- 1). Think about how much your name means to you. If you've built a business or reputation that thrives because of name recognition, you might not want to start all over with a new name.
- 2). Listen to how your new name will sound if you change it. Are you willing to be called Mrs. Robinson the rest of your life? Will you be taken seriously as Rosa Sosa, or are you tired of being Bruce Wayne?
- 3). Ask your partner if people frequently mispronounce his or her name. If so, are you willing to tolerate that? Perhaps Mr. Cjeka might be content to become Mr. McKay.
- 4). Talk the name change over with your partner and both of your families. A woman with no brothers may opt to carry on the family name. A son's decision to give up his last name might offend or hurt his parents.
- 5). Discuss what last name you'd like your children to have. Some couples opt to combine their names, or give daughters their mother's name and sons their father's name. If your children will all take their father's name, will Mom feel excluded if her name is different?
- 6). Think about the broader social implications, if that's important to you. Do you believe that it's important for everyone in a new family to have the same name? Or do you feel that relinquishing a name implies inequality or loss of identity?
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