(Untitled)

[theshiversbaby]

Are there any titles for women (along the lines of Miss & Mrs.) that aren't defined by her relationship to a man? I do not consider the frequently-used "Ms." to be a good substitute. "Ms." whines, "I wanted to find a title that didn't automatically declare me either an unwed daughter or a wife, but I lacked the creativity to invent anything

Comments

hyphens

[petsounds1966x]

What about both people hyphenating their names? That's always a solution. I hate my last name anyway, I'd just be "Kirk" if it didn't make me seem like a diva-bitch. The only trouble with the hyphenating is sometimes you get awkward-sounding names, but if you can avoid that, I think that's probably the fairest solution. That or, you know, just not changing your name. I don't see the big deal either way, myself.

Re: hyphens

[theshiversbaby]

I have no problem with people keeping their own names, but it gets messy when you bring kids into it. Do you stick them with a long, ugly, hypenated name, or do you choose one? And then, whose do you choose? That's my conundrum right now (er, not personally, since I am unmarried and unpregnant, but it's been bugging me lately).

Re: hyphens

[petsounds1966x]

Well if it's not an ugly hyphenated name, just give them that. If it's really long, I say flip a coin, or just give it to whichever person likes their name A LOT. If you both do, yeah, flipping a coin is fair. Again, if you both have okay-sounding names, I don't see the big deal. But if you have to choose between 'Snargleflag' or 'Berry' or something, I say pick the non-embarassing one.

Re: hyphens

[bluespiralbound]

But then what happens when Bobby Smith-Brown marries Melissa Rosen-Cooper? Then those poor damn kids are going to be the Smith-Rosen-Cooper-Browns! And then, two generations later, everyone commits suicide in kindergarten because their names are too hard and they feel horribly guilty that they can't learn to spell them.

Re: hyphens

[theshiversbaby]

Excellent point. Someone actually said that, but then went back and changed their comment, so only I saw it (in my email). I thought I had it all figured out until it came to this! Heh. If kids weren't involved, I supppose the hyphen would be a good idea...still ugly, for the most part, but a reliable fall-back plan.

And I did realize that when two people create a new name to use after marriage, both people lose what I'm so opposed to losing in the first place.

I'm out of ideas. Don't get married? Don't have kids? Live alone in Siberia? Yes, yes, yes!

Re: hyphens

[pixie405]

I'm personally a big fan of the hyphenated name because I think it sounds powerful. In my case, of course, my lastname would always have to come before the hyphen or else I'd be "something-Powers" and the jokes would never cease.

Or, you could always just make up an entirely new, non-familial name. Kirk, for instance, would probably love to give up Kiefer and just become a Wilson.. :o)

Also, at least we don't do patronymics like the Russians do.. that'd be pretty awful.

Re: hyphens

[theshiversbaby]

Or the Icelanders...my name would be Lauren Brucedottir.