On last names and changing them

The Sydney Morning Herald’s Libby Stock comments [via Kristine Howard] on Thursday about changing one’s last name upon being married, and her thoughts on why this is still happening. I’ve gotta say - and call me progressive or whatever - I really don’t see the big deal these days about a woman not changing her name.

I’ve heard arguments about “the kids not having a name to go by” and “it’s confusing,” and even been one who has been called by the name of my fiancee when they knew her last name but not my own, and thought we were already married. All that said, there’s a pretty good shot, I think, that she won’t change her name after we get married, and wanna know what - I’m good with it. Frankly, she kind of has a cooler name than I do (though I win in the brevity contest), and while I’m probably not going to change mine anytime soon (though it’ll make a darn good pen name one day), and I can see how she might like to stick with the name she’s had for her whole life.

Whether it be culture that factors into the decision or something else, there are a million ways to spin this. And, as I am seeing more and more discussion about it online, it really looks like a lot of women wait until the last minute to make their decision for sure.

Funny story: when I was about seven years old or so, I found myself wondering how men and women got to have the last name that they did, not realizing that they didn’t just “make up a new one” when they got married, but that most chose to keep the man’s last name, and go with that. That being said, does it really matter to most of you guys what name your bride-to-be has on her license or passport?