Typically you have to file a "name change" request with the county clerk.

I do not intend on changing my name. I have carried it for half my life..literally. I would think it would be more complicated in every way for me to do it than to just keep it. But I was married for a Looong time so....

I thought you could just go down to social security and take care of name changes..not sure?

I have a friend that is an attorney and I asked him about this topic. He said what whiskey said... just apply for a social security card in your maiden name then you can go to the DMV and change it there too.

If you really want to change it, just go to your county clerk's office and file for a legal name change. It's a pain in the patootie, but worth it if it's one less reminder!

For me, I have a daughter so I'll be leaving my last name as is so we have the same last name.

nope. dont plan to anytime soon either- just not my top priority. it doesnt trigger me any more than anything else does. the lawyer gave me an option to do it as well but i chose not to. just too much of a pain in the ass.

i wish men had to change their last names.

i only changed mine because the ex cried that his 1st wife only used his last name when it was in the divorce decree. i shouldve realized that was his issue and not mine and left it as is. oh well.

I cant WAIT to change my name- everytime I sign something I get sick to my stomach.

I did not and don't plan on it. After 23 years, I just don't want to go thru all the hassle, and besides, I don't want a different name from my kids. I'm guessing it is something that can wait if (ha ha - that is a big IF) - if I ever remarry again.....

I have wayyyyy to many documents to change and don't have the time. It is the least of my problems and we don't run in the same circle of people.
Since I did not change my name, the judge called me MsBlank1...hence my name here :)

I have a slightly different dilemma;

I never legally changed my last name, but informally added his to my own last name (not hyphenated.)

I thought i'd go back to dropping his, but for business purposes, it looks better to have his tacked on, since that's how i became known in the field. He doesn't mind either way so it's up to me.

Yep, one more decision to make on this fantastic journey called divorce. :(

I didn't change my name back to my maiden name. With the divorce, shall we say he was none too happy. Alright, he was really pissed off - he told me that 'you BETTER not keep my name!'

I kept it. Just to piss him off.

L~

Thanks everyone for your great answers! Just wanted to let you know that this was my 2nd marriage, which only lasted 4 1/2 years - (1st marriage was for 25 years - that is the name I would go back to), and my children are grown with children of their own, so changing my name would mostly affect me. I can see if I had young children it would be a pain in the ---! Thanks again.....

Uh, yeah, I don't want HIS name attached to me, in any way. I couldn't do ti fast enuf. I didnt' take his name right away, for personal and professional reasons, then I took it about 7 years in to the marriage, what a stupid move that was. He said it was part of the "fabric of marriage" to take his name, blech, little did I know he was coveting my married employee at that time and that they would have an affair while I was busy putting his name on the end of mine, YUCK. It takes FOREVER to get rid of it!

If i ever get married I am not going to change my name. Just for safety sake. JK

But seriously... I would probably go back to my maiden name. Just my two cents

I was going to keep it. It'd been mine for 7 years. Things started to get ugly and I started to think that I wanted my name back.
Then I saw a wedding invitation. And as silly as it is, I realized that one day I would re-marry and I didn't want his name on my invitations.

I don't know the law in Texas but in California,it is simple. Even if you didn't request your former name back in the divorce, you can still do it in the divorce by a very simple application. See if Texas has a similar provision.

Lynne