Changing your name after divorce might seem like a straightforward decision but there’s lots to consider. Some women feel that their last name, even though it was their husband’s, is a core part of their identity and it isn’t something that can be easily changed. Other women see the name as another facet of the marriage, almost separate from them.
I don’t want to keep his name. I have his son. I will always have this part of him that’s going to be around. Other than that I don’t want to keep anything from that relationship.
Donna and her husband were married after their son was born and it took Donna a while to realize that her husband’s behavior was abusive. That he assaulted her and was trying to control her, even after the end of their marriage were factors in her decision to revert back to her maiden name.