Name change before the wedding

Cant you also change your name without being married?
I think it’s much more lengthy and not sure the costs but in most states you can petition the court to change your name. Maybe look into that and then you can get married whenever you want

I am sure there are many doctors who have managed to change their last names after graduation


Don't you have to show your ID before being admitted into an exam room for boards and such? Will you also need to submit a copy of your ID and various other documents for licensing purposes?
Because of covid delays and the hassle of changing your last name both before or after a marriage, I'd be more worried about having a consistent name on all your ID's by the time you'll be needing it to become a licensed physician
My friend got married in January and it took months to change her name because of closures. The DMV isn't even taking appointments for most things. My interview for getting TSA Precheck is set for July of 2021. It was originally set for August of 2020
You don't want your driver's license to say one name and your social security card to say another name by the time you need to provide such documents to the board. If not for covid, I think you'd have plenty of time to get this all done. But with the covid backlog, name change requests are probably getting the least priority

It depends on your individual state or county. Here, because jury trials have been postponed due to the group nature of selection and trials, some things done in courts are actually speeding ahead faster. They have streamlined procedures to get things done with fewer steps. Check with a courthouse. You may have to gather some documents, or they may use their computer connections to state records to do it. Do it quickly. Licensing name changes are harder than changing your name before the fact.

View Quoted Comment I agree with this. Any of my friends/ family member that have graduated after getting married have had no issues with name change.


However, I do think that for the sake of your exams and security it’s worth it to just wait.

Do it! Changing the name is hard enough. I am a provider also so I know the added challenges of changing it with all those boards and insurance and what not, I think its a terrific idea to change it ahead of time for your situation! I think after the fact you will be very happy you did.

I don't think this is crazy, it sounds like it will save some legwork in long run. The only thing I would be cautious of are delays with government agencies due to Covid. I'm assuming you'll need multiple forms of ID, etc. for school and licenses. My name change process for Social Security post-wedding was pretty smooth, but it's going to be a while for me to be able to get a new license due to Covid and my city/state policies. I think it's good to think ahead beyond just the SSC name change and how long it could potentially take to get everything. I would hate for it to be time for you to try to squeeze this in before graduation and be left with half documents one name/half the other.

I ended up keeping my maiden name, and from what I've read it sounds like its easier to change your name with marriage vs just changing it for a different reason, but its definitely doable. Some idiot in my town legally changed his name to "Nobody" so he could run for political office as "Nobody" to make a statement against government, so there are many less sensible reasons that people have been legally able to change their names. If you think it makes more sense to change it before marriage and neither you or your partner have an issue with it, I say go for it!

Good luck with your boards, exams, etc and thank you for working so hard to be able to heal others! I hope your NYE wedding is lovely!

This is precisely why I got married before I graduated. I didn’t want the hassle of changing everything afterwards as I’ve heard it’s a lengthy complicated process. And I’m just a teacher. I imagine is worse as a dr.
You can change your name before the wedding. It’s not as easy as if you’re already married. You have to fill out a petition to the court and it has to be granted by the judge. Depending on the state it can take a while. It took my husband a week i think, we’re in Tennessee.
You need to decide what’s most important here. The date, having your family there and supportive, or not having to change your licenses/documentation. You have to choose what’s best for you.

View Quoted Comment Very valid points. I just remember our student affairs dean casually saying that if anyone wants to change their name to do it in fourth year before graduation. I have three months off from school/work obligations so I can try to inquire about it at the local office before actually committing to the process. Thanks for your advice

View Quoted Comment Thanks Tamra ❤️

View Quoted Comment I think the courthouse office may be closed for the holiday but I’ll keep posted and try to identify if 6 months is a solid time frame.

View Quoted Comment LOL the Nobody situation is ridiculous, but good to know someone as silly as that was able to get it done. Thank you for your advice and well wishes! You all are the best 🥰♥️