this chick is fat, yo

[LittleOldLady]

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Why would you be shocked? When I got married in 1968, women routinely took their husbands' names upon marriage, but shortly thereafter educated women largely stopped changing their names. My younger sister, for example, never changed her name. Most of my female colleagues and wives of male colleagues did not change their names. I can only think of one younger female colleague who did change her name. She is a Slavicist, and her maiden name was English. She happened to marry a man with a Slavic surname, and she changed because having a Slavic surname was a plus in getting a job. Frankly I would have been surprised if Elaine had changed her name.

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I think your experiences are a little skewed by Louisiana Law. Damn that Napoleonic code. A woman's name stays the same unless they go through formal procedures to get it changed.

However, the majority of weddings I have gone to where college educated women have gotten married, the woman took the man's surname. I don't think it is as common as you make it out to be.

Melch

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First of all, none of my friends got married in Louisiana. In fact they live all over the country. Second, my friends are all academics (as opposed to educated women in other fields), which may make a difference. FWIW none of my married Dutch friends uses the same surname as his/her spouse.

Actually I find the two surnames per couple thing a little annoying when it comes to writing out Christmas cards and such. Often I can't remember the spouse's last name....