Name change after marriage in academia?

[psychanator]

Hey there!

I was hoping to start a discussion a topic I know many wonder about but for which I was unable to find an already existing thread in the psychology portion of this website (only in the med school group; if one exists, my apologies). I'm engaged (wedding isn't for a while) and was wondering what most people these days think about women (or men!) changing their names in academia, and most specifically, how changing/hyphenating names works for publications (particularly with things such as online indexing, etc.). Also, if people have thoughts/ideas about how this may affect clinical work, I'd be curious to hear as well. And maybe for those who are not planning on marrying just yet (like some individuals who I am mentoring), should one consider lists his or her name (i.e. with a middle name/initial) throughout the early stages of ones career, in consideration of a potential eventual name change after marriage?

Thanks ya'll,
psychanator

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[bcliff]

Hey there!

I was hoping to start a discussion a topic I know many wonder about but for which I was unable to find an already existing thread in the psychology portion of this website (only in the med school group; if one exists, my apologies). I'm engaged (wedding isn't for a while) and was wondering what most people these days think about women (or men!) changing their names in academia, and most specifically, how changing/hyphenating names works for publications (particularly with things such as online indexing, etc.). Also, if people have thoughts/ideas about how this may affect clinical work, I'd be curious to hear as well. And maybe for those who are not planning on marrying just yet (like some individuals who I am mentoring), should one consider lists his or her name (i.e. with a middle name/initial) throughout the early stages of ones career, in consideration of a potential eventual name change after marriage?

Thanks ya'll,
psychanator

A friend of mine is a licensed psychologist, and she got married after getting her license. I believe that her practice is still officially called '(maiden name) & Associates, LLC' and her patients refer to her as Dr. (maiden name), although legally she took her husband's last name, so I would assume that her license reflects that name change. I'm not sure if she's involved in any academic/research work, so I'm not sure how/if the name change affected any of that.

 

[cara susanna]

I changed to my married name and I just made sure to add my maiden name to my CV. I also bolded my name in the citations on my CV.

 

[aly cat]

I changed to my married name and I just made sure to add my maiden name to my CV. I also bolded my name in the citations on my CV.

+1.

This is something I really struggled with.. I always just assumed I would take my husband's name but then when it actually came time to file the paperwork I really struggled. Eventually I decided to go with his. I've also always used my middle initial which is a good thing because he's also in academia and we have the same first initial. Another option is to drop your middle name and move your maiden to middle. Anyway, I'm happy with my choice. I do not publish (yet) in numbers to be known on name recognition alone, and if anyone has my CV my maiden name is indicated in parentheses + I bolded my name in citations.

 

[researchgirl]

I think this depends on when in your career you get married. Like Cara Susanna, I changed my last name when I got married - legally/professionally/personally. I had very few pubs before getting married, so I didn't feel like my name was "known" in the field at the time. Also like Cara, both names appear on my CV and I bold my name in citations on my publication list. I think if I had gotten married after I had more publications or felt that I had a reputation associated with my name, I would have reconsidered my options.

I think changing your name has potential professional implications no matter what you do with your career - clinical work, teaching, research, etc., depending on when in your career you change. For example, if you are therapist Dr. Smith in a community and then change your name to Dr. Collins, past patients may have a difficult time referring their friends/family to you.

For this reason (and others) many of my friends have chosen to socially go by Mrs. NewName and professionally by Mrs. MaidenName, sometime by legally hypenating, sometimes by legally changing. Another person I know publishes under Jane MaidenName NewName to keep the tie from old to new pubs.

 

[doasisay]

I chose not to change my name. I did not feel strongly about taking my husband's name, and as my advisor was going through a divorce while I was planning my wedding, I could see firsthand the benefit of not changing it. For me, no regrets at all - it was easier to not file the paperwork, and all of my degrees and lines on my CV are now consistent without the headache of trying to maintain two identities (legal new last name and professional maiden name). Maybe it unconventional, but our different last names have absolutely no impact on our "family" and it was just so much easier in the short- (and maybe long-) run!

 

[CheetahGirl]

All of my graduate school has occurred after marriage, but just to complicate things further, I hyphenated my last name. I did this to retain my ethnic maiden name, but also include my spouse's last name. (BTW our kids use only my husband's last name, so I'm the only one in our household with the hyphenated last name).

My hyphenated last name is on all my pubs/presentations. Clinically, it's interesting how some patients/clients use my full hyphenated name, maiden name, or married name but eventually they all call me by my first name, "Cheetah."

 

[Doctor Eliza]

I'm in private practice. i got married about 3 years after I graduated and changed my name. I made my maiden name my middle name so I could retain it in some way. Both my maiden and married names are long and difficult to pronounce so hyphenation wasn't an option. I do have all 3 names on my business cards. I didn't like the idea of changing my name, but I wanted my future children to have the same last name. It hasn't caused any issues that I'm aware of, but I have continued to work at the same practice since my marriage.

My grad school friends seem split along the academic/practice line with name changes. My practice friends changed their names while the academics didn't.

Dr. E

 

[WisNeuro]

I think out of my female friends in academia, about 3/4 kept their names, and 1/4 went with their husband's name. I don't think it's a big deal these days. If I married someone in academia that had already published, I'd tell them to keep their last name.

 

[KillerDiller]

I chose not to change my name. I did not feel strongly about taking my husband's name, and as my advisor was going through a divorce while I was planning my wedding, I could see firsthand the benefit of not changing it. For me, no regrets at all - it was easier to not file the paperwork, and all of my degrees and lines on my CV are now consistent without the headache of trying to maintain two identities (legal new last name and professional maiden name). Maybe it unconventional, but our different last names have absolutely no impact on our "family" and it was just so much easier in the short- (and maybe long-) run!

I did the same thing when I got married 4 years ago. Some other pros: I am First Name NewName on facebook and other personal areas of my life. When clients or employers google me, they tend to only find professional info. The cons: My relatives didn't seem to understand my decision, so lots of checks at the wedding were addressed to what they assumed would be my new legal name, or some hyphenated hybrid. This caused some hassles with my bank. Also, when my husband and I travel abroad we can't use the same customs form like other families because we don't share a last name. Not a big deal.

 

[cara susanna]

I only changed mine because I disliked my maiden name.

 

[EmotRegulation]

I got married one year after grad school, and chose not to change my name.....though I'm in slightly an odd situation because I started graduate school married to someone else (and changed my name the first time) and thus I still have my ex-husband's name. But like Cara, I didn't like my maiden name and I like my ex's name just fine. Weird, I know. When I got married again, I decided to keep my current name because I've published enough that changing would be a pain, and although our children won't share the same last name as me, I've made my peace with that. My plan is to officially change my name after I retire. Also, we have our phone bill and such in my husband's name, so students/clients can't find my personal information very easily, and of THAT I am quite happy.