I did change my name. I wanted, once I had kids, for us all to have the same name. I kept the name, even after divorce, for the same reason. I work at a school and it us so hard these days to keep track of who belongs with who. It's crazy.

We're both going to change our names to one we've choosen. It'll have meaning to us and us alone.

Someday I hope to change my name, along with my partner, to something we choose, because it's about us.

When a woman changes her name, say from Miss Daisy Buchanan, to Mrs. Fitzgerald, she disappears completely. The title 'mrs' means 'mistress of'. So multiple women can use that title -- for example multiple wives (either single or plural) or a woman and her mother-in-law -- at the same time. All that counts is that she belongs to someone - - and is married.

I would say it's more a feminist issue than a religious one. Women became tired of being identified as property and of having their name indicate their marital status. (Mr. gives no clue as to marital status.) I've been married twice. The first time, in 1978, I chose to hyphenate my last name. It was a royal pain in the butt. I was asked what my 'real' last name was multiple times. I was told that computers couldn't accommodate a hyphenated name -- although people did admit that computers had no difficulty in handling hyphenated words. I was asked how one would alphabetize the name. I was asked why I would not take my husband's name. (For the record, I was establishing a professional reputation and didn't want to lose my 'maiden' name.)

Second marriage, in 1994, I chose to retain my name. (I had changed back legally after the first divorce.) It was so much simpler. I admit there were some amusing situations -- such as when someone asked my brother whether I was his wife!!) Also, my publication record is accessible without confusion.