Has anyone else ever changed their name back after 15 years of marriage?

[ViceLikeBlip]

Just that really. I took my husband's name when we got married almost 15 years ago, mainly because I wanted to have the same name as my kids, I was quite young and just very excited about getting married, and becoming Mrs Blip was a big part of that (don't judge), and I thought that double-barrelling was a bit chavvy (again, please don't judge!)

Fast forward 15 years, and the name has just never settled. I don't really like it as a name anyway. I still miss my old name. If I were to get married right now I definitely wouldn't change my name. I work in a secondary school, so changing my name would be quite a significant move (I guess most people would just assume I'd got divorced- teachers do change names quite often. I don't care at all what the kids might think, but it's a fairly small school, and a very close knit common room, so I would want to explain to the other staff).

Ultimately I won't base my decision on whether some people think it's a bit odd, but I was just curious whether anyone else on here has done similar? (inspired by the future Mrs Hugecock's post 😉)

I did!
I initially didn't change my name when we got married but then we had dc & we travelled a fair bit & when it came to renewing my passport I changed to married name.
It's s nice name, undoubtedly far nicer than my maiden name & I like using it but it just never stuck.
I had an established career before dc & it was v difficult to get the new name to stick. I would still be introduced/ referred to by maiden name
So I started just using maiden name in work & married name outside.
Travelling for work was a bit of a headache as the names didn't match- passport was not the same etc so...when it was time yo renew passport after 10yrs I reverted to maiden name
It was a right pain in the ass of a procedure. They said right where are your divorce papers. And were perplexed when I said I was still married just wanted to change my name back. I had to gather at least 6 pieces of documented eevidence that I was using my maiden name for at least 3 years. It woukd have been easier to change it by deed poll I reckon
Anyway I am back to my maiden name now & don't regret it for a second

Really interesting thread - I'm also considering doing the same after 21 years of marriage! I was thinking it might be easiest to do it when my passport expires in 18 months. Sounds from a pp experience that deed poll is the way to go.

Nice to hear of other people doing the same thing, because whenever I've mentioned it to friends they say it's a really weird thing to do

I'm considering doing it after 16 years of marriage. Been thinking about it for a while. I love my maiden me but it just didn't occur to me that I couldn't keep it after marriage. I'd leave my children as they are unless they also wanted to change. My DD has expressed an interest in adding my maiden name to her name in the past which I wouldn't be against.

Ah- nice to know I'm not the only one! If I do decide to change it back then I'd probably do it end of June (I know that's very specific! But it would be easiest after the exam classes have left, give everyone else a few weeks to gossip about it, and then by the time we started back in September it would be old news) so I'll definitely ponder for a bit longer....

I only just got a new passport last year unfortunately (ID purposes not travel purposes, obvs!) My mum mixed and matched names for years though (she actually kept her first married name at work, but was known by her second married name everywhere else) but i don't know exactly how she managed the paperwork side of things.

But thank you for replying, and not making me feel like a total weirdo!

I'm considering going the other way after 27 years of marriage.

Kept my maiden name as it suited me and I was pretty used to it after 26 years plus we would have been "The Waltons"
DH and DD are a little surprised.

Really should get on with it.

Ooh really interesting thread as I am also considering this after 10 years of marriage. I never really wanted to change my name in the first place but bowed to pressure 😟 I still use my maiden name for work and like the thought of not having the faff of running 2 names.

I'm not in the UK so it might be more straightforward there

I didn’t change my name when we got married, but I did 8 years later when our first child was born, which coincided with my passport needed a renewal anyway. Kept my birth name at work, with the title Dr as I gut my PhD just before we got married.

That was 14 years ago. Dr Birth has settled; Mrs Married never has. I think I might be happier if I was officially Dr Birth, and known as Mrs Married, rather than the other way round. I’m toying with going to my birth name officially.

Interesting thread indeed, I'm not keen on my married name at all.
It's really annoying.

I'd like to change it.