Girls vs The World: Should You Change Your Name After Marriage?

Twinkle Khanna, the queen of sass, spoke about changing name after marriage recently, and we’re thrilled that she’s sparked off a discussion. We know that she never shies away from speaking her mind and that she deserves a damn award when it comes to shutting down haters! A guy recently tweeted telling her she SHOULD change her surname to “Kumar” – and being the badass that she is, she shut him down with just a single tweet! She wrote – “A lot of people bring this up, though not as stridently as this gentleman – Khanna it will always be #MarriedNotBranded”! She totally nailed it, didn’t she? This is exactly what every girl’s reply should be. Changing your surname or not is totally up to you! Marrying someone doesn’t mean you’ll have to change your name. Marriage brings two people closer, but who said that it should also take away your identity? If you want to change your name, good! If you don’t want to change it, good! Marriage doesn’t take away your rights as an individual and you CAN do whatever the f*** you want to do! No one can and no one should reinforce traditions on you, it’s totally your call. Read Twinkle’s brilliant response here…

Source: Twinkle Khanna on Twitter

Queen of sass, isn’t she?

Well, that was her take on this! Now read what Team POPxo has to say about it! We asked our team whether or not they would change their surname after marriage, and here’s what they had to say…

1. “It’s about what serves me, my husband and my marriage the best.”

Pradipta Sarkar, Managing Editor

I probably wouldn’t change my name after marriage, but I’m not saying that’s a decision etched in stone. Simply because I’m a practical person! If I were to marry a person from a different country or community, and adding his surname to mine would ease things in terms of legalities and technicalities such as applying for visas or joint tax payments, etc., I totally would. I would never drop the Sarkar, though, or use it as a middle name – it would have to be Sarkar-Whatever. I have identified myself as Pradipta Sarkar for more than 30 years – adding another word to end of that is hardly going to change me as a person. I have no patience for “societal” expectations of changing one’s name after marriage – those can go hang. But I’d make my final decision about this based on what serves me, my husband and my marriage the best.

2. “I don’t mind adding his surname after mine!”

Priyanka Ghura, Beauty Editor

Being an engaged girl, I’ve given this some serious thought. While I’m not ready to trade in my surname for good, I’m open to adding his after mine. That way, my name doesn’t change, it just gets a bit longer to incorporate this major life change.

3. “I think the freedom to choose is important…”

Sanya Jain, Beauty Writer & Copy Editor

If changing your name after marriage makes you happy – go for it! The freedom to choose is important, so don’t do it simply because it is expected of you or because it’s tradition. In all honesty, I personally think the entire idea of changing your name after marriage is a little bit regressive. As Mrs Funnybones very aptly put it, you’re getting married, not branded!

Also read: The Age-Old Question: When Is The Right Time To Get Married?

4. “I am married and I haven’t changed my name.”

Manasvi Jaitly, Senior Wedding Writer

I am married and I haven’t changed my name after marriage…simply because the whole concept does not make any sense to me. I’ve lived with this surname for 25 years and it has been given to me by my parents. There is no reason why suddenly I would take up another name of a family I’ve just become a part of. And nor will I EVER shift it to the middle…ultimately your middle name is forgotten. I am Manasvi Jaitly and that’s exactly how everyone has known me and will know me. My future kids too will hold both my and my husband’s surnames.

5. “I have to think about this: if his name doesn’t go well with my name!”

Prerna Chauhan, Trending Writer

Urmm… Okay! I haven’t really given this a thought but, I think I don’t mind changing my name after marriage. I would be fine with adding his last name to mine. Well, not Prerna Chauhan Whatever, but actually changing my name to Prerna Whatever. I’ll have second thoughts about this if his surname doesn’t go well with my name (haha!).

6. “Changing  my surname after marriage would be last on my list of priorities.”

Isheeta Sharma, Lifestyle Writer

I don’t get the whole concept of changing a girl’s last name after marriage. There are tons of things you can do after marriage, changing my surname would be the last of my priorities. I mean, think about all the legal documents you would have to change your name on just for the sake of some silly tradition. For women who make the choice to change it, great! But for those who don’t, no one else can question us but ourselves.

7. “I don’t understand why I should give up my surname.”

Srishti Sabharwal, Fashion Writer

Changing the girl’s surname after marriage is a tradition that started way back in history and has been carried forward without much thought. My sister is married and she did change her surname and that was entirely her choice. Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion and make their own decisions. But I wouldn’t change my surname after marriage! Simply because I don’t understand why I should give up on the last name I have grown up with. Another thing I wonder is: what is so extraordinary about the man in the relationship that the children of the couple automatically get his last name?

Also read: 5 People Share What Made Them Say *Yes* In An Arranged Marriage

8. “My name is an integral part of my identity!”

Manika Parasher, Lifestyle Writer & Copy Editor

I don’t mind taking his last name. In fact I would want to keep my surname as my middle name and take his surname as my last name. But this is a choice I would want to make on my own. My name is an integral part of my identity, and I should not be forced to alter it, unless I want to. If my husband-to-be “demands” I change my last name, I sure as hell will not. Not because I am rebel, but because I want him to know that he is marrying me, not branding me. #MarriedNotBranded  

9. “I look at my name as a brand!”

Sharon Alphonso, Beauty & Lifestyle Writer

I think it entirely depends upon one’s preference. For a career-driven girl like me, I like to look at my name as a brand. Everyone in the industry knows me and my work by my full name. It’s my identity. In addition to that, I’d also have to change all my legal documents to my new name if I did give name change post marriage a thought. As of now, I’m content with my decision to not change it.

10. “I don’t get what the whole fuss is about…”

Krita Raut, Editorial Manager

To tell you the truth, I don’t get what the whole fuss is about… Marriage and motherhood does change a woman’s life, it hardly matters what her surname is. However, a woman’s personality, her values and her opinions are not dependent on a surname. I don’t think my mother became any less of a woman than she was after she got married and took my father’s surname. She raised my sisters and me to become independent and kind women. And I didn’t see anything change in my sisters’ beliefs and nature when they got married and took their husbands’ surnames.

Well, our team does have valid points! When you’re changing your name or not – it’s TOTALLY up to you!

Featured image: Twinkle Khanna on Instagram; GIFs: Tumblr