Haley Metzger, a 30-year-old from Colorado, has sparked a debate about women changing their last names after marriage in a TikTok video with over 480,000 views. Metzger argues against the tradition, pointing out its historical roots when women were considered property.
She references Pew Research Center statistics showing that 79% of women in heterosexual relationships in the U.S. still take their husband’s last name, while 73% of men keep their own. Metzger challenges why men don’t take their wives’ names, highlighting that many men see it as a humiliation.
Metzger told Newsweek she plans to keep her last name, sharing her views on feminism and seeing many women struggle with the decision. She also points out that many women are “lost to history” after changing their names, asking, “You probably know your mom’s maiden name, but not your grandma’s?”
The video sparked mixed reactions. Some viewers, like Shannon, said they’d change their name socially but not legally, while others, like Muad’dib Atreides, shared that they didn’t change their name and challenged their husbands to handle the paperwork if it was important.
