Do Lesbians Change Their Last Names in the Context of a Committed Relationship?

SUMMARY

This exploratory study begins to redress a critical gap in the literature on committed same-sex relationships and last name practices. Data were gathered from an Internet survey, which included 16 lesbian respondents currently in a same-sex relationship. Analyses explored individual, couple, and family of origin factors associated with changing or not changing one's name. Name-changing was cited as a strategy for securing external recognition and acceptance of family status by outsiders. Not changing was cited as a strategy to preserve each partner's individual identity. Contrary to our expectations, changing one's last name was not associated with having a commitment ceremony. Instead, name-changing was ritualized on other occasions, special to the individual couple, such as an anniversary, a partner's birthday, or an intimate dinner party among friends.

Key Words:

• Ritual
• lesbian
• naming practices
• family of origin
• couples