Salute to Spouses Blog

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What’s in a Name?

Maiden name? Married name? Some combination thereof? Which one should you use professionally, especially if you marry after you’ve established your career ... and your name isn't Beyoncé.

When you hear 'Beyoncé', you know exactly who she is, no last name needed. Her husband, Jay-Z, is also known by only one name, and that name isn't even his birth name or a ‘real’ name. But when the two tied the knot, they both legally changed their last names to Knowles-Carter, paying homage to both sides of the family.

Unlike ‘regular’ people, neither Beyoncé nor Jay-Z had to be concerned about name changes after their nuptials, because they already had established hugely famous careers.

That's great for them. But then, there's everybody else - the rest of us whom the whole world doesn't know. We  may be well-known in our own circles, but if you are trying to determine whether your career may be impacted by a name change, take these three steps.

1. Consider these questions:

Are you a well-published writer, musician, television or radio personality or artist who counts on name recognition for sales and your fan base?

Are you a doctor, dentist, or veterinarian with a thriving practice under your maiden name?

Are you professionally licensed to practice law, accounting or another field where clientele come from referrals from past customers?

Are you a scientist, researcher, or  professor who has made contributions to your profession that may lead to funding or notoriety or tenure? 

2. Determine what can be done to minimize any negative impacts to your career. Thankfully, technology can make it easy to communicate the name change. Just be sure to make the changes across the board. Update your website, social media accounts, signature block on email, etc.

3. Become familiar with the name-changing laws in your state to make sure all your business stays in order.

If you decide that you still want to be known by the name you used to build your brand or career before marriage, have a little fun choosing which variation to use. You could keep your maiden name; use your maiden name professionally and the married name everywhere else; use the maiden name as your middle name; or hyphenate your names.

Either way, stick to your choice once you make it. In 2013, Beyoncé announced the The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, yet another version of her identity, but still, we knew exactly who it was. You might not be so lucky.

 

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