way to show that they’re “all-in” and truly committed to their marriage.

Factoring everything we know about Miss Baldwin, her relationship, and her name-change indicators, as name change experts we’re predicting that Hailey Baldwin will soon be going by Mrs. Hailey Bieber.

We Haiely a lifetime of love and happiness. And, if you’re reading this Hailey, we’d love for you to use the MissNowMrs App to become Mrs. Bieber in a matter of minutes!