What’s in a Name? 
Student Research Sheds Light on Marital Name Changes

September 9, 2025

A recent YouGov study found that two-thirds of women in the U.S. change their last name after getting married. In 2025, more than 50 years after women secured the right to keep their own surnames, the question remains: what keeps this tradition alive?

Sarah Fox (she/her/hers, PsyD ’26), a doctoral candidate in PCOM’s Clinical Psychology program, was especially intrigued by this question, which inspired her dissertation: Women’s Marital Surname Change: Adjustment & the Novel Concept of Name Decision Match.

Fox’s research highlighted that a woman’s surname choice is rarely a simple decision, factoring in many variables:

• Tradition and Norms – For many, taking a spouse’s name signals unity and family identity. Some women report feeling pressure from family, partners, or society to conform.
• Identity and Autonomy – Others choose to keep their birth surnames, often tied to career achievements, cultural identity, or feminist values. These women—referred to in Fox’s dissertation as “Keepers”—may face criticism or stereotypes about being “less committed” to marriage.
• Creative Alternatives – Hyphenated, blended, or entirely new surnames are growing in use, but often viewed as unconventional.

“In reality, a surname decision communicates far more than what appears on a driver’s license,” Fox said. “It reflects values, identity, and the way society continues to ‘do gender.’ These decisions may appear small, but they often carry lifelong implications for how individuals perceive themselves and how marriages are viewed by others.”

A New Concept: “Name Decision Match”

A distinctive contribution of Fox’s research is the introduction of Name Decision Match (NDM)—the degree to which couples agree on the woman’s name change choice. Findings show that higher agreement between partners correlates with stronger marital satisfaction, underscoring that the decision-making process can be as important as the outcome.

Why It Matters

Fox’s work highlights how a centuries-old practice continues to shape identity, relationships, and perceptions of marriage. It also offers clinicians a new way to understand how couples navigate early decisions that may influence long-term adjustments.

“Marriage brings many transitions,” Fox said. “The surname decision may be one of the first, and it can set the tone for how couples honor both tradition and individuality. The way we make these choices tells us something important about where we are in the larger conversation on gender and equality.”

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