Waterman, Smallwater or Smallhouse?

[CJKnox]

My surname is Waterhouse; DP's is Smallman... We are getting married soon. We're also expecting! Which new surname would you use? I think Smallwater sounds the best?

Waterman or Houseman. Or any thing else you could think of...
TBH I find it a bit weird but each to their own. I loved taking my DH name, felt like I was making myself more a part of him. Plus I had a shit surname anyway. And combining the two would have been even more shit. You're lucky you've both got fairly normal surnames!

'I loved taking my DH name, felt like I was making myself more a part of him.'

Each to their own indeed. I only wanted to feel part of a partnership not part of another person!

Waterman/Houseman.

But you are both giving up your names what does that achieve

Lol equality you numpty

Well can't since women are always expected to change the surname and men never are then it's all about equality
Astounded that you can't see that

'I loved taking my DH name, felt like I was making myself more a part of him.'

And what did he do to make himself
More part of you?

Each to their own surely poldark?

It's a fair question though.

Each to their own indeed. Some people just love patriarchy and inequality. I don't

I'd take my DHs surname if he took my first name. He'd make a lovely Helen. It'll make him feel more a part of me.

Each to their own is a pretty mealy mouthed, meaningless statement though
Obviously each to their own, that's the basic tenet of a liberal democracy. That doesn't mean we shouldn't examine the choices we make

By taking my dhs name it hasn't made me some lame, wet feeble excuse of a woman. I wanted to take his name, I asked of nothing in return to 'make him part of me'.... it's not tit for tat. We don't do things purely for what we'll get in return. Maybe if I fiercely loved my maiden name or had a real emotional attachment to it he would have taken mine.
I take it you've all kept your surname? Or your dhs have taken yours then?

Yep, kept mine
I would have thought that was obvious. Why ask that in that kind of 'aha caught you out' kind of way?

Ironic that people who criticised the OP for her choices are now getting defensive about their own choices.

The point is that we have a choice, and there was absolutely no fucking need for all the sexist dinosaurs to criticise the OP for hers.

Wasn't asking in any kind of way. Just asking...
I'm not getting defensive at all. I have no need to defend myself against people I don't know. I couldn't care less what the OP does with her name. If she and her future DH want to change their name that's absolutely their prerogative. There's just a lot of bashing on here of people who disagree and I find it quite insulting that you all seem to view your decision/opinion more superior. Like you are better women for it.

Smallman-Waterhouse would be a brilliant surname for University Challenge. Just imagine it in Paxman's voice

SeekingMiracles: you started your response by telling the OP you find HER choice 'a bit weird '. And then related your own choice .

Other people throughout this thread have done the same thing.

So how can it be any different to people commenting on your choices?

Waterman sounds best as its the most recognisable surname.

I like Waterman or Houseman (maybe Housman, like AE Housman).

My preference is for everyone to have two surnames so that no-one changes their name after marriage and children share one surname with each parent (similar to the Spanish way).

I thought about that before, when I was pondering a "solution" to the surname/marriage issue, but it's still the paternal surname on each side which gets passed to the DC - I.e. The mother's father's name and the father's father's name, so I'm not sure that everyone would see that as equal either

'I loved taking my DH name, felt like I was making myself more a part of him.'

Bloody hell.

Anyway OP I think it's a brilliant idea. Another vote for Waterman here.

They are very meshable names. Ours weren't, it turned out and we had to go double barrelled. I am green with envy at your options.

Especially Waterman.

I vote for waterman.

I took my DH's name when we got married (well, actually a few years later when it was time to change my passport and I was moving to a new job), but I made that choice mainly because I had always disliked my dad's surname and much preferred my husband's surname. Not sure that we could have successfully combined the two without it sounding really weird!

I think combining is a great idea though, and am amazed at the pissy responses telling the OP to just take her dh's name. It's simply preposterous to suggest that the tradition of taking the husband's name has nothing to do with gender equality. It has absolutely everything to do with inequality!

I wish I had done this with DH. I think it's a lovely idea. Waterman is great.

As a lover of anagrams you could make some lovely anagrams out of your combined names. How about Mr and Mrs Somersault or Mr and Mrs Watermelons

Well I do think that keeping your name is a better choice than changing it. I don't think I'm a better woman than you but I do think I made a feminist choice and you did not.