In the majority of world traditions, a child’s given name was derived from the name of their biological father. Although the mother carries their children for the first nine months of their lives, the biological father is the one who is given the honor and responsibility of passing on their family names.
People’s family names, often known as their surnames or last names, have a significant role in their sense of uniqueness and identity. Not only would it assist people in differentiating one individual from another, but it also brings with it connotations of history, genealogy, lineage, cultural importance, and in certain regions, even socio-economic status.
Matrilineal naming, often known as inheriting the mother’s surname rather than the customary practice of taking on the surname of the father, has been common in many regions of Asia and Europe. In certain cultures, it is common practice for children to use their mother’s last name even if their mother is not married to the father of their kid.
On August 10, 2023, a lawyer made a suggestion on the possibility of carrying out such an action in the United States, which sparked an internet discussion about this issue.
“A message to pregnant women — please give the baby your surname,” Dr. Charlotte Proudman urged to the expecting mothers. You gave birth after carrying a kid for nine months, and now you are the one who will be in charge of that child for the rest of your life. Ask yourself, “Why is the father’s surname more important than yours when I’m registering the baby?” when you’re doing so.
In a perfect world, it would be wonderful if your children always used your last name. This would be particularly helpful for single mothers and dads who want to distance themselves from their children’s biological fathers.
However, the reaction of Proudman’s fans and other individuals online to her proposals sparked a heated discussion.
In response to Proudman’s recommendation that parents have their children use the mother’s surname rather than the father’s, one user pointed out that the motivation behind this choice was “to make the father feel responsible for the child.”
Several individuals subscribed to this school of thinking, as seen by the following statement: “So there will be no more child support then?” Appears reasonable given that your argument suggests that the individual is neither significant nor accountable.
Some users even argued that there is no valid reason to abandon the conventional last name. Some people underlined that after marriage, women are given the option to choose which surname to take as their own. Should she want to take her husband’s surname, legally speaking, she would be considered to have the same surname as her husband.
“Perhaps you should give the infant the FAMILY SURNAME, whatever it may be according to the agreement reached between the two parties before the marriage. If the individual has never been married, the individual should use their mother’s surname. If they are married, then whatever arrangement they have settled upon amongst themselves, whether it be the husband’s, the wife’s, or a combination of the two,” one user said.
The vast majority of the comments stated that there would be a fight between the children’s grandfathers since the dispute was for their family name.
You may either give your kid the last name of your father or the last name of his father, but in any case, the last name will originate from a male relative. “Either you give your child the last name of your father or the last name of his father.” Someone responded, “This is not the win against patriarchy you think it is.” Patriarchy is still alive and well.
One user responded to these kinds of arguments by claiming that “everyone inherits their surname,” meaning that the idea is for women to have the freedom to use their surnames for their children regardless of whether or not they acquired it from their father. Proudman praised the post and urged women to spread the message while also requesting that males comprehend its significance.