Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for September 18, 2016

Any of you know any married couples where she kept her name?

I can’t think of any right off hand, but it doesn’t mean that there aren’t any.

The IRS, however, may have a dim view of it.

Haha!

He definitely is a Degroot.

Wait, what?!

Brad’s family speaks up in gentle protest after finding out he is willing to assume Toni’s last name:.

“I am Degroot”

My wife did legally and professionally, but uses my last name socially and in connection with our daughter and her schooling.

Many of my musician friends had already established something of a name for themselves before getting married. It made sense for them to keep their maiden names. The same holds true for women in any number of professional fields.

Brad may want to consider adding Daytona as a middle name, and let Toni become Toni Louise DeGroot Daytona.

I don’t see that it’s anybody’s business but their own, and “tradition” is really all over the place, depending on where and how far back you look.

By law, women in Quebec retain their family name when they marry.

Mrs. DeGroot-Daytona is the way to go.

It’s a tradition in my family for the woman to change her middle to name to her maiden name and take her husbands last name. So she would be “Tony Daytona DeGroot”

My mother did is and so did I.Keeps me close to my family ties but have the same last name as my children without the hyphenation madness.

i have mine hyphenated.

I’ve known lots of women who kept their maiden names when they married, and almost as many who hyphenated both names together..Number of men I’ve known who switched to their wives’ last names? Pretty close to zero.

Lots of women keep their last name after getting married. With “DeGroot,” I think most women would. DeGroot sounds too much like a pig talking. But no – a guy shouldn’t take his wife’s last name – it’s just not done – and who wants to be the first? Male skirts went out of fashion real fast.

Depends on culture and traditions. When I married the first time, my wife chose to keep her maiden surname. When I married the second time (in 1995) the law had been changed in Denmark. Now a woman or man has to opt for at namechenge. Otherwise both keep their own surname. If the woman has the more appealing surname, I know more men who have taken that. In Germany (where I live now) I have also met men who didn’t like to hyphenate their name and instead took on the surname of their wife.

Does anyone realise DeGroot is a Dutch name meaning ‘the big’ or ‘the great’?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Groot

Yes, i did. Because i am not the property of my husband, i love him, but my name is my own identity, why should a woman change her name just because she makes a commitment to a man?

Hillary Rodham Clinton?

Here are two wedding dress designs posted by ae2 on 15 Sept:♦OOPS, I can’t cut and paste them. Go back to 15 Sept 2016 and scroll down to ae2’s comment. It’s the 45th comment.

TEMPLO S.U.D. said, about 5 hours agoAny of you know any married couples where she kept her name?

Is this a real question? Welcome to the 21st century, we’re glad to have you. Yes. I kept my own name and we’ve been married 12 years.

Not only do I know MANY couple where the woman kept her name, but I also know several couples where they came up with a new last name together. For example, “Houston” and “Bauer” was changed to “Bauston”. Another couple, “Thomas” and “Cramer” BOTH went by “Thomas-Cramer” after they got married. If I were to get married, I would keep my name or come up with a combination like above. After all, he’s marrying me, not adopting me.

I also know of another couple where the woman wanted to keep her last name but her fiance said that was a “deal breaker” for him, and it was “no big deal” for her to change her name. So she asked him to change his name to hers, and he about fainted. “What?” she replied, “I thought it was no big deal?” She wound up keeping her name.

We combined our last names. Took a bit of creative figuring, but found something new that was part his and part my last name. It was less cumbersome to me than hyphenation, and fit our ideal – that we were FROM our families, always PART of our families and history, but were now starting our own, NEW family. .That was the idea, anyway. I hyphenated my middle name to include my maiden name, though.

My wife is proud to carry my surname.

And now it starts?

My husband took mine. He was one of 5 boys. My dad is the last of his line. Our children continue my fathers last name.

She has a brother and niece to keep the Daytona name alive.

She should keep it. It will make things that much easier when they get a divorce. Trust me, it’s coming.

Why would a woman want to keep the name of a man she didn’t choose over the name of a man she did choose? And why shouldn’t he change his name? As long as it isn’t one of those silly-a$$ed hyphenated things – Toni Louise Daytona-DeGroot?

Well they could also combine their last names like some couples: DayGroot or DeTona ;)

Meh… I can understand certain reasons for not assuming the last name of the husband, but for the most part, I do not. The Hyphenation I definitely get. Someone looking for an old friend from High School, changing the last name can make you harder to find. But not taking the last name because “Reasons” no I do not like it. Just old fashioned I guess.

Hyphenated names always seemed short sighted to me. After a couple of generations of people with hyphenated names, getting married to people with hyphenated names, what happens?

First it’s 2, then 4, then 8, then 16. Think of the kids! By the time they have grand kids their last names could be an acronym! And the great grand kids become hyphenated acronyms!

Instead of a legacy, they will start over with a new name, perhaps by occupation, like Greg Cartoonist, or Joe Programmer.

A couple we know both hated their last names, so they combined the good parts of their last names and came up with a new one that they both took. Her last name was unpronounceable to someone not raised in a French culture, and his was just odd-sounding. Combined, it is easy to say and sounds classy, too.

Best of both worlds.

We were both in the Army when we married in 1962, and the Army rules then were that my legal name was my first, middle, maiden and husband’s names. My normal signature, however is my first name, maiden name or initial, and husband’s name.

Less to mess with after the divorce.

I would definitely hyphenate, I already made up my mind years ago. I honestly thought that was what Toni was going to do.

What last name do you give the children?

That’s okay Brad. Let Her Keep Her Maiden Name if it makes Her Happy. ‘Mrs. Toni Daytona-DeGroot.’

One thing for Sure. One Day, when She Gets Mad at a Store Clerk and asks for the Manager, She’ll be Mrs. DEGROOT!!

I replaced my middle name with my maiden name. Then, when I took care of my parents’ business, I used all three. Otherwise, just my first and married name. Less confusing, and also didn’t upset my very traditional in-laws.

Don’t like the direction this is taking..SHE has NOT made a name for herself that needs to be kept.

Wait, where’s the “Luann on her bed with Puddles and Bern” Sunday strip??

My son-in-law changed his last name to my daughter’s, same as mine of course. I asked his dad how that felt. He said it was a little uncomfortable at first but now he is coming around to it.

My husband took my last name when we got married…7yrs ago.. no big deal!

And, of course, DeGroot means “The Big, The Great.”

My wife & I have been together for nearly 20 years and married for almost 10. I didn’t know until she was on the phone to her sister that she had decided to take my last name in marriage. Kinda surprised me as she had established herself professionally with her current last name. Brought a tear to my eye. I know what a pain in the neck it is to do so as you have to go through all the work of changing all your ‘legal’ documents.

@Templo S.U.D. et al., My wife kept her own name, as did our best friends (several of them). My wife was married previously and went back to her “maiden” name when her divorce was finalized. As a result, I raised kids that had neither of our names. It was always chaos when we got a new mail carrier, or each year when we began to interact with new teachers at school. Would not have changed a thing, however, and I recommend to all my students (most of whom are headed to a professional life) that they keep their own name. It makes following a professional career SO much easier.

Those of us who are “trufans” are going to change our last names to Luann, en masse, perhaps on the day of the wedding. It is the least we can do to show our appreciation. And antifans (bah, humbug) are welcome to join us!

My wife of 35 years (and counting) kept hers…

My husband’s last name is much easier to spell and pronounce than mine was. I was happy to take his last name.

Had married friends who kept their last names, Smith and Jones. One child was Jane Smithjones and the other was John Jonesmith.

She should consider dropping her middle and becoming Toni Daytona DeGroot

No surprise here. Brad’s clearly established himself as the girl in the relationship.

The best name story i know was of an academic family. The Nazis had occupied the nation of the husband and everyone had to register. Instead of giving their birth surname he registered w a name going from the nation’s vernacular meaning “from the testicles” as a way of protesting that would be safe. Their neighbors understood and under their breath they laughed at the Nazis. When later emigrating to the U.S., the protest name, which by that time was in the records due to the Nazis, was kept.

I think its great that Toni asked Brad and he agrees, and even suggests that her “cool” last name could be his name instead of the other way around. There are so many layers of rationale involved in the marriage naming trope, starting with the wife being essentially part of the husband’s property interests, in effect she marries “into” his family rather than him marrying into her family. She becomes a member of his family although they are all “in-laws.” But I think the most important point with this panel is what the families behind the name represent. Daytona represents extreme beauty/looks (look at how handsome her brother is, or how cute her niece is; if she were drawn as a young adult she would be a dark-haired beauty) but a fractured background, loss of parents at an early age, instability, abuse in her background, a phoenix spirit rising as it were, who needed a Degroot, who are the salt of the earth type practical people, loving, stable, funny, close, and accepting and loving of their children, and Luann and Brad are developing with that upbringing growing normally to be the kind of kind, loving, loyal adults their parents are. This is want Toni needs, and what she loves about Brad. She will grow old with him, and he will provide her with the foundation she needs to thrive, so she values DeGroot, but is proud of and feels the honor to her deceased parents that the “cool” name Daytona represents. She will always be Toni Daytona, who is Brad DeGroots wife, and life partner. It’s so cool.

my ex sister in law kept my brother’s name instead of her husbands.

I have known people in all situations. I worked with a guy who took his wife’s last name because he got money from her father for doing it. I worked with a guy who was married to a doctor who kept her maiden name. I worked with a woman who kept her maiden name and their 3 boys had his last name. My wonderful wife did go through the hassle to change her last name to mine 28 years ago.

Oh, forgot about those that do the hyphenation thing. e.g. Smith-Jones etc.

A long time ago, I worked with a gentlemen whose real name was John Smith. He was so tired of everyone saying “yeah,sure! with a wink”, when he got married, he took his wife’s last name.

…As long as Toni does not change her name to Brad, or vice-versa. ☺

Brad really is the wife in this relationship… he should have a sex change too!

My ex-husband took my last name.

Melissa Rauch (Bernadette on Big Bang Theory) kept her name AND her husband took hers.

So, her brother doesn’t have their parents’ name? Or Shannon?

As I remember, Nancy’s first impression of Toni was that Toni was “dangerous”— too attracted to risk-taking such as cars, fire-fighting, daring men, the fast life to be suitable for her son. She may have gotten part of the impression from the fact her surname is that of a race.*I’m pretty sure there is no speedway named “DeGroot”. It’s a nice, steady, safe name— like Brad. (Which is why Toni likes him.)

A lot of women connect both names with a hyphen when they get married. Toni should do that.

I also know women who keep their married name after divorce even after their husband remarries.

A local pastor changed his last name from Butt to Cornell, his wife’s last name. Sometimes it makes sense! My ordained clergy, daughter-in-law kept her last name and their first child has a hyphenated last name.

I kept my name. My husband and I had discussed it in depth long before we got married. He had no issue with it. His mother, on the other hand, took it as a personal affront. Of course, she takes issue with most things I do, so it’s really not surprising.

time to dump Mz Daytona. She is too high maintenance, has a skewed world view, and is probably bi polar.

Yes…. what does that mean? Was Toni really saying “…you can’t have my name and I won’t take your name…”..?

Decloaking just for a minute here.I have known situations of all three variations of the traditional “bride, you take your husband’s last name, period” philosophy.1. My dentist’s wife is also a dentist and they operate a practice together, along with their son who followed in his dad’s footsteps. She still uses her maiden name professionally (which is kind of neat for me, since my dentist is my dentist because he is a friend’s brother-in-law, as in brother to the wife who keeps her last name at the office).2. My own mother replaced her middle name with her maiden name after marriage, although some legal documents through the years were executed with her original middle name. Since she passed away seven years ago, I can’t ask her about that.3. The former mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, was born Antonio Villar Jr. but when he married Corina Raigosa in 1987 they combined their last names. The marriage dissolved twenty years later but he keeps the name as he is well-known by it politically.A personal note: Thanks for all the kind words over the past couple of weeks from those regulars that miss me. I do still read the comments even though I am no longer inclined to be an active poster.It is a sad situation where one “pro” user was able to have the FAQ suppressed, yet the moderators appear unable to do anything about the idiots who continue to post things like today’s “Brad should get a sex change” comment. No wonder I don’t really want to be here.Cloaking device back on.

I kept my name 34 Years ago when it was not common. It is very common now. I am not a piece of property that needs its title of ownership transfered.. Get into the 21 century folks.

Toni seems like an okay Daytona, but her brother is probably more what she’s referring to here. High praise!

I love my husband so much I would never use anything but his last name.

My own original surname name history is a slightly strange one. Many people have the same name but are not at all related. You know how a number of last names were plays upon the occupations, locations, or a father’s familiar name. So, same and similar names could result without kinship. The one i had was worked from the name of the leader of a widely popular anabaptist religious cult of the late 16th or early 17th century (offhand, i forget which) so many people had variations of it as fellow-worshippers yet were not related. People too often read too much into names. That tendency to clump and to impart meanings or characteristics without having sufficient foundation is not itself an unusual human characteristic, though it is a sad one.

On my da’s side, I am the third female in five generations. have no female cousins or sisters, so I use my maiden name as my legal middle name. that way I honor my dad and his side of the family. My mom was an only child.

Also how would you address an invitation? Mr. DeGroot & Mrs. Daytona? Or Mr. DeGroot and Ms, Daytona? Mr. and Mrs.DeGroot/Daytona? Mr. DeGroot and wife? Ms. Daytona and husband? The DeGroot – Daytona Family? And would Toni be addressed as Mrs. or Ms.? If I was to send something to a couple I know who are just shacking up, I would use separate lines for each name. If Toni went into a Hospital ICU, would Brad have to bring a copy of their marriage license before he could be admitted? Life was so much simpler when I was just waiting for Gunther and Tiffany to make out, hold hands, discover that they actually needed each other.

If Toni’s brother is any indication of what remains of the family, Brad, I’d take it as a compliment…

Perfectly okay, Toni! And, yes, Brad is totally a DeGroot, especially with his mouth full of hamburger….

Brad is a Degroot, through and through.

I’m Spartacus!! Er, uh DeGroot!

That’s right, Mr. DeGroot. Why would a hottie like Toni ever saddle herself with a name like that?

More evidence that Toni isn’t committed to this marriage.

So what are the children’s last name(s) going to be? “Daytona-DeGroot” or “DeGroot-Daytona”? Poor kids.

Spoiler: the intersection of Zebo and Gunther

Spoiler 2: you have heard of writer’s block? Toni’s phone call may have ended a homework block.

In France and Belgium, women take the husband’s name, and theirs is hyphenated AFTER his. so if yours is jones and his is johnson, you become mrs jones-johnson.

MY wife made her maiden name her middle name, partly because the last name was so long. 12 letters vs 6

You might find this interesting. I changed my name over 30 years go when I married my husband. It was just how things were done. If I were to marry again (highly unlikely, I might add), I probably wouldn’t change it again. http://thefeministbride.com/why-women-change-their-last-names-after-marriage/

It means she thinks you’re a low-class slob who fits an ugly last name, would be my guess.

I kept mine, after I got married. I had a hyphenated name already (stepdad and biological dad’s names), and used my married name when it came to joint stuff that we needed to sign for. When we divorced, I was given the option to keep his name, but didn’t feel it was right to do so, since we had no children or joint assets that would have made a decision like that necessary. (I’m aware that a change of name would not have changed my obligation, in that case.)

Fortunately, we’re best friends – our close friendship outlasted our marriage by quite a few years. lol

As expected, Toni makes all the decisions and simply informs Brad of them.