What's In a Name

Hi Everyone!

Wow, just three weeks to go. I can hardly believe it! The Bachelorette weekend was a blast, the showers have been amazing (and three of them were a surprise! I have such wonderful friends and coworkers!) and the final details for the big day and our honeymoon are coming together.

There are a few details yet to be ironed out, though. While hanging out with the ladies a few weeks ago, champagne in hand and Bachelorette decor all around, the topic of name changes came up. Some of my gal pals changed theirs when they got married; a few others did not. Professionally, I have run across women in both camps, too. I love that women can make this choice on their own today!

In just a short number of days, I will no longer be signing this blog (and every personal email I send, haha...) "KJM." My name will change to "Katherine Lehmann," and I am really, really excited about it. There was never a question about whether or not I would change my last name. I see it as the bond between me and my new husband and the family we want to start together.

I may or may not also like signing an italic "L" in a signature. I may or may not have been secretly doodling this recently, too. 

What has been tougher was how the middle name might swap out. From what I have experienced and read, it is most common for the girl to swap in her old last name for the new role of a middle name, adding on the new last name. In this pattern, my name would become Katherine Malone Lehmann. 

My current middle name is my maternal grandmother's name. She died when I was just a young girl, so her name holds a special spot in my heart. My youngest cousin and I also share this middle name, which I think is cool. It's really weird to think about me losing it. It's as if I would be losing a piece of my grandmother along with it. But on the flip side, Malone is my family name, and I don't want to completely give that up in order to keep my current middle name intact.

The consensus from the ladies that night, as well as from my most wonderful groom-to-be and family members, is that I should do whatever I want with my name. It's my name, so I can choose. So, I am thinking that I might throw some Southern sass at the whole thing and become one of those four name girls. Whoever said you could only have one middle name anyways? Maybe my new monogram will feature my married name, Katherine Malone Lehmann, but any official forms will show that I really have an extra "J" name in there, too.

I am not taking this name change thing lightly, can you tell?

While the decision might be easy for some, the process for having it done is a whole other story. After I was engaged, a coworker sent a PDF my way that outlined the steps for changing a name. Just one look at the list is a bit intimidating. Here are all the places, recommended in order, you have to contact about the change (bet you haven't thought of some of these!)

25 Places You Need To Change Your Name
1. Social Security
2. IRS
3. DMV (drivers license & vehicle registration)
4. Voter Registration
5. Passport Agency
6. Employer
7. Banks
8. Credit Cards
9. Investment/Brokerage Houses
10. Car Insurance
11. Medical Insurance
12. Home/Rental Insurance
13. Accountant
14. Lawyer
15. Doctors
16. Dentist
17. Utilities
18. Phone Company
19. Cellular Provider
20. Long Distance Company
21. Gas
22. Electric
23. Airlines/Frequent Flyer
24. Magazines
25. Schools/Alumni Organizations

Oh my. The Nest has some helpful info, as do some other online sites. However my name change debate nets out, it looks like my wedding To Do list won't end after the plane takes off for Ireland and Scotland ;)

But in all seriousness, what do you all think? Married ladies, how did you amend? Single or engaged gals, what's your plan?