I always assumed I would change my name when I got married, and I especially thought I would because I really like the name Potter. At work, since I got married, I have gone by Potter - all the kids call me that (except for a few who knew me when). I certainly don't have anything against changing my name. But I also don't have anything against keeping it.
The problem is, I will get all worked up and resolve to finally go and change it, if only for the sake of ease. Doctors visits, car registrations, credit cards, and all of that are a little complicated because I am forever having to remember which name I use at which. Then, just as I decide to go ahead with the change, I feel weirdly unsettled. As much as I know that my name isn't actually my identity, it feels like something big is changing, even bigger than getting married. It's silly, and I can't explain it, but for some reason I just haven't been able to bring myself to do it.
I've thought about making Dunham my middle name, but then what to do with my original middle name? It has some family ties, and besides, it starts with and "L" and I really enjoy writing that part of my signature . "D" is just not as much fun to sign and never will be (this is serious business, friends).
What do you think? Any advice?
3 comments:
I have always thought that a name is a very big part of one's identity. It's what you're called for years and years, and then suddenly, if changing it, it equals saying goodbye to the moniker that stood for so long. And it's kind of sad. It is always perfectly acceptable to have 2 middle names, of course.
And that comment was from me, so I don't know why my "name" did not appear.
I had the same dilemma. I didn't think my maiden name and new last name sounded good hyphenated (Pappas-Moffitt), and its a mouthful to say all the time. I liked my maiden name and loved my middle name (family ties as well), so I just decided that I would have a hyphenated middle name (Grey-Pappas). So my drivers license reads, Alexis Grey-Pappas Moffitt, but when I sign my name I just do Alexis Grey Moffitt and when asked for my middle name on paperwork I just use Grey. So even though I'm not necessarily using my maiden name on everything I havent completely gotten rid of it all together. Hope that all made sense! :)
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