All this buzz over that Baby Name Wizard application had us thinking about names. Particularly names and how they mangle our view of someone upon meeting them. Nameplate Necklaces: An Update

You know what we're talking about. For instance, ever notice how Emily's are a little flaky? Guys with the name Billy always have some sort of an ego problem, and have you ever met a Bethany who wasn't really attractive?

You could probably dispute all of the above, of course, but even the Baby Name Wizard has a portion where you rate a name in … Read More

Seventy percent of Americans think it's beneficial for women to take her husband's last name when they marry, while half say the government should require women to change their names when they marry, according to a new survey by researchers from Indiana University and the University of Utah. Responses were immediate. The Great Name Debate

"What women's lib?" asked a headline in the New York Daily News. "Taking away choice from something so wholly personal is quite another—and is one of those awful things that, like Michael Jackson's death, is initially shocking—and then, after a … Read More

Dating in high school is dramatic: He kissed her? I thought he liked me! Will he tell all his friends if we go to second base? If I ask him to the dance, does that mean we're dating? And if we're dating, is he my boyfriend?

As an adult you're more mature, but grown-up dating is fraught with it's own challenges: Why hasn't he called me back? When do I introduce him to my kids? When do we go from friend-with-benefits to dating? And if we're dating, is he my boyfriend? OK, maybe it's not so different from … Read More

A couple weeks ago I addressed the issue of a woman changing her name when she marries. I expressed that although I don't plan to change my name when I get hitched this summer, I respect and appreciate every woman's right to choose what's best for her. I reject the notion some have expressed that when a woman takes her husband's last name she's giving up her identity. But then I had an interesting conversation with my mother recently that added a whole new layer to this name and identity dichotomy. I've been working on wedding invitations … Read More

Changing your name is something we associate with getting married—should you keep your maiden name or take his name? But there’s another LoveStage that deals with shifting monikers as well—getting divorced. If you took your husband’s name when you married, you may want to slough off his name after the breakup. But what do you change it to?

At Love Buzz’s Thanksgiving dinner yesterday we heard an interesting story from one of the guests, whom we’ll call S.  S was divorced and after she’d separated from her husband she’d changed her name. But she didn’t go back to … Read More

The LoveFeed takes a look at the trend of men taking their wives last names. Are the times a-changin'? 

Juliet: What's in a name?That which we call a roseBy any other name would smell as sweet.Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

Those were Shakespeare's thoughts, but I'm not so sure. I have friends who have been together for seventeen years, a lesbian couple who live in California, and just got married. When they refer to one another they say, "my wife." But they said that even before the state deemed their love legal.

I have another pair of friends, also a lesbian couple, who got married in Hawaii years ago and were together for many years prior to … Read More

Married names, like the institution of marriage itself, are not what they used to be.

As women, we've heard all about what we're supposed to do. Whether or not it came directly from our parents, someone told us that taking a man's last name demonstrates that we're committed to our marriage. It's the best thing for our children because everyone knows that a child should have his/her father's last name. Maybe it was an old lady at church, a nosy neighbor, or your mom's friend who always has all the answers.

We've heard about our options and the inherent difficulties … Read More

It's time to play the Name Game. We don't mean that old song from the 60s with the Frankie Frankie Bo Bankie Banana nana something or other routine. We mean the eternal question that faces every bride-to-be: So....are ya changing your name?

Yuck. I hate this question, and so should every woman out there. Oh, I know I could go on and on about how lucky we are as women to have a choice about the matter these days, but to be honest, I wish we could just go by our first names and be done with … Read More