When gay or lesbian couples get married, does one of them change their surnames to the name of their partner they have married? If so how do you decide whos to use?
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Anonymous
ANSWERS: 12
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If it were me, I would probably make a new name out of both of our names.
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You don't have to change your name at all if you don't want to, no matter who you are marrying. It is up to the couple to decide what they want to do.
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I know one couple where one man changed his last name to his new husband's last name. I also know one couple where neither woman changed her last name. Just like any marriage - name changes are up to the parties involved. Sometimes someone will take the other person's name, sometimes they will both change to a mutually agreed upon new last name, and sometimes neither will change their name. I'd assume that they'd talk about it and discuss what they wanted to do.
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I think it is a matter of personal choice, not only for gay/lesbian couples, but for anyone. You Do Not have to change your name when you marry. I have been married twice. First time, I did not change my name. Second time I did. The only reason to change name is if you like new name, its shorter, or easier to say, maybe an earlier letter of the alphabet (so you get your BMV notices sooner LOL). Why should it be any different for gay/lez than it is for hetero?
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If it were legal in the US... They could if they wanted to but unfortunately, they cant so...
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They often keep their last names. They also hyphenate them. If someone doesn't really like their last name they change it to the other person's. It's a little more complicated than a heterosexual marriage, but not by much. When a heterosexual couple gets married you still have the debate of do you take the person's last name? Do you keep your own? Do you hyphenate?
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My boyfriends name is easier to pronounce so we will use his
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As anyone who has been liberated from convention knows - anything goes. I can ONLY guess that homosexual couples who marry have been liberated from convention. I didn't take my kids' father's name, and their name is hyphenated with his coming first. It just sounded better that way. What will they do when they meet and decide to marry (or not) someone (of a different or same gender) who also has a hyphenated name? Samuel and Samuel Beckett-Smith-Brown-Jones? I love it. But maybe it will be Sam BS and Sam BJ ;)
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No one has to change their name if they don't want to. When it becomes legal (and it will), we will get married, but we haven't discussed that yet. Some straight women don't change their name at all anymore, and still others hyphenate. So, it's really a matter of personal choice.
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Generally, the male's last name takes over but if it's two men getting married [yes you can get married, just not in the states, Elton John had to go to Switzerland] But generally, you just pick. It's a mutual decision.
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Same as with straight couples -- sometimes they keep separate names, sometimes they both change names, sometimes one changes name. Most couples I know have kept their own individual names, the next most common has been to use both names hyphenated.
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his is really an interesting question.
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