I wish women in the U.S. automatically kept their last names when they marry

[uppityperson]

224. Funny how "we've always done it" and/or societal expectations get taken as how we must

Or did you mean I am clueless?

My 1st husband & I had a long talk after being married when I didn't change my name. I was young and uppity, told him it was my name, why change it? He said he'd always wanted someone to take his name. Told him to get a dog. Finally I gave in, told him I'd use my surname as middle name, his surname as last. His response was "you can't do that!". We didn't last long.

I've thought of changing my last name to something for me rather than my father's father's father's father's....surname, but have had this one long enough and it is just me.

I guess people get used to how things are and assume that they must be that way, but there have been enough different name things around now for long enough that I don't understand why some people don't understand that there is the legal way to petition and name change, then there is the simply using another name for name change. And that married name changes are typically the second. You need to actively send in your legal marriage certificate to get your driver's license or ss card name changed, and petition through the court also.