Keeping your ex's last name? Yes or No?

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Just curious about this. I never changed my name when I was married the first time, but it had me thinking. Why would people keep their exes last name? I have no idea, since I never did it, if it is complicated to get all of your legal stuff changed over, so it may just be easier to keep it. Someone can enlighten me on that.

And let's add more complications into the mix. Let's say you are of two different races, let's say your Maiden name is Phaophongsavath, and your ex's last name is Smith. Would you keep Smith instead?

Edit: Let's add more stuff. What if the marriage lasted less than 2 years, and has no kids involved as well?
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Posted by ItsSupes2
Posted by nikkistar

Just curious about this. I never changed my name when I was married the first time, but it had me thinking. Why would people keep their exes last name? I have no idea, since I never did it, if it is complicated to get all of your legal stuff changed over, so it may just be easier to keep it. Someone can enlighten me on that.

And let's add more complications into the mix. Let's say you are of two different races, let's say your Maiden name is Phaophongsavath, and your ex's last name is Smith. Would you keep Smith instead?

Less hassle when kids have your last name, especially when traveling
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But what if there are no kids involved and you are married less than 2 years?
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SeaLion
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I've often wondered this myself. I didnt take my husband's last name because I didnt want to and he had a horrible last name. His mom divorced his dad but kept the dads last name. But his last name wasnt AS bad as her maiden name. Lmao. I dont know if that's why she kept it, I never asked but I always fig that might be the reason.

My other theory is she didnt change it so she would have the same last name as her kids.

Tina Turner kept her name cause it was her stage name too.
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Posted by SeaLion

I've often wondered this myself. I didnt take my husband's last name because I didnt want to and he had a horrible last name. His mom divorced his dad but kept the dads last name. But his last name wasnt AS bad as her maiden name. Lmao. I dont know if that's why she kept it, I never asked but I always fig that might be the reason.

My other theory is she didnt change it so she would have the same last name as her kids.

Tina Turner kept her name cause it was her stage name too.


I can understand if the last name is a "brand" for a celebrity. I can understand if kids are involved. My mom kept hers cause it was easier for people to determine she was my mom.

I think I get stumped when someone doesn't have kids, and the marriage lasts for a hot second.
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SeaLion
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Posted by nikkistar
Posted by SeaLion

I've often wondered this myself. I didnt take my husband's last name because I didnt want to and he had a horrible last name. His mom divorced his dad but kept the dads last name. But his last name wasnt AS bad as her maiden name. Lmao. I dont know if that's why she kept it, I never asked but I always fig that might be the reason.

My other theory is she didnt change it so she would have the same last name as her kids.

Tina Turner kept her name cause it was her stage name too.

I can understand if the last name is a "brand" for a celebrity. I can understand if kids are involved. My mom kept hers cause it was easier for people to determine she was my mom.

I think I get stumped when someone doesn't have kids, and the marriage lasts for a hot second.
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Yeah that is weird to me too. But maybe they like the name better than their original name or they would have to change a lot of legal documents in order to do it. Maybe their parents were dicks.
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Posted by heliumfiasco

No kids involved is weird. With kids, I get it. I feel weird not having the same last name as my daughter when filling out forms for school/medical. It shouldn't matter, but it does on some level for me.



But I wasnt keeping my ex-husbands name. haha


Yea with kids makes perfect sense to me, its without kids that I find weird. lol
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Posted by nikkistar
Posted by LostinmyMind11

I've heard changing all your shit over and if kids are involved.

I can understand kids. But what if there are no kids involved?
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Depends on how long the marriage was...if it was a couple years...you shouldn't have a lot of things to change over but if it was 15+ yrs...that could be a headache. Also for retirement benefit purposes of the ex spouse.
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Posted by LostinmyMind11
Posted by nikkistar
Posted by LostinmyMind11

I've heard changing all your shit over and if kids are involved.

I can understand kids. But what if there are no kids involved?

Depends on how long the marriage was...if it was a couple years...you shouldn't have a lot of things to change over but if it was 15+ yrs...that could be a headache. Also for retirement benefit purposes of the ex spouse.
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Let's say the marriage lasted less than 2 years?
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Posted by nikkistar
Posted by LostinmyMind11
Posted by nikkistar
Posted by LostinmyMind11

I've heard changing all your shit over and if kids are involved.

I can understand kids. But what if there are no kids involved?

Depends on how long the marriage was...if it was a couple years...you shouldn't have a lot of things to change over but if it was 15+ yrs...that could be a headache. Also for retirement benefit purposes of the ex spouse.

Let's say the marriage lasted less than 2 years?
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That would be weird then... probably clinging to the marriage.
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Posted by LostinmyMind11
Posted by nikkistar
Posted by LostinmyMind11
Posted by nikkistar
Posted by LostinmyMind11

I've heard changing all your shit over and if kids are involved.

I can understand kids. But what if there are no kids involved?

Depends on how long the marriage was...if it was a couple years...you shouldn't have a lot of things to change over but if it was 15+ yrs...that could be a headache. Also for retirement benefit purposes of the ex spouse.

Let's say the marriage lasted less than 2 years?

That would be weird then... probably clinging to the marriage.
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Guess I better warn my friend his crazy ex wife is probably still trying to cling on. LOL
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Posted by nikkistar

Just curious about this. I never changed my name when I was married the first time, but it had me thinking. Why would people keep their exes last name? I have no idea, since I never did it, if it is complicated to get all of your legal stuff changed over, so it may just be easier to keep it. Someone can enlighten me on that.

And let's add more complications into the mix. Let's say you are of two different races, let's say your Maiden name is Phaophongsavath, and your ex's last name is Smith. Would you keep Smith instead?

Edit: Let's add more stuff. What if the marriage lasted less than 2 years, and has no kids involved as well?


I don't really see a reason to keep a last name (except when kids are involved).

Me and my ex-wife had added each other's name to the other's main name (you can do this in France since gay marriage was made legal). She was sad to let go of her name (being her dad's only daughter) and have it disappear. So I offered that she just attach mine to hers and I would add hers to mine and combine the names.

But we removed them when we divorced (no kids).

About the ethnicity side, removing them made our lives easier since they were complete extremes origin-wise hahaha. And that always made us have to explain where they came from as we both have diverse backgrounds.

But I wouldn't keep my wife's name just for the sake of it. But then again if it can make someone's life easier to keep it I can't blame them.

My English mother made sure I had her name added to my dad's in order to make my life growing up easier.
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Posted by nikkistar

Just curious about this. I never changed my name when I was married the first time, but it had me thinking. Why would people keep their exes last name? I have no idea, since I never did it, if it is complicated to get all of your legal stuff changed over, so it may just be easier to keep it. Someone can enlighten me on that.

And let's add more complications into the mix. Let's say you are of two different races, let's say your Maiden name is Phaophongsavath, and your ex's last name is Smith. Would you keep Smith instead?

Edit: Let's add more stuff. What if the marriage lasted less than 2 years, and has no kids involved as well?


I am keeping because it’s also my daughters last name and maiden is as fucked up as married so no reason to redo it after 25 years.

However if it was short marriage and no kids I would change or if I was planning on marrying someone else I would wait until I can change to next husbands one.

It’s really shouldn’t be a problem nor an issue. And yes! Legal shit is too much sometime...
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I know someone who kept her married name just cause she liked the way it sounded more than her maiden name...didn’t even want to change it when she got remarried 😬 I’m sure there were a few disagreements/discussions on that cause she did finally change to her new married name

But honestly it’s a pain in the ass

You have to change it with social security, get a new license, new credit cards, change it on car registration, mortgage, insurance, etc
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I’m separated now and I’m gonna be keeping my husbands name. Mostly because I feel like I changed so much in the last 10 years and I would give up who I am now by going back to my last name.

After high school I moved from Germany to the US. It’s where I met my husband and got married. 2 years ago we moved to Germany and his name is difficult to say here (he’s Mexican-American) but going back to my maiden name is kinda like the whole last 10 years of my life would be erased and I’m back to who I was when I was 19.

To me it’s more something I earned, something that reflects who I am and it’s kinda more a ā€œartist nameā€ at this point.

If things between us were really bad or if it was a name that his entire family had, I might feel different about it. But he doesn’t have a relationship with his dad’s side Of the family and his mom remarried. So it’s only him and his brother who I k ow that have this last name.