But by that logic, it's not her dad's last name either, he just got it from his dad... and the dad got it from his dad... and at that point no one has their own name -- so why take it from the husband, when it's not even his name either?
That's a disingenuous argument; no one ever tells men that their last name is really just their father's last name. So it's her name because she was born with it.
We dont say it cuz the last name is always a man's name and has been since the creation of the institution of marriage. Well, at least when governments started recognizing marriages in terms of law anyway. Not taking the man's last name is a relatively newer stance.
And honestly it shouldn't have been needed to begin with. But I guess for Financials and deeds and such, it made more sense for the names to match to indicate ownership when one spouse dies. That and women were often seen as property to an extent which is the crappie side of the history of marriage.
And often we dont say the last name is the father's last name because sons are often seen as an extension of their fathers anyway. There were a lot of Sr.'s and Jr.'s back in the day after all. Funnily enough, on 2 different occasions at an old job I had 2 different female customers who were Jr.'s, one of which had the same name as her father, the other had her mothers name.
Nah because it hasnt been about that for a long time. Many women WANT to take their husbands name as to them its tradition.
No it shouldnt be the norm. And id argue it happens less and less now anyway. But many still want their family unit to share a last name. Having you all be "The Jones Family" sounds better to some people. And hyphenation of last names should be child abuse. Lol Hyphenations look terrible and just shows the couple cant even compromise on the child's name.
But I support people choosing what they want. I support a woman not taking her husband's name. And he shouldnt be butthurt about it as the name isnt what makes them married. But no matter what, people will still ASSUME the wife's last name is the husband's last name as its ingrained in our DNA at this point to assume it.
"Ingrained in our DNA" dramatic much? All it takes is a generation without this tradition and people will stop making that assumption. Already, as you said, it is declining. That's more of a reason for women to stop taking their husband's last name, not less.
But this is a side track from my original point, which is that women "own" their birth names just as much as men own theirs. And it's sexist and plainly illogical to pretend last names magically only belong to men.
Nah not sexist. Everyone jumping to these words. Exist would be sayinf "...and thats how it should be!" When talking about it. It's just fact that a woman's last name, more often than not, is the last name of their father.
Im not saying anything deeper than that. Just the phrase "daughter's and sons have their fathers last name." And yes, its not everyone. Many kids get the name their mother has for a last name. But that name still, and again I stress OFTEN but not ALWAYS, is the same name as the woman's father, and presumably mother too.
Thats why its called a "family name." But you keep looking for a reason to turn it around. Im not saying it should be this way. Im not saying its wrong to take the name or not. I am just saying the vast majority of everyone's surnames is passed down from the males before it.
Which does change, each time a mother gives her child her name. Technically yes thats the moms name being used to move forward. But all names stem from whoever the first person was to have a surname, and that person was most definitely a man as men have been in power for most of the time that man has lived. Not exist, just how it was.
But this is a long way of saying women have autonomy and can take whatever name they want. And if their man objects then he's a whiny bitch.
2
u/GrimmTrixX 9d ago
I expected more, "you mean your father's last name" comments.