Narratives of Keepers and Changers: Women's Postdivorce Surname Decisions

Abstract

This research explores the narratives women provide for their postdivorce surname decisions. Data are drawn from in-depth interviews with 29 divorced women. Respondents were categorized as keepers (women who kept their married names after divorce) and changers (women who changed their names after divorce). Keepers' narratives referenced a desire to minimize disruption, such as keeping the name for their children's sake or resisting the bureaucratic hassle of making the change. Changers' narratives included a motivation to establish their autonomy, such as a desire to reconnect with one's family of origin or use a name that reflected who they felt they were. The article concludes with a discussion of how name-change narratives can be viewed as accounts for the divorce itself, as well as how the two categories reflect a persistent tension between women defining themselves and being defined by others.