Why It's Cool that Amal Alamuddin Changed Her Name To Clooney

The internet is up in arms about Amal Alamuddin's decision to change her name. But here's why that shouldn't matter.

Amal Alamuddin, a woman of many laurels, recently created quite a stir when she appended a new title to her name: Mrs. George Clooney. As per the records of her legal firm, this accomplished woman chose to embrace her husband's surname, sidestepping the customary hyphenation. This decision has sparked dismay among individuals who perceive it as an erasure of her identity. However, such critics overlook a fundamental fact: It was her personal choice. Traditionally, women have been expected to adopt their husbands' surnames post marriage in numerous cultures. In recent times, though, this tradition has faced mounting resistance. Women choose to retain their surnames for a multitude of reasons; some pertain to ideology and recognition of individual accomplishments before marriage, while others are purely pragmatic, such as avoiding the hassle of modifying official documents. Jill Filopovic of The Guardian encapsulated these sentiments by questioning why marriage should entail forsaking one's identity. Yet, there are various compelling reasons that motivate women to change their surname. Although Amal hasn't publicized her rationale behind becoming a 'Clooney', women shouldn't be obligated to justify their choices. Speculations suggest that her original surname, Alamuddin, was a bit complicated. A writer at Celebitchy speculates, "'Alamuddin' probably necessitated frequent spelling out and yielded questions about its origins." Personally, I adopted my husband's surname after our wedding, relegating my maiden name to my middle name. Professionally, I use both names. To me, this seemed like a fair balance between tradition and feminism, and I've never had second thoughts about my decision. Apparently, I'm not alone in this regard. According to a study conducted on over 14 million Facebook users, approximately 65% of women in their 20s and 30s changed their surnames after matrimony. Another research posits this figure even higher at 86%. Intriguingly, these numbers show an upward trend, indicating a higher propensity for name changing than in the 1990s. However, women over 35, who have made a name for themselves publicly, are more inclined to retain their maiden names – a category that includes Amal and many of her critics. Herein lies the crux of the issue: Women perceiving another woman's choice as a direct affront to their own decision. Hopefully, in an era where we have the liberty to choose our own surnames - a privilege our foremothers lacked - we can respect and support other women's choices regarding their surnames, irrespective of what they may be. So, here's raising a toast to Mrs. Clooney!