Divorce: Should You Return to Your Maiden Name?

"What's in a name?  That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."    -- Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

No one can question that Shakespeare had a way with words.  But don't you agree that the Bard may have gotten it wrong with this famous quote about the insignificance of names?  After all, Shakespeare was never married to your worthless spouse, "Sluggo!"

The "question of the day" is, when you get a divorce, should you stick with your married name, or go back to your previous, maiden name?  This is an important question which you should discuss with your divorce attorney, prior to filing for divorce.

In the State of Georgia, a woman may have her divorce lawyer include a request in her pleadings to have her maiden name restored, at no extra cost.  But if she waits until after the divorce is final to consider this matter, then she will likely have to pay an attorney extra to have her name changed.

Most women who have children elect not to go back to their maiden names.  They choose to avoid any possible confusion for their children if their names are different.  Some women also simply don't want to have to contact Social Security, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and other government agencies, to inform them of a name change.

But other women choose differently.  Perhaps they are sick and tired of being known as "Mrs. Sluggo" and cannot wait to have their maiden names restored!  For them, "Mrs. Sluggo" is like a rose with too many thorns to remember!

The important point is that the decision is yours!  No matter what you decide, we at The Goolsby Law Firm, LLC recommend that you should be sure to promptly discuss this issue with your own divorce attorney.