I had a question that I took to twitter the other day- “can you still be a ‘Miss’ after you are married?” This sparked some fascinating opinions and interesting responses! So I thought I would provide a bit of help to those thinking about their new name and title once they are married- how to go about changing it and what options you might have.
Times have changed and there are a number of options available to women (and their husbands!) and the best thing is, it’s entirely up to you! The UK Deed Poll has kindly provided some very helpful answers to some questions that you had…
Q – What do you need to do if you decide to take your husband’s name?
This is the most popular scenario and you can use your marriage certificate as proof of a name change to get all your records updated.
Q – Once married do you have to change your title to ‘Mrs’ when taking your husband’s name?
No, whilst it is standard practice to change your title to ‘Mrs’ when taking your husband’s surname you are under no obligation to do so. If you wish to keep your current title it is a good idea to make a mention of this when getting your records updated, as it will often be assumed that you now wish to be addressed as ‘Mrs’. (It seems a popular choice is to take the title ‘Ms’ which doesn’t dictate your marital status).
Q – Can you keep your maiden name for work purposes but use your married name for more official documentation such as banking, passport etc?
This is possible and is a popular choice for women who have built up a good professional reputation under their maiden name.
Q – If you keep your maiden name do you have to notify anyone?
If you keep your maiden name you will not need to update your records unless you wish to change your title in which case you can notify the relevant bodies of this.
Q – If you choose to keep your maiden name entirely, what title should you take and do you have to change it legally?
If you wish to keep your maiden name entirely you are free to either keep your existing title or to change it. If you wish to change it there is no formal process required and you can simply write a letter to record keepers asking them to modify your title.
Q – What happens if you and your husband both want to take the same new surname?
If you and your husband both wish to take the same new surname the easiest option is to use a deed poll. A deed poll is a legal document that acts as proof of name change. The process is straightforward and a deed poll application can be made online.
Q – What title can you have if you are married but use your own name?
You can have whichever title you prefer. It is entirely your choice as to whether you choose to use Mrs., Miss, or Ms.
Q – Can you use your maiden name as your middle name and take your husband’s surname? How do you change this?
This has become an increasingly popular option as women choose to keep up the tradition of taking their husband’s surname but also maintain a link to their family name. In order to do this a deed poll is required which can be applied for online.
Q – Does your title and name have to be the same in all your documentation, such as passports, driving license, bank statements?
Your name should be the same on all of your documentation. Practically this isn’t possible as you will have to get your records updated one by one but you should aim to do this as quickly as possible so there are no lasting discrepancies between documents.
I have briefly thought about my own name after I’ll be married and for me personally I’ve always enjoyed being a ‘Miss’. I’m not sure why, I think for me it represents being young! So I will be sad to see it go!
As you can see there are many different options available and there is no ‘right’ way.
We would love to hear what you did or will be doing with your name?
Jessica at Gosfield Hall
