Before we got married we (after many long discussions) both decided to change our last names. We won’t be using either our original surnames (or at least we’ll be adding to them).

Many of our original discussions were about whether or not I should take his last name or whether we should take an important family name (as we both have genealogical records dating back a bit for our familes). We ultimately decided to use a word from another language. We had been learning Esperanto together. Esperanto is a constructed language developed in the late 1880s, created for international peace and understanding. It is based on romance, germanic, and slavic languages. We chose the word “pacejo” which is pronounced pat-say-yo (in English) and means ‘place of peace’ or ‘sanctuary.’

We did not change our names immediately after getting married. I had school loans I didn’t want disrupted. We had plans to go out of the country and didn’t want to deal with passport hassles just yet.

I started the ‘mental transition’ as soon as we got married. I changed my e-mail signature and started introducing myself with this new last name (using my legal last name at the same time).

Now….
Just to create a list of the places we need to contact first, and set aside time in the morning before work to go there. 1 day ago

I have a last name already. It goes well with my first one. There’s no way I have enough time to come up with a whole new signature.

Give up. 3 weeks ago

done. finally.

wahoo. 3 months ago

the next step is my online banks and credit cards, and that’s the challenge I’m taking on for this week. 3 months ago

Feb 2012 4 months ago

I introduced myself professionally with my new name today.

Didn’t have to spell it or anything.

wow. 4 months ago

banks
credit cards
a state agency I work for
my professional organizations
passport ($!)
facebook (remove middle names) 5 months ago

Isn’t it funny how we complicate things? I finally went into the office today, and it took five minutes. 6 months ago

I closed my account at the bricks and mortar bank, and my husband put my name on his.

whole I was there, I made sure they had the current address and did my name change at the same time. 6 months ago

half a year of keeping my maiden name up there seems to be enough. finally made the switch, and added my hidden first name (which I’m bringing out of hiding, because I like how it goes with my new surname), left my middle names there so people will know it’s me, and dropped the maiden name.

haha, I’m 42 years old, there’s nothing “maiden” about me! 7 months ago

just called to pay our six-month premium, and changed my name while I was on the phone.

if I’d known it was that easy, I’d have done it sooner. 7 months ago

A few weeks ago, I went in to HR at what is currently my “primary” gig… name change, done!

Today, I filled out the paperwork at Job #2 (or 3, I don’t know), and tomorrow, I’m going to do the last one.

Then, on to the banks, professional organizations, and credit bureaus… 8 months ago