Name Change

I've already blogged about the fact that I'm really excited to be taking on Todd's last name.  I keep expecting to feel like I'm going to be losing a part of my identity when I make the switch, but honestly, my identity's never been bound up that much with my last name to begin with.  If I think of my psyche or myself or whatever as anything, it's Emily. Plain and simple.  And I know that some feminists reject the labels of "Miss" and "Mrs." (after all, there's no functional equivalent for guys!).  But I admit (somewhat guiltily) that I can't wait to be not just me, a woman, but a  married woman.  Label me up!  

So recently, I did some investigating on what changing one's name in the state of California involves.

The first thing I noticed was that there are many, many different kits and websites that promise to "take all the work out of changing your name!"  

But, honestly, in California, there's not that much to it!  Basically, first one has to change one's name with the Social Security Administration, then at the DMV on one's driver's license, and finally on one's passport.  Once these changes are made, all a person has to do is continue to use her new last name consistently.  And that's it!  Easy peasy (as Rachael Ray would say...).

For a great snippet of information on name changing in the U.S. and Europe, go to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Name_change#Officially_registering_a_name_change