Why is it so much more likely that parents will give a son his father’s first name than give a daughter her mother’s first name?
—Kary Anne Tamblyn, Ellicott City, Md.
Daughters are not reared as independent individuals with lifelong surnames, so giving a girl only her mother’s first name is mostly pointless. It’s the combination of a first name and a surname that creates an identity.
Boys and girls both start life with their father’s last name. But girls usually drop their surname when they get married, changing to the name of their father-in-law. I believe both men and women should keep their premarital surnames throughout life. When they get married and have children, sons would take their father’s surname, and daughters would take their mother’s surname. The benefit to girls and women would be enormous while costing boys and men nothing—except the fun of claiming ownership of the opposite sex!
I found the perspective interesting and just thought I'd throw it out here for discussion.
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Labels: Gender Issues
Interesting, and something I mostly agree with... except I really don't like the way it swerved from 'naming children for their parents' to 'surnames and why we shouldn't change them' :-)
I didn't change my surname upon marriage, neither did my husband (I tell people who question us on different surnames that my husband chose not to change his name, and I fully support him in his choice - I don't feel at all disrespected). Our child has both surnames, double-barrelled. Not sure about other countries, but over here that'll make it a tad easier for him to pick which he wants to use in later life.