You know all that bother around the holiday season—Christians bugged
at people who write "Christmas" as "Xmas?" "Hells no! You's done X'ed
out my Christ!" Well, this may be horribly insensitive of me, but I've
begun spelling my last name "Xian." I mean, hey! It's short and sweet,
and looks kinda Asian! What else could you want in a name? (Plus it
gets kinda confusing when I say "I'm not a Christian." "Oh yes you
are!" Point.)
So what if I ever got married? Okay, it's not really on my list of things to do before I die, but a guy can't help but wonder if that special lass may one day come along....
It has been traditional for many years: When a man and woman come together as one, this truth is further evinced by them uniting under one (sur)name, usually the husband's. This symbolizes the woman's passing from the care of one man (her father) to the next (her Lover). When people began using their family trades and occupations as last names (i.e. Baker or Smith), it made sense for the lass to change her name to match her new family career. So the new bride is not only donning a new name and family. She begins a completely new way of life.
Today things are a bit different. What with feminism and equal rights,
as well as the decline of family business, people are becoming less
and less likely to side with tradition, myself included. Some couples
put their two names into one as a mutual sacrifice, symbolizing a
completely new creation. The names are combined either as wholes (a
hyphenated and really long one) or in parts (a sort of pseudonym).
Some husbands change their names to match their ladies'. And some couples don't change their names at all, out of convenience.
This is all very well, but it makes things a bit more difficult when
naming the young'ns, and when tracking down family history. And what about the people who marry several times?
(Topics will be further explored in future posts about Love & sex. Mostly because I can't think of any way to finish th
3 comments:
I have two teachers (Mary would know them) who work at Union and are married. She kept her maiden name and hyphened it with his, so she's Michelle Velasquez-Mesnard. Mesnard is a funny name, so when her husband Mike became a recording artist, his agent recommended he change the spelling to Mennard, which is how it was originally pronounced anyway. So now he's Mike Mennard, and she's Michelle Velasquez-Mesnard. A little confusing, but doesn't cause too many big problems that I know of. Most people drop the Velasquez and just call her Michelle Mesnard. Actually makes it a lot easier in the course schedules, where teachers are just called by their last names.
Also, my friends Kim and Andrew married, and she's from Quebec, where women don't take their husband's name. He had a little trouble with the idea at first, but she kept her name, Kim Fortin, and since his last name's Fish, they just have the same last initial. They seem to like it fine (although it makes for more writing on envelopes addressed to them).
I think in today's world, people can just do what works for them, with relatively little confusion. I've thought of it, and thought that I'd like a change and would like to switch my name when I'm married. Although I like the anonymity of "Katie Carlson." Google me. You don't find the actual me in at least the first couple of pages. There are over 4,000 hits!
Damn this red hair dye. I oughta get my money back. I didn't get the Xian thing until just now when you explained it; guess the blonde's not all gone after all. :)
Ooh, but apparently there's a movie called "Katie Carlson," for which I can find out nothing at all except that one blogger called it and I quote, "The WORST FILM EVER!!!!!!!"
I don't necessarily want to get married either, but I do want love. Marriage is just a ritual. Commitment can exist outside of it fine. Which would clear up the name thing. :)
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