Married Name or Maiden Name??

Updated on October 13, 2011
C.B. asks from Spanaway, WA
23 answers

Im making a resume myself and couldnt decide what would be more professional. I ask because my drivers license is my married name, but most other things are still in my maiden name. I just wasnt sure what was more professional or if it even mattered..? Thanks for your knowledge/ advice!

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So What Happened?

Thank you for all your answers so far! Also to put it out there, i have 2 forms of ID. My drivers license is my married but my military is maiden. So i do always have both to prove who i am!

Featured Answers

G.T.

answers from Redding on

Since both names are legal, use the one you feel more comfortable with since that's the one work will be using if you get hired.

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K.L.

answers from Savannah on

I don't think it matters but I know it can get confusing at times when you have to stop and think about what name to sign. I also have both ids, same as you!

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M.L.

answers from Houston on

Married. Use the name you will use on tax documents and such if you were to get hired.
Or you can use both C. Blake Sorenson or whatever...

In the meantime, go get your other items change over. I got a notice about a year after I was married saying that my ss name was different and I would be fined or something if I didn't hurry and change it.

4 moms found this helpful

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

Doesn't matter. But I'd get everything to say the same name or you will have tons of headaches!

4 moms found this helpful

I.X.

answers from Los Angeles on

I think your legal name is the one that is most professional. Sounds like that is your married name.

3 moms found this helpful

N.P.

answers from San Francisco on

I kept my maiden name after I was married for about three years. It was a social headache but easy to navigate. After my daughter was born I felt terribly left out being the only one with a different last name so I took the plunge and switched it. It took forever but I managed to get everything switched over to my married name because trying to go by two names is really a pain in the butt. Especially if someone asks you to prove you are one when you only have ID that proves you are the other.

It's my advice to swap all your accounts, stationary, return address labels and anything else you can think of to whatever is on your main form of identification. That way you don't have to try and explain you are who you say you are.

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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

If you have a reputation in your field with your maiden name, it is both acceptable and common to retain it for business use.
Totally up to you.

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V.B.

answers from Miami on

I don't think it necessarily matters, but I would probably use whichever name you will use on all of your paperwork for insurance, paychecks, etc. to avoid confusion. Good luck!

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C.B.

answers from Kansas City on

it should be your current legal name, as others have said. if you got married, filled out the form, got a new ss card, then yes, that's your name. the sooner you start using it, the quicker it will feel normal and the less complicated it will be, instead of having some things in your old name and some in your new. congrats on your (recent?) marriage!

ps, if it helps, many times there is a place for "maiden name" on the actual application, which you will probably still have to fill out, resume or no resume. so if they need it for a background check or whatnot, they will have it.

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B.C.

answers from Tampa on

If you are established professionally under your maiden name, keep your maiden name. It might also be easier for your references etc. Also your bank account for the direct deposit pay, they will require exact info. Happy job searching!

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K.W.

answers from Seattle on

I can't imagine that it matters. Either choose the combination that sounds best to you, or use your legal name.

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L.M.

answers from New York on

You should use your current legal name.

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C.C.

answers from Tampa on

Doesnt it get confusing? I would think if you started to change to your married name (in your driver's license) that you might want to follow with the other IDs -- to eliminate confusion. You have to show proof/ id for background checks -- so use what is on your driver's license.
My mortgage is under my maiden name (bec. alot of work to change it), but everything else I have in under my married name -- but it took me about 6 months to do so (just dragged my feet) cause i liked my maiden name.

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T.C.

answers from Dallas on

I'd use whichever is legal;-)

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C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

C.:

You should use the name you use on filing your taxes.

If you have established a career in your maiden name and made a "name" for yourself - all of your stuff should be in that name. that's my personal opinion. Like a doctor or a lawyer? they usually keep one name so that it doesn't change and people don't wonder what happened to you...

You could do like John Cougar did....John Cougar, John Cougar Mellancamp and then just John Mellencamp....this is something that he did over years....

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F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

You need to use whatever name you file your taxes under since it will be for your employment. Good luck!

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F.M.

answers from Portland on

When I married, I added my husband's last name as a second last name for me. The attorney we worked with said I could use either my last name, my husband's, or both and they would be legal. When I divorced, it was an unbelievable process to disentangle his name from mine. Of course, it didn't help that I had a less than competent newbie attorney who filed some incorrect paperwork. That said, the only thing that took a loooong time to correct was my social security card. I had to go back to the social security office three times (long waits, too!) and then finally to the county courthouse to file the correct paperwork. In the meantime, I found a great job teaching and was surprised to see that they would only issue ID and payroll and so forth to my social security name. Ugh! That was embarrassing to explain to my colleagues and students as if the divorce wasn't wounding enough. Sooo... I would go with what is on your social security card to keep things simple. Food for thought... best of luck to you!

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C.W.

answers from Phoenix on

What does your ss card say??? that is what you should go by

L.G.

answers from Eugene on

I made up my mind as a teenager never to take a man's name. I was not thinking of divorce just that my family name was mine. I have kept it my entire life.
When my sister was widowed she kept her husband's name and used it. When she remarried she was so well established by her first husband's name she did not take the second husband's.
Why use someone else's name.

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W.C.

answers from Seattle on

Put both if you have been employed by under both names.

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

What name do you use on your taxes and all legal documents?
Employers, do reference checks/background checks.
And, what name is on your social security card?

Also, if your current last name is something hyphenated (your maiden name plus married name)... then that entire name with the hyphen, is your legal name. The 2 last names with the hyphen.
But if you don't have a hyphen between your 2 last names, you can, use either last name.

Women use their married names all the time, professionally.

If you legally changed your name, when you got married, then your name now, is that name. And you need to update, any important documents reflecting that, by telling the organization/company/social security office/etc.

Also, whatever name you use at an Employer as an Employee, that is the name the they will use, when you get your Tax documents and W-2 forms every year. So... whatever name you use, has to jive and be the same as your LEGAL name.
Or there will be discrepancies and you will have to correct it on your Taxes.

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J.F.

answers from Bloomington on

What do you go by when you introduce yourself?

It doesn't really matter, just don't confuse people if you don't have to.

If you had a nickname (like you go by your middle name) you would use:

William (Cory) Lastname

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

It doesn't matter. I used my married name for personal stuff and kept my maiden name for professional stuff. I kept my maiden name because I had a reputation built up under that name. Switching to my married name felt sort of like starting over.

I used both names for my driver's license. I left my charge cards in my maiden name. By having both names on my driver's license it was identification for either name.

As for social security and taxes it doesn't matter either. When I filed jointly with my husband we used both my married name and my maiden name. I guess I was using my maiden name more as a middle name tho I also kept my middle name. But when I when I filed separately I used my maiden name. My social security card had both names on it.
The IRS identifies us by our social security number. Your employer files using your social security number.

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