Letters to the Editor
-
you don't have to pick one or the other
I use my maiden name privately and my husband's name professionally. We work together, and having the same name simplifies explanations at work; we socialize mainly with the associates of my parents, and using my name simplifies explanations at home. It's not as complicated as you might expect; a legal alias isn't difficult to establish.
Having children of our own isn't an option for us, but if it were, we would hyphenate, since our names form a pleasant combination. The first time I introduce myself to, say, people at church, I usually use both names for the sake of clarity. He's been known to use both names when introducing himself to friends of my parents.
The real question is, what name feels like your name? There's no right or wrong choice. You are not responsible for bearing the weight of future generations of feminists on your shoulders. All you have to do is pick a name so that people will be able to address you.