Good grief, only 2% of American women keep their names when they marry! Here you have to justify a choice to take your husband’s name, it’s so rare. I couldn’t find the exact numbers at Statistics Norway but among the peope I know as many men have taken their wife’s surname as vice versa. And no, that’s not because a lot of men change their names, though unlike in the States, either way is easy enough. I guess a few women do add their husband’s name to their own, but even that’s seen as slightly off.
Of course, it’s entirely possibe that I just have strange (though loveable) friends.
Anne
It’s most common in Canada as well. But I’ve never understood the name-changing thing, as if one day I would wake up and answer to another name! My partner and I get a good laugh from telling people he’ll take my name 😉 It says something that people are horrified by that prospect …
Robert
If I get married, I’ll probably take my wife’s name.
Jill
Is that because you like her name better than yours? Uh, come to think of it, I don’t even know if you’ve met your possibly future wife yet?
Jamie Blustein
In Quebec it you need a good reason to change your name. Being married is not sufficent reason.