Comments on: Lucy Dennison on changing her surname

By: Angharad Renault

Angharad Renault — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:46:09 +0000

I got married two weeks ago and wish to keep my maiden name for work, (am only an F1 but i like it) and use my married name for everything else. Is this legal and what has to be in each name? I.e. passport, driving licence and can i have two bank accounts in different names? Vheers

By: sara

sara — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:51:49 +0000

why are you glad you did it? I don’t understand just seems like a lot of hassle and you submitting your identity into that of your husbands.

By: John Amos

John Amos — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 01:10:02 +0000

I am amazed that in this new world,when men and women are supposed to be equals, there is still a need for the woman to take on her husband’s name. And it is also amazing how Paddy Dennison’s response reflects on the outdated “you belong to me” thinking. In any case, statistically, so many marriages are breaking up that most choose not to get married and the inconvenience of changing all the official papers and documents and the possibility of fraud and mischief is not worth it. Come on men, let us be less chauvinistic. After all, she is bringing the bacon home.

By: shyla chacko jehangir

shyla chacko jehangir — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:38:12 +0000

lucy, how i empathise with you! name change caused the first big disagreement in our married life.my husband(a surgeon) felt very strongly about it and i gave in.however i kept my maiden name as a middle name as it identifies which part of india i come from. i got it publihsed in the official gazette,got a new passport and sent countless letters.
22 years later,the same husband now says he’s not fussed about it anymore!!!! grrrrr! if not for all the hassle, i would happily change it back.

By: Isobel McDonnell

Isobel McDonnell — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:45:55 +0000

Lucy, what about the other reason as a female surgeon for not changing my name; not wanting to indirectly admit at work that I married an orthopaedic surgeon!

By: Ruth Howells

Ruth Howells — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:09:21 +0000

I have been known to sit in waiting rooms blithely reading on while someone yells Margaret Jenkins, thanks to not only not using my married name as a rule, but also my first name. Other problems; child benefit not being allowed to be paid other than to an account with my married name, necessitating a new account, which was very difficult to open, as neither passport not utility bills are in my married name. Pure inertia plus being known professionally by my maiden name were the reasons for deciding not to use my married name 28 years ago.

By: Lynn Chisholm

Lynn Chisholm — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:23:22 +0000

I changed my name when I got married (25 years ago) and still am not used to the “new name”. If I hadn’t lived and worked in the same geographic area for so long, I would have changed it back (coinciding with a move to another location). I may still do that.
The main reason I dislike my married name is that it does not reflect my family origin (Norwegian) with which I identify strongly.
Lynn Chisholm (Risvold)

By: Paddy Dennison

Paddy Dennison — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:00:52 +0000

I for one am glad you changed your name!
Your loving husband
xx

By: Helen Gordon / Murray

Helen Gordon / Murray — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:54:40 +0000

Hi Lucy

I was drawn to your article as I have the same dilemma after also getting married this summer and keep signing my name incorrectly! I have chosen to keep 2 names but continue to get confused!

Anyway after reading the article I realised I have met you at a consultant party and was a houseofficer for your now husband when he was a registrar so congratulations and pass on my regards!

Helen

By: Trish Groves

Trish Groves — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:49:26 +0000

In these days of identity fraud, a female doctor with two surnames can seem really dodgy.
I signed a credit card slip with the wrong name recently. And, as my passport’s in my married name, that’s what I use when flying and checking into hotels when travelling for the BMJ. But that really confuses the people I’m meeting, and one American asked if I was on a witness protection program.
When the BMA took over most of a plane to fly delegates to a meeting in Jamaica in the 1990s, someone had failed to book adjacent seats for the female doctors and their diferently-named husbands. The few other passengers nearly mutinied, apparently, when the BMA contingent insisted on reshuffling the entire cabin before take off.

By: Sergio Stagnaro MD

Sergio Stagnaro MD — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:27:17 +0000

Really interesting story. In a lot of occasions, I thought to change both my name and surname, although I was a man; perhaps, in spite of age, also now I am…but I’m not sure) ; I don’t remember if married! In fact, after I have introduced my self to colleagues,who saw my face for the first time, e.g., at congresses, they were looking at me in a really strange way. Very strange!

By: Helen Barratt

Helen Barratt — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:40:16 +0000

Dear Lucy,

Many thanks for highlighting this issue. When I got married last summer the advice from female medical friends about changing my name was mixed. Keen to have my passport in my married name for my honeymoon, I decided to change that, but kept virtually everything else - including work documents - in my maiden name.

I now find myself stuck in a no-man’s land, with two identities. At work this isn’t a huge issue, but outside of work I regularly find myself getting funny looks when I temporarily forget which name I’ve given, for example when booking a restaurant.

Based on my experience, I suspect you’ve made the right decision!

Helen Barratt (or is it Hewitt?)