The times., 1901-03-10
a MARRIED woMAN's NAME.
ShouId She Re Mrs. John or Mrs.
MuFNe

What shall be a married womans
name2 This is the question one of the
women's papers has been trying to answer
for its readers. Shall a married woman
take her husbands name and drop her
own. being known as Mrs. John Smythe
Rogers? or shall she keen her maiden
name IN full. and add to It that of her
husband. writing herself as Mrs Mary
Jones Rogers? or shall the wife
and husband unite their names and
call themselves Jones Rogers? Or shall
the woman keep strictly to her own name,
discarding entirely that Of her husband,
and call herself Mary Jones or Mrs. Mary
( Jones? These are the problems offered
in the way Of a wOmau'S name, and they
ought to satisfy the ambition Of even the
I most individualistic college graduate of
this opening year OF a new century.
As women come to do things for them
selves. however. ii is OF advantage TO them
to keep their own names. just as II would
be to men. No man Of positive indlVid-
uaIity wishes to appear under the form Of
GO" in the firm to which he belongs. lie
may submit to il because he has not
money or experience enough to take any
other position. but he is pleased TO have
his own name appear when that is pos
sible.
Why should woman wish TO abandon
her own name, that has become identified
with her personality, and that is In real
sense a part Of her individual Self2 The
/ fact seems to be that as soon as women
make "a place for themselves i'm the world
they do not desire 10 abandon their maid
en- names Professional SINCERE. actors.
artists. and others refuse to give mp what
has become identified with their successes.
4 This increased sense of personality that
identifies itself with name known TO the
public. and that has its professional and
( business value. has no doubt its influence
in causing women to refuse TO marry.
The popular idea Of marriage, that merCeS
husband in
dren. must have its influence on women
who have sought to work out a career for
themselves.
Now, whether we think women ought
70 De contented with husband and chill
dren or not, the fact is that an increasing
number of women, and those the most in
teiliSent and capable, refuse to marry
We may write or speak as we like in IA
Vor of women keeping to the good old
way OF hOusewifery, we are wasting our
words so far as very large class of the
most capable young women are now con-
4 Cerned. They have found a mission and
no man can claim them as wife They
have found that the world needs mother
Ing, and not one little brood of children
only, and they have set themselves to
that work. Having entered upon 1t and
gained some success in #. why should
they break its continuity and its purpose
by taking another name and adding other
interests? But this question opens up
the whole problem OF woman's position
today and it is too large and momentous
1t is highly significant, however, that
women should wish to keep their own
names. not merely because they do not
wish to marry. but because they have
gained the vantage ground of the full
recognition of personality.
Is Mrs Rogers herself or is she merely
an appendix to Mr.. Rogers? Is she to
speak in her own name or must she al
ways refer to him" in order to know
what to think? Perhaps suffrage for
women IS not gaining rapidly. but vast
change has been brought about in the last
half century in the recognition Of the in
dividuality Of woman. The women who
quote him are growing small In number
and the women who have opinions of their
own are rapidly increasing. In the mean
time marriage does not go on quite so
smoothly as formerly, simply because the
husband is no longer lord and master
and two wills must be reconciled instead
Of one being ignored.
In due time. however, when the transit
ton has been made 10 the full recognition
Of individuality in woman. It will be found
that marriage has become more ideal and
happier. That women will ever go back
TO the old submissive way, having once
tasted freedom, is not to be supposed.
Therefore, marriage must henceforth be n
real partnership Of two personalities. or
else women will more and more refuse TO
marry.