Does anyone here know if it's mandatory that I have to change my last name (maiden) to my Fiance's after we get married in the U.S?

I'm CDN and he's the U.S. citizen.....

Thanks!

Hell no.

...not that I'm a great example

Hi T.O

No it's not

Yes. And you must also pick up his dirty socks, iron his underwear, and massage his feet when he comes home from a long day at work. But calling him Master is optional.

ba ha ha ha yea I know about the socks and underwear...LOL 'for better or worse'????

Just wanted to make sure for the sake of the whole Fiance Visa and all the subsequent paper work that will follow.

I think my gf was teasing me when she told me in order to show seriousness about your U.S husband, you'll have to take his last name legally.

I haven't changed my name and I am in no rush to do so. It would such a pain in the butt to deal with all that. I'm too lazy.

Add me to the list of women that is not changing her name.

Hey, it's not that I like it all that much, but I am the one and only, and so...

My precious fiancé had to make the adjustment to this fact, one of many, of what is to come.

I do all that and still Bren won't let me sleep on the bed
AS F'ing IF

Oh, and I did change my last name... after several years in Canada with folks being unable to discern my original name's pronunciation

I have to admit- many people don't pronounce Mel's last name right. It drives me nuts.

I have a nice last name and I like it.

No one (okay, not a single caucasian person) could pronounce my maiden name properly, and it drove me nuts. Now everyone just asks me how to spell Bee's name. It throws them off when I get to the "zed"

What's Mel's last name, Stacey? Is it one of those "Frenchified" Louisiana names?

Haha. I always say zed and it throws people off.

LOL! I am starting to say "zed" now. Oh the influence of you dastardly Canucks!!!

I'm sure I'd get it right, Stacey. Just go ahead and spell it out for me.

I really find tourists to Louisiana pretty funny. Atchafalaya....Thibodaux.

The best are the ones that think they know how to pronounce names and end up overdoing it and REALLY looking foolish. On that note, if you ever visit here, don't say Nawlins.

The difficulty with our geographic names is that they're not truly french. They're a combination of french and "indian."

I kept my maiden name as well. Joe was actually the one who first broached the subject by letting me know it was fine with him if I wanted to keep my maiden name. There were a lot of practical reasons to do so, as well as a sense of continuity with 'who' I am. We have had no problems, although some people ask quietly and very carefully if there was a special reason I didn't take my husband's last name. I say yes - Immigration! Hehehe

Not changing my name either...NO WAY!

I just find it to be a bother.

Absolutely NOT required to change name!

I changed mine-2 reasons:no one can ever pronounce or spell my family name and because I don't like hyphenation and I wanted my name to be the same as the hypothetical kid's name. however, I seriously had to defend myself to all of my friends who thought I was selling out the sisterhood. I tried to reassure them that just because I like this one particular boy, doesn't mean that I like them in general.

I have to ask, even after fear of being laughed at, what is "zed"? (I'm the US side of this US-Canadian relationship).... and I have no idea what you're talking about!

call me an anti-feminist, but I want to have my SO's last name. I like being thought of as "his" in a cutesy sort of way and it saves a lot of time not having to explain reasons otherwise

I would also like to have the same last name as my future children

Hehe.

Americans: X, Y, Zee.

Canadians: X, Y, Zed!

Ohhhh, I've heard one offical from USCIS call it Zed...hehe. I was like um...okay?

My last name is very French Canadian, and people always get so confused down here when they see it because if you don't know it, there's no way you are going to say it right. But it's funny to watch people try. Even in my interview the guy asked me how I pronounce my last name.

But even with all the confusion I am still too lazy to change it, besides I like constantly correcting people. Its what I call: A good time.

It is not mandatory

I took my husband's name and for the first time in my life, there is no way for people to screw uip pronouncing my last name.

My entire life, my name has been called out in waiting rooms as 'Coke' or worse yet..."Cock'. The person yelling it invariably looks embarassed. I'm embarassed for them that they didn't try harder! It's german for pete's sake....but nothing you can do about dumb people.

I didn't take his name for any particular reason, although my now husband has more traditional leanings and I don't mind appeasing that. I can say that I don't recognize that new name as me yet though. For 37+ years I've been that other girl. It's awefully weird to be signing this new name. I've made a few mistakes where I start to sign my maiden name and scratch it out

Anti-feminist!! Just kidding. Feminism isn't about conforming to any set rules, it's about having the freedom to make your own choices and that is what you have done

Great feedback and insight....gave me a good chuckle on some of your stories....LOL

I changed my last name to my husband's for two reasons: one, I wanted to shed the ex's last name once and for all. Two, I like my hubby's last name even if everyone butchers it every single time they try to pronounce it. His name is a common one back home (Nova Scotia, French Acadian name) but down here it's something very rare. I kinda like being an oddball...I've always been an oddball.

But to answer your original question and echo everyone else's answers...NO.

I'm not changing my name. I've been who I am for 32 years, it's my identity and who I am, it's my ties to my family and my anscestry.