# New name, new life.



## Mrs.G (Nov 20, 2010)

I finally received my marriage certificates in the mail. One is for our wedding memory box, the other is for me to change my surname.
I feel nostalgic and slightly sad about walking away from being my father's child by name, to being my husband's wife. I'm no longer in contact with my toxic parents because I need to move on and relate in a healthy manner to my new little family.
It's going to be hard to get used to it. I think that there will be a real shift once I see my ID in my new name. 
If you changed your name when you married, what were the emotions surrounding this monumental and symbolic change?
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## Pandakiss (Oct 29, 2010)

hi, how are you...

i didnt change my name, i just added a hypen. i guess i was raised to be independant, and stand on my own..blah-blah...

also my husband didnt want me to change my name to his. his family is VERY toxic, and one less tie to them....


i understand how you feel. like now its real and now you are a real grown up...now you rely on you...


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## major misfit (Oct 17, 2010)

I felt nothing when I changed my name. I couldn't wait to not be associated with my father. 

It's the name I have now....my married name...I've had it for 29 years. I would have a hard time changing it if my SO and I were to marry. In all honesty, I doubt I'd change it. It's the surname of my children..and that would be hard to change.


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## mtg2 (Jan 6, 2011)

I changed my name. Married 16 years. I believed in taking my H name and creating our family unit. I think i saw it as a level of commitment to the new "us". And I am happy my name is the same as my childrens. 

That said, I do feel like I lost part of myself - my doing and avoidable, can happen name change or not - and wish I had kept my maiden name in some way. Maybe i would have maintained a stronger independence. Who knows. I know several women who keep their name as a middle name, either by changing their or just adding a second one. And while I have a very toxic mother, that is not true of my dad. So, having that tie still would be meaningful.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## BoardNMom (Jan 10, 2011)

I felt more excited I think. I dropped my middle name and kept my maiden name as my middle name so I didn't really feel like I was losing my father's name at all.


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## MarriedWifeInLove (May 28, 2010)

For me, personally, a last name is not something that I'm attached to.

Might be because I've had four last names.

My original birthname, my new stepdad's last name, and my two married names.

I don't believe that my last name makes me who I am. I would be more inclined to be attached to my FIRST name, that does make me who I am.

Last names come and go...this is how I feel about it, so to answer your question - no, no issues at all, attachment or otherwise.


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