One in three married women dislike their married name – and would have preferred to keep their maiden name, a study has revealed. Researchers found as many as 31% of wives feel their family name was ‘better’ than the one they adopted after walking down the aisle.
The study also found one in 14 women compromised by going double-barrelled and using both surnames.
The Siteopia Names Report also found one in five parents regret the name they gave to their son or daughter, because they ended up being ‘too common’ or because the name was used by a celebrity they weren’t keen on.
Additionally, the study revealed that only one in three people actually like their own name.
A spokesman for Siteopia said:
”The name we go by forms a big part of who we are and how we see ourselves, whether it’s the name we were given at birth, gained through marriage or a nickname we choose to go by.
”The results show just how much we invest in a name and the connotations we attach to different ones – it’s clear that where we may inherit a name or grow up with one we don’t like, we’ll often look to change or compromise with it.
”In the same way, the name of a business or website will always throw up suggestions or influence in the way we perceive that organisation so a strong name is key.”
One quarter of people say they judge people instantly on hearing their name, with ‘anything that sounds too chavvy’ likely to receive the toughest critique.
Half of the 2,000 people studied use a shortened version of their name, while a quarter are never actually called by the name on their birth certificate.
One fifth of people are proud to have the name they do, but one in seven hate theirs and are flooded with embarrassment when they hear it mentioned.
Although one quarter of people think their name is uncommon, the average person knows at least two others who are called the same thing.
That doesn’t always go down well, as one in ten get annoyed when they meet someone with the same name as them.
A regretful 31% of married women were sad to have to give up their maiden name because they thought it was better than the new one they gained, while many said it was a big part of who they were.
And a fifth of parents regret picking the name they originally gave to their child and would change it if they could, while 15% wouldn’t give their child a middle name.
It seems that Brits feel similar regret about their middle names, as two in ten keep theirs a secret – but one quarter have admitted to smirking or laughing at someone when they’ve found out their middle name.
In fact, more than one in ten people think that middle names are pointless.
A third also admit they are often known only by a nickname, with many of their friends and acquaintances not knowing their real name.
A fifth of people have even given a false name to a stranger in a bar.
