You have the option of going the "conventional" way and listing your "maiden" name first, or you may enter your new last name first, followed by your previous last name. As a sign of togetherness and equality, some couples elect to alter both spouses' surnames to hyphenated surnames. The choice of whether to use your "maiden" or your "married" name as your legal surname is up to you. Some women prefer to keep their "maiden" names as a mark of respect to their past lives while others feel that using their "married" names shows that they are now committed to their husbands. As long as you are not acting in violation of any law by using your former names, you can write them as you please. However, many people find it helpful to write out their full legal names for identification purposes. This is especially true if you plan to get jobs or licenses that require a legal name and address on file. People often wonder about the difference between their "maiden" and "married" names. Their "maiden" names are what they were given at birth while their "married" names are the ones that they take upon marriage. If a woman gets divorced, she can once again use her "maiden" name if she chooses to do so. Some people choose to retain the same surname after marriage, while others go through a process of legal name changing.