When I got married, It really didn't matter to me if my wife took my last name or not. I thought of it as her decision. Her coice was to take my last name, and move her maiden name to the middle name. That way she got to keep her name and take mine. She treats it just liek a middle name (i.e. when she signs her name she puts the middle initial)
Although we live in the US, we spend a lot of time in Quebec. In Quebec it appears to be tradition that legally everyone keeps their name, but socially are called by the husbands name.
We have one set of friends that both changed their last name to Bandon. It was the name of a town that they had been visiting on a bike tour where they met and started the relationship that led their to marriage. I thought it was amusing the grief that he got for changing his name... A LOT of puzzled looks. Hey! If Madonna and Elton John can change their name, why not him...
Life is to short to be unhappy. If you care about you name, keep it, or stick it some where that makes you happy.
