A retired teacher on TikTok urged newlyweds to consider changing their names socially and not legally.
The May 27 post was shared in response to a comment from a TikToker who hadn’t considered taking on her husband’s surname without legal documentation.
TikToker @myteacherface explained that legal name changes can take up unnecessary time and energy, particularly in the case of someone with advanced degrees and professional certifications, or anyone otherwise established in their career.
If a couple eventually decides to divorce, resetting a legal name change could be a hassle @myteacherface described as “endless.” So why bother?
The TikTok teacher’s hot take is, “If you change your name socially, nobody will know that it’s not legally changed. You can call yourself ‘Mr. and Mrs. So and so’ until you’re blue in the face.”
“That is absolutely genius, omg. I can’t believe I never thought to just chant it socially. Been married a year and haven’t changed my name, but I could just call myself it,” @hannah_millet670 replied to @myteacherface.
The video has 866 thousand views and nearly 2 thousand comments. Commenters overwhelmingly agreed that a legal name change could be unnecessary.
Women said they’d opted out of a legal name change, not just because of the hassle, but because they identified with their given names and had various reasons for choosing to keep them. Some commenters offered testimonials in favor of @myteacherface’s advice and shared that social name changes worked well enough for them.
The red tape is “endless and it’s not necessary.”
@myteacherface shared that she harbors no animosity for her former spouse, but when they divorced, she chose to reclaim her given name. She told TikTok that after two years, the process of returning to her original name is still incomplete.
“…every time I think I’ve changed my name in every spot, new spots come up and I have to scan my license or go in person or do five steps to change it back or be on a phone call for 20 minutes,” she explained.
The TikToker added that since her marriage, all of her degrees are in her married name. Although she doesn’t feel the need to change them to her original name, @myteacherface emphasized, “…there are so many things that identify you as you. And if you want that change, I urge you to just think about changing it socially and not legally.”
@myteacherface Replying to @hannah millet670 Do what’s right for YOU, but weigh all options before making a final decision #myteacherface #marriage #divorce #engagement #wedding #genz #millennial ♬ original sound – Myteacherface| YT IG LTK
Commenters who opted to keep their given surnames shared their reasons for doing so.
@morgannx13 commented, “I heard someone say, ‘we’re husband and wife… not brother and sister… we don’t need the same last name.”
“Don’t change your name at all. You aren’t property to be exchanged between men,” said @rabbitunderground.
“I didn’t socially or legally change my last name, and it still throws people off,” admitted @fluffysinfulpie, “but I like having my own identity outside my husband, and my name is part of that.”
And according to this TikTok user, @myteacherface’s hack works just fine:
“Absolutely,” @auntie_nori agreed, “I kept my maiden name but go by my husband’s last name socially. I sign all legal documents with my legal name.”
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