Readers weigh in on couples sharing surnames after marriage

Readers reacted to Polly Hudson’s piece celebrating the growing practice of men and women sharing both surnames after marriage and to the example of Brooklyn Peltz Beckham.

Correspondents offered differing perspectives. Cherry Weston wrote that she kept her maiden name when she married in 1975 and would be amazed—and dismayed—that women still commonly take their husbands’ names. Richard Butler pointed to an earlier example, noting John Winston Lennon became John Winston Ono Lennon in 1969. Toby Morse described administrative hurdles he faced when he double-barrelled his surname: his then wife’s change was accepted but various bodies asked him for a deed poll until he suggested they follow the same marriage-certificate process that applies to married women. Sarah Stewart cautioned that combining surnames may be presented as feminist yet “maiden” names are patrilineal in origin.

Letter writers questioned why the shift has taken so long and whether more men will adopt shared surnames; those questions remain open in the responses published.

Key Topics

Culture, Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, Bristol, John Lennon, Double-barrel Surname, Maiden Name