Amal Alamuddin has changed her name professionally

Contact and reputation doesn't work the same way in all fields. In my field if I change my name now it would obliterate 15 years of my achievements.

Oh you were telling me. Well that makes all the difference

And I was telling you it didn't make a difference in my professional career but I must be wrong. Because you're telling me I am.

And I didn't say you see a decent contact regularly but that you'd be in contact with them. Could be via email, telephone calls, meetings etc. Not some random who added you on linked in to up their numbers.

And we're back to the "is this something women have to deal with but not men? Yes? Then it's probably a feminist issue" definition.

Whether the impact is minor or major for any individual woman (and given the world knows the woman formerly known as Amal Alamuddin is now Amal Clooney, I doubt there's any impact for the case in point), the fact remains that men (NAM) simply don't change their name in late 20s/early 30s and therefore have no impact from doing so,

Completely agree on the negative effect of changing your name in many professions. My professional reputation (and therefore future prospects) depends partly on the way I'm perceived inside my current company, but mainly on the way I'm perceived externally. The former wouldn't be affected much if I changed my name, but the latter certainly would.

I'm glad it's been fine for you, LittleBear. I can well believe it varies by field and for me, and for Chunderella, and for a number of other women I know, it would matter.

Apart from the fact I am also a professional and it's really been fine.

All these people posting their justifications for taking their husband's surname rather than their own on marriage, and then saying that it's nobodies business but theirs obviously have an undeveloped sense of irony

Applauding Puffins and Ehric.

In fact that post about the point whizzing over your head made me laugh out loud.

Which made my 7 year old DD ask what I was laughing about.

Which led to a long discussion about the rights and wrongs of women changing their name on marriage (which I didn't so she is used to the idea).

A decent contact would know you had changed your name as they'd be talking to you regularly.

It's a bit difficult to keep in contact with everybody you ever worked with in an industry on a regular basis (Well, it was before linked in etc. and even then there are limits). That doesn't mean that it isn't beneficial if they can put a face to a name when they hear of you again.

(Unless of course you were absolutely rubbish - then it can be beneficial to change your name ).

Me and my dh discussed which name we would use out of ours. We ended up going with his, not because he wanted to, but because I liked his name better. Although similarly to MRS CLOONEY's decision... that is none of your fucking business.

Sorry for multiple post but here is how a conversation in my industry might go:

"I had coffee with Jane Smith yesterday."
"Oh yeah, she used to work at ABC, she's great, very thorough."
"Really? Good, thanks, I might have something coming up for her."

Or:
"I had coffee with Jane Jones yesterday."
"Did you? Don't think I know her.... Anyway, whaddya think of XYZ ltd?"

Their networks can't be very strong if they have to put their maiden names in brackets. A decent contact would know you had changed your name as they'd be talking to you regularly.

If it's bollocks, why do some women put their birth surnames in brackets on their linked in profiles?

"Have philosophical objections by all means but they exist equally for all women."

Yes, I agree, wasn't that clear?

Have you stayed at the same place of work since you were married?

Have philosophical objections by all means but they exist equally for all women.

Bollocks Yonic there are very few (any?) women for whom a name change will damage their careers.

Any emails sent to my old email address are still received by me. My contact details are the same. You seriously think that someone would say 'well she changed her name, I'm not employing her...'

"And if you don't believe women should change their name then you shouldn't differentiate between high profile women with successful careers and SAHM's"

It's not distinguishing on a philosophical basis; there are practical implications to a professional changing their name mid career (for whatever reason ) that are lessened for an SAHP.

Of course it's not a completely free choice. Any more than it's a free choice for women to choose to stay at home with the children. Or for women to work part time while their partner works full time. Etc etc.

But the people who are saying it might be responding perhaps to the coercion comment. Which is stronger than the societal norm/pressure idea.