Husband gives baby wife’s surname What could motivate parents to go against the social norm of naming their child after the wife’s family? “Hey, do you want her to have your last name?” a husband recently asked his expecting wife. The wife readily agreed to give their unborn child her maiden name which she had kept after their marriage. Unfortunately the husband’s parents did not share the same sentiments. The expectant mother wrote to Slate’s Agony aunt Dear Prudence: “It turns out they’ve (in-laws) always been offended that I kept my own name, they think I’m too bossy, they think I wear the pants in the family—his father actually said, “You better get that wife of yours in line.”” I’d expect the same reaction from my parents if I ‘loaned’ my child to my wife’s family by letting my wife give our child her family name. Coming from an African background I can imagine neighbourhood gossips whispering after me, “He’s the man who gave away his child. That wife of his probably cast a strong spell on him. Never trust those beautiful women. They control too much. He’s a fool to give up the right to name his own child. He needs a witchdoctor with strong medicine to fix him.” But what’s surprising is that some of the men who may scoff at such an arrangement have kids out of wedlock who they probably refused to give their names or take care of, which is something worse. Would you consider giving your children your wifes surname?
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 05:50:10 +0000
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