Thus, if Asgeir and Inga's father were Jon Stefansson, their names would be Asgeir Jonsson and Inga Jonsdottir. Because there are no family names, all Icelanders are properly addressed by their first names. Also because there are no family names, a woman does not change her name with marriage. So many Icelanders have the same name that telephone directories list each person's occupation in addition to his or her name and address. Households often require two or more incomes.
Most women work outside the home, and some men hold more than one job.
The government provides day care for young children of working parents. Before marrying, many young couples live together in the home of either the man's parents or the woman's parents. They may live there for years while working and saving their money for an apartment or a house. During this time, they may have one or more children. More than 60 percent of all first-born children in Iceland are born before their parents are married.