Question of ignorance: When a woman remarries, is it more typical to keep her former married name or adopt her new married name?
Maybe, I found my
answer:
Quote:
"Most of the time, women with children like to keep their married name so it's consistent with their children," says Sharon Sooho, a family law attorney in Newton, Mass., and a partner with Divorce.net. "Some women, even without children, prefer to keep their married name because it sounds better, or it's the name they use professionally." A few add a new last name and use their previous last name as a middle name.
I'm thinking that would bother the new husband. "Why the heck do you still call yourself Smith, when you married me?"
The law is supposed to help with the name change:
Quote:
"When you divorce, the decree normally gives you permission to resume using your premarital name," says Brette McWhorter Sember of Clarence, N.Y., a former divorce attorney. "If you want to choose another name, you have to go through a legal name-change process. It generally requires that you file a petition with the court explaining why you want the change. Then you have to publish a notice of the change in a newspaper of record chosen by the court, so creditors and other interested parties are notified. Then the change is finalized."
My thought is that a woman who remarries does so because she doesn't love the former husband. Therefore, a new beginning would be in order. But, alas, the paperwork would make that issue daunting.
Quote:
"Gone are the days of simply changing a Social Security card, passport and driver's license," says Trott. "There are simply more people to notify. Each agency, government and nongovernment, has its own requirements."
Checklists also include memberships, clubs, associations, insurance companies, frequent-flier accounts and schools attended.
Not an earth shattering issue, but an interesting one. It might also reflect how much women have to bend in this society to make things convenient for others.
Anyway, she decided to return to using my husband's last name, just to be spiteful, which infuriated him, but there was nothing he could do. By now, the woman has been married at least 8 times (I lost count and interest a long time ago!) but during the interludes, she returns to using my husband's last name...what a hoot! 
