The Disappearing Hyphen: Surnames Are Getting Simpler
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Robbi Sherwin, a member of the Austin-based Jewish rock band Sababa, dropped her hyphen because it was cumbersome and wouldn't fit on forms. (Courtesy of David Finkel)
MissNowMrs.com has helped more than 12,000 women navigate name changes at marriage since the site launched in September 2006. (Courtesy of MissNowMrs.com)
***PLEASE NOTE SMALL FILE SIZE: 1100x850 pixels*** Founder Danielle Tate rarely receives inquiries about hyphenation. Instead, she says it's trendy for a bride to take her maiden name as a middle name. (Courtesy of MissNowMrs.com)
Hyphenates like Jacob Grigolia-Rosenbaum, who starred as Robert Moses in the 2005 Off-Broadway play "Boozy," can quickly spot their names in lists. (Courtesy of Les Freres Corbusier)
***PLEASE NOTE SMALL FILE SIZE: 800x600 pixels*** Actor Jacob Grigolia-Rosenbaum's efforts to streamline his name to Jake Grigolia were thwarted when rave reviews of "Boozy" cemented his reputation as a hyphenate. (Courtesy of Peter Hurley)
Hyphenating a surname at marriage is no longer the powerful feminist statement it once was. And with the rise of trendier, less conventional name options, the hyphen’s moment has passed.
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