Individuality triumph, or Is a family name necessary?

Abstract

The author analyzes whether a woman should change her surname when getting married. Based on the author’s exploratory research and secondary quantitative data, it has been revealed that respondents express different contradictory points of view in mass surveys. A large number of respondents support the freedom to choose a surname. The main reason for keeping one’s surname is the desire to maintain individuality or the recognition of the surname in professional circles. In a qualitative study, young people said that changing one’s surname should only be voluntary. Men are more likely than women to show their belief that a woman should change her surname in marriage, but solely out woman’s wish.

The reasons given for the surname change were: 1) tradition; 2) surname change emphasizes a status change; 3) the desire for family unity; 4) a woman joins her husband’s family; 5) love for her husband. Reasons for refusing to change the surname: 1) unwillingness to change all documents; 2) the surname is part of a woman’s identity and individuality; 3) maiden name is a connection with the parents family; 4) striving for equality; 5) the surname is already well known in professional circles; 6) the desire to preserve the wife’s family (ancestral) surname by passing it on to the child.