Should I Change My Name?: The Impact of Your Last Name on Identity, Marriage,

A Guide on How to Pick a Married Last Name Getting married? The number of decisions you have to make for the wedding, let alone decisions that will impact the rest of your life, can feel overwhelming. Taking on a life-long partner may also mean a new, life-long name. Changing the name, you've had since birth, is a big decision. Whether in same-sex or heterosexual nuptials, names play an important role and can impact children, career, identity, and ultimately, your happiness. "Should I Change my Name?" walks you through how to choose a last name that's right for you and your future spouse. Author Marcia Morgan examines the six most common married name options including separate, merged, linked, and newly-created names, and reveals the benefits and challenges of each. She weaves in personal stories from men and women who embraced their married name choices and those who had regrets. The firsthand accounts illuminate how gender roles, religion, or family of origin can deeply influence name preferences for you and your spouse-to-be. Morgan shines a light on the intriguing history of how married names were based on oppressive laws and reveals the meaning behind today's naming traditions. She takes you on a journey around the globe to look at naming practices in other countries and cultures. The book simplifies an otherwise overwhelming decision process so you and your partner can say a hearty "I Do" to the married name you choose. Best-selling author Marcia K. Morgan, Ph.D., brings a wealth of experience from over 40 years as a sociologist, researcher, trainer, and national expert on gender issues. Marcia and her husband live in Bend, Oregon.

Marcia K. Morgan, Ph.D., brings a wealth of experience helping to give women and girls a voice. She draws on more than forty years as a national consultant, researcher, and trainer. Morgan has consulted with the US Department of Justice, the Pentagon and was selected to represent the United States in Italy at the NATO conference on victimization. She has appeared on numerous television, radio, and podcast programs. In 1976, Morgan and a colleague developed the ground-breaking, anatomically-correct dolls now used worldwide to interview victims of child sexual abuse. She initially made her mark heading up one of the first all-female law enforcement rape investigations programs in the US. As Executive Director of Migima, LLC since 1980, Marcia oversees an innovative firm that provides high-energy consulting services in criminal justice and social issues. Morgan is an author of numerous books and articles, translated into multiple languages, on gender and crime. She is excited to look at gender from a different perspective in this book: marriage and surnames. Marcia and her husband live in Bend, Oregon.