Sigh. You know that moment after your honeymoon — or extended vacation for us single types — when you have to head back to work? That was Amal Alamuddin's week, when she arrived in Athens on Monday. (And, yes, there are worse places to land after honeymooning with George Clooney).
While in Greece to meet with the Prime Minister, Amal was not only sporting a wedding band, but a new last name, according to the website of her firm Doughty Street Barristers. She's now listed as Amal Clooney. Though a woman leaving her surname behind and taking her spouse's is a longstanding American tradition, not changing your name is a choice a lot of career focused women have made, with the trend of keeping their name peaking in the '90s, when about 23% of women did so, according to a study reported on by the Wall Street Journal.
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Many women with an established career keep their name — if not legally, then professionally — in order to avoid confusion. But, let's be honest, the whole world knows exactly who Amal is, no matter her last name.
A Huffington Post Weddings poll conducted last year found that 61% of Americans believe a woman should take her husbands last name, which is a little off-putting. A woman can do whatever she likes, whatever works best for her and the person she is marrying — no matter their gender — and that's all that matters. Period.
That said, many couples take the same name because they are starting a family. Could the Clooney's be prepping for a role as...parents?