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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting relationship advice. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide.

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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting relationship advice. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide.

Relationships

Can i keep my title and surname after marriage

61 replies

butterfly92 · 29/12/2016 00:52

After marriage can I still keep my title as miss and also keep my maiden surname? I dont want to change either of them i still want to be referred to as miss (my last name).

OP posts:

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IamNotDarling · 29/12/2016 00:53

Yes. You can.

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HerodZackHunt · 29/12/2016 00:54

Yes

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Kr1stina · 29/12/2016 00:54

Is your fiancé keeping his name and title?

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pinkyredrose · 29/12/2016 01:26

Yes you can call yourself what you like under UK law.

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soupmaker · 29/12/2016 01:36

Yes. I'm married and didn't change my name. I go by Ms though. The only bugger has been elderly relatives sending cheques to us as Mr & Mrs DH last name. Does my head in. They just can't get why I might want to keep my name!

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MyHomeHasPeculiarChildren · 29/12/2016 08:42

Of course you can. Has someone said you can't?

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Hassled · 29/12/2016 08:45

I go by Ms but have kept my maiden name - has never been an issue (apart from yes, cheques from elderly relatives :o).

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BertrandRussell · 29/12/2016 08:47

Yes of course you can. Has anyone said you can't?

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jeaux90 · 29/12/2016 08:56

Go for it I did

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WonderMike · 29/12/2016 09:48

Unless you do something about changing your name or title, it will remain the same. Completely up to you whether you change it everywhere, just in some places, or not at all.

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RegTheMonkey1 · 29/12/2016 10:30

Yes. I've been married for 20 years and I'm still Miss RegMonkey on everything, passport, driving licence, tax, bank accounts. No legal requirement to change your name on marriage.

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HeddaGabbler · 29/12/2016 10:34

Why would you think you can't?

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SestraClone · 29/12/2016 10:37

Of course you can!

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Kel1234 · 29/12/2016 10:38

You can, which is completely legal and fine, but remember you may get some people who assume that you do go my Mrs husbands name, or ms husbands name or ms your name.

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1DAD2KIDS · 29/12/2016 10:39

Yes. My ex wife is. She doesn't like her maiden name. Plus I guess she wants to keep the safe name as the kids.

As for keeping the title. Personally why not? Call your self what ever you like. But why? Are you still of the school of thought that you'll get more respect as a Mrs instead of a Miss or Ms?

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echt · 29/12/2016 10:40

You can call yourself pretty much anything you like in the UK, so long as your choice does not imply dishonesty/wishing to pass as another for financial advantage, e.g. setting up a business advisory company and calling yourself Sir Alan Sugar.

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originalmavis · 29/12/2016 10:42

I've always been Ms Mavis.

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cazzyg · 29/12/2016 10:52

There's no legal requirement to change your name upon marriage. I've kept my maiden name and I am miss maiden name despite being married for 14 years.

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akkakk · 29/12/2016 11:18

not totally true above - titles fall into two categories - honours based and other...

the other is pretty much a free for all (Ms / Miss / Mrs / etc.) honours based are not - you can't call yourself Lady / Dame / HRH / etc. without those being your real titles - it would be seen as fraudulent in this country...

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LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 29/12/2016 11:20

No you can't - its totally illegal

Seriously, why would you think you can't?

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WorkingBling · 29/12/2016 11:24

Why all the sarcastic responses? Not everyone knows that changing your name on marriage is not compulsory. She is asking, which means even without knowing she doesn't have to buy into the patriarchy, she is thinking about it.

Sheesh!

OP As
Previous posters have said, you can keep your name and title. But be prepared for elderly
Relatives struggling. Also, passive aggressive friends who HAVE changed their names may give you a hard time. Quite a few of mine did. Also gave dh grief. It's surprisingly emotive!

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WarwickDavisAsPlates · 29/12/2016 11:27

Course you can, if you literally do nothing it'll just stay the same. It's what I did, I can't see why people would bother to change their name to be honest.

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PaperdollCartoon · 29/12/2016 11:31

You can do what you like really! I will change my name a bit when we marry and be Mrs Paperdoll Cartoon DPsSurname in my private life, but become Ms Cartoon at work (rather than Miss Cartoon)

Curious to know why you want to be MISS rather than Ms though? Not a problem at all just interested

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LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 29/12/2016 11:33

If she genuinely didn't know if it was legal, perhaps google would have been a better bet than posting on an anonymous forum when you don't know how qualified people are.

at 'buying into the patriarchy' though

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MinervaMcG · 29/12/2016 11:35

If the OP is a surgeon then she'll have worked hard to become Miss X rather than Dr X and typically female surgeons are Miss rather than Ms.

I like Ms but a lot of women don't, and would rather be Miss than Mrs or Ms.

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