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From: ntt@dciem.UUCP (Mark Brader)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Marriage and surnames
Message-ID: <409@dciem.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Sep-83 19:50:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: dciem.409
Posted: Mon Sep 26 19:50:16 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 27-Sep-83 06:49:02 EDT
Organization: NTT Systems Inc., Toronto, Canada
Lines: 26

As you may guess if you read my item on money, I think married people should
share the same surname.  But not necessarily any particular surname.  I think
people should be free to choose an ALTOGETHER NEW SURNAME on marriage.
Of course, this could be the same as the husband's existing surname, or a
hyphenated form, and for some people nothing else would do.  Fine for them.

I think one result of this would be the appearance of some new and interesting
names, which would help cut the number of duplicated surnames now clogging
the phone books!  (I'm reminded of the Canadian journalist and politician
who was born Bill Smith and changed his name to Amor de Cosmos, because his
mail was always getting lost.  He later became the Premier* of the Province
of British Columbia.  (His dates are 1825-1897 and he
changed names in 1854 when he was seeking gold in California.))

When my then-future wife and I discussed surnames, we were fortunate to agree:
we followed the least inconvenient option and she took my surname.  I offered
to take hers instead if she really wanted, but I'm glad she didn't.  (A famous
instance of this, by the way, is provided by Joliot, who married Irene Curie,
daughter of Pierre and Marie.  Actually, he used the hyphenated form
Joliot-Curie, but in those days that was daring enough, and he did put Curie
last.)

Mark Brader, NTT Systems Inc.

*Head of the governing party and therefore of the government.  Same as Prime
 Minister except that the latter term is usually reserved for federal gov't.