Are woman who opt for hyphenated names more masculine than traditional women?

Question

I hate, hate, hate the whole hyphen thing. If I meet someone with a hyphen in their name, they automatically get one strike against them. They usually get the next 2 strikes rather quickly. It's like athletes who incorrectly shorten their name the Zach, I just can't root for them (I never see Michael shortened to Mich or Nicholas shortened to Nich, so Zach is obviously wrong). People that look like freaks with silly piercing and tattoos get the same treatment.

Additional Details

We all judge and get judged; welcome to the real world. I support using a professional name if truely justified, of course, I will have to be the judge of that.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Not more masculine, no. More independent, or more in touch with themselves maybe. It depends on their reason. Some women do it due to their profession, others do it because maybe they have a child who shares their pre-married name. I kept both my maiden name and took my married name,... but it is not hyphenated, and I only use my married name. But I have the option if I choose to use it.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

!0 points to my secret admirer!

Answer 2

whew! well, that about covers everybody, eh?

Answer 3

okay thenn

Answer 4

I think it has to do with the jock type women, tennis players, etc. They want their recognition, etc. and want the media to stay in touch with them.

Answer 5

3 words Big Brother, Catherine Zeta-Jones.
PS. PK Lara Flynn-Boyle and Jennifer Love-Hewitt as well.

Answer 6

I am a well known artist. When I married, I took my husband's name, but have to put my maiden name in front after so many years for recognition

Answer 7

Dude ... stop getting lost in insignificant, judgmental details. Who the fark are you to judge the folks you describe? How many wonderful people are you dismissing out of hand for patently superficial, ridiculous reasons? I'm sure there are plenty of things that you do that piss someone off even more vehemently than the pet peeves you list.

C'mon down off that high horse and join the rest of us, imperfect (possibly pierced, tatooed, hyphenated and nicknamed) and proud of it.

Answer 8

People have hyphenated names for several reasons.
In British upper class society they evolved because marriage amongst those people are seen as business arrangements and the hyphenated name reflects both families.
Show-biz women use the hyphen because they know all too well the stupidity of the average person and the short memories. These actresses don't want to be quickly forgotten just because they have married. Also, no one in showbiz gets married thinking that it's forever. More often than not they are simply looking for someone to father a child or two.
As for the rest of the population who use the hyphen, it's just a simple affectation, the wannabe thing.

Answer 9

Heck no! I think there is nothing wrong with a woman having a hyphenated name. If you don't like it then that's your opinion and you have a right to feel the way you do ... just like a woman has the right to hyphenate their name if they want too.

Answer 10

Everyone in my family had girls :-( I am the last one with my father's last name which can be traced WAY back...

If I ever get married and have kids, I would probably hyphenate it, just to preserve it (since no one else in the family has).

... and I am definitely not masculine!

I don't think that such a generalization can be made. Maybe making the generalization of "headstrong", "educated", or "independent" would be a bit more accurate...

Answer 11

More masculine? Know. More arrogant and disrespectful? Perhaps.

Answer 12

Hyphenate = masculine? No.

A name doesn't indicate what a person's character, morals, and values are.

"A rose by any other name is still a rose." -- Shakespeare

Answer 13

"Traditional women"??? you make me sad.

Answer 14

Why is it seen wrong for a woman to keep her original name?
As for your problem with the people with the tattoos and piercings, Not to mention "different" hair styles, I have seen better manners for strangers of this category then any other.