I did it today -- I changed my name. That's such a big thing! I had no idea it would feel as weird as it does.
I attempted to change it yesterday, but the line at the social security office was way too long when the place opened. After 30 minutes of waiting, I left -- I had to get to work! So this morning, I found myself there 40 minutes early so I could be the first one in line. So far I've only made the change with social security, but the ball is rolling. I did the standard changing-last-name-only update, but I can't quit thinking about it.
Should I have changed my middle name to my maiden name so I could keep it? Should I have combined the two last names with a hyphen?
And now a co-worker tells me she just added her new last name onto her old name, so it's like she has two middle names. Damn. That's a good idea.
I like my middle name, so I didn't want to lose it. And the whole hyphen thing might just be a bigger pain than it's worth. But two middle names? Ugh! Why didn't I think of that?
I didn't think it would be so weird to change my name. And it is just a name, but it's the one I've carried with me my whole life -- over 24 years. It's my identity. A
s common as my last name was and as much as I said growing up how cool it would be to have a unique last name, now that I've got one, I already miss the plain one. People always knew how to pronounce my maiden name (so weird to say that!), but the new one? This says it all:
I called my dad to tell him I had officially changed my name this morning. His response: "Now how do you spell the new one again?" And I went over with him again how to pronounce it. With my dad (and after almost 2 1/2 years with K)!
But it's done, and I'm sure I'm just panicking over the change. I'll get used to it, and it'll be normal. My new signature will become less foreign and I'll eventually feel comfortable introducing myself with a new last name.
That better happen, anyway, because I sure as heck am not standing in that line again!
3 comments:
I have said the same things as you except I am going from a hard last name to an easy last name. I just want someone to explain to me who decided we should change our names. I mean I would never think of not doing(b/c it would be weird) but it had to be sexist thing long ago. I have had this name for 28 years when we get married in June. Very sad to say goodbye to it.
FYI I decided to move my maiden name to my middle name. But that is a good idea of having 2 middle names. Maybe I should think on that.
This is definitely something I've thought a lot about (which is weird, since getting married is so incredibly far off in my future).
My mom swapped her maiden name for her middle name. And then she gave me and my sister her maiden name for our middle name. So I feel like I can't go Mom's route - swapping middle for maiden - because then I'm losing Mom's half of my name.
I'm quite certain that I don't want to hyphenate. Will probably go with two middle names. ...which will essentially leave me with three last names.
In this situation, you can't win. But you also can't lose. Because, whatever your last name is legally, you'll always carry around all of your names in some way, shape or form.
(Okay. Hi. Longest comment ever.)
!! Wow !! Changing your name! YAY!!!
I can't wait to change my name - I like Kyle's last name way better than my own - and since my sister in law took my brother's (and my) last name, I feel like the the whole thing sort of balances out. The total number of people with my current last name will be the same. :)
And for the record, I'll just be changing my last name (not keeping two middle names)... even if I wanted two middle names the S.S. office only lets you have so many letters... and with two middle names I'd have WAY to many letters.
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