Bearing your husband's Name...

With the recent craze for marriage amongst single women these days, I’ve kinda noticed or observed a developing trend in recent marriages, it might have existed, but I think it’s now the in-thing around; women do not want to bear their husband’s name any

longer.

 Before now, a lot of women for one reason or the other used what we call ‘compound names’ that is, their maiden names and then husband’s names.  This was mostly used by women who had achieved a level of success before getting married, or who had a famous last name and so still held on to their maiden names with their husband’s name coming last.  We have people like Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Stella Damasus-Aboderin (I don’t know the newest husband’s name) and a host of others.

I know it’s probably a little difficult transitioning from one name to another, and it might take a little time to catch on to, but a lot of people have done it and it still doesn’t change who they are or what they do, we have the likes of Chioma Akpota, Dakore Akande, and Annie Idibia etc.

Now, we have a totally different set of people who do not even have any interest in bearing their husband’s names.  A couple of days ago, a husband took his wife to court for refusing to bear his name since they got married three years ago and begged the court to dissolve their marriage.  The wife said she was comfortable with her maiden name and had no intension of changing it.  Really?

Personally, I have always imagined myself bearing a Mrs. something, probably Mrs. Onyinye Wellington (who knows, miracles still happen you know).  I believe marriage is total-package deal; you get the man and his name, it’s not really an option, unless off-course your husband is comfortable with it.  Why bother to get married when you are not ready to leave daddy and his name?