Should a wife take her husband’s last name?
When a couple decides to get married, should the woman take the man’s name as her own? Many celebrities and business owners keep their last name due to name recognition. Others might hyphenate their husband’s name with their own.
But what does the Bible say about a wife taking her husband’s name as her own? In this article, we’ll tackle that very question and address the concerns some women have along the way.
It’s the biblical pattern of unity in marriage
When children are born, they typically receive the surname of their parents. They become identified with their parents in terms of lineage, culture, and name.
Families who choose to adopt will often change the name of the adopted child to match their own. This is done in the same way when believers are adopted into God’s family and become heirs with Christ.
But what does the Bible say about a name change when a man and woman get married?
Genesis 2:24 – “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
The Bible describes marriage as two becoming one. A wife taking her husband’s name symbolizes that oneness and covenant.
Genesis 2 and Ephesians 5 don’t specify that the wife must take her husband’s name. Rather, they say they will leave their father and mother and be united as one.
In the Bible, many were identified by their lineage based on their last name. Check out the book of Numbers for more exhaustive examples of this.
Before the 20th century, women would take their husband’s name as their own. However, that began to change after the women’s liberation movement.
Related article: The Weakening of Men in Society
Through the influence of the evil one, women decided they wanted to rebel against God’s design for marital relationships.
They no longer wanted to be under the headship of their husbands.
Is taking the husband’s name headship, not ownership?
The women’s liberation movement convinced women, and many men, what they’d been doing for thousands of years was wrong.
So, why the change?
Right after the fall, God warned us of this.
In Genesis 3:16, God told Eve, “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception. In pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
Because of Satan’s salesmanship, Eve believed in the lies he was peddling. Then she convinced Adam to distrust what God had told him. And together, they ate of the forbidden fruit.
Eve had taken charge of the relationship/headship because of Satan’s manipulation. The Bible tells us that women will have the desire to take the man’s role of being head of the relationship.
To get things back in alignment, God sent His son Jesus Christ to put things back in order. Paul specifies this order in Ephesians 5 and 1 Corinthians 11.
Ephesians 5:22 says, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” And verse 24 says, “Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”
1 Corinthians 11:3 – “But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.”
The Bible outlines a clear structure for marriage, with the husband as the head—not to dominate, but to lead in love.
Unfortunately, the evil one has convinced enough people to believe the word submit is bad. But they only believe that when it pertains to the husband/wife dichotomy.
They’re okay with children submitting to their parents, in the corporate setting, or even in government. The conflict comes within the marital relationship as God warned.
Please understand wives, your husband has the sacrificial role of protector and provider.
Ephesians 5:23 – “For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, His body, and is Himself its Savior.”
Related article: Marriage – Equality or Hierarchy?
It doesn’t mean you should fulfill the role if he isn’t. Your role as his helper involves supporting and praying for him. Seek God’s help to lead your husband back on track.
Cultural considerations
There are some cultures that put a significance on maintaining their maiden/birth name. Therefore, they hyphenate their maiden and married names. This allows them to maintain their heritage while including their new marriage name.
Name changes often carry legal, societal, and generational weight. But culture should not override biblical principles.
Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…”
Alternatively, biblical lineage always follows the male not the female.
A wife taking her husband’s name is showing their submission to their husband. For some though, they see it as losing part of their identity.
Colossians 2:8 addresses this when it says, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”
When a man and woman get married and start a family, they will often start their own traditions regarding celebrating anniversaries, birthdays, and holidays. Not to mention daily, weekly, etc. activities.
Just because your parents open all their gifts on Christmas Eve doesn’t mean your family has to. In the same way, just because you grew up Catholic doesn’t mean you can’t leave that cult once you learn the truth and choose to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Culture is constantly shifting, but believers should filter decisions through a biblical lens—not merely tradition or modern trends.
The spiritual significance of taking a new name
As mentioned above, names can represent a person’s identity and purpose. Scripture supports that but not in the same way as culture dictates. Taking a husband’s name can represent entering a new God-ordained role.
Isaiah 62:2 says, “You shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.”
Throughout Scripture, names carry deep meaning. They’re not just labels—they reflect identity, calling, and transformation. When someone receives a new name in the Bible, it often marks a shift in their spiritual purpose or relationship with God. For example:
- Abram became Abraham (“father of many nations”) when God established His covenant with him (Genesis 17:5).
- Sarai became Sarah, signifying her role as the mother of nations (Genesis 17:15).
- Jacob became Israel, marking his transformation after wrestling with God (Genesis 32:28).
- In the New Testament, Simon became Peter, the rock on which Christ would build His church (John 1:42).
Each of these name changes wasn’t arbitrary. They marked a transition—a new role, a new relationship, a new covenant.
In a similar way, when a woman chooses to take her husband’s name, it can reflect the spiritual transformation that comes with marriage. It signifies a new covenant, a new unity, and a new shared identity. Just as two become one flesh (Genesis 2:24), they also begin a shared journey as one household under God’s authority.
Taking a husband’s name can be seen as a way to:
- Reflect Covenant – Just as God gave new names to signify covenant, the new last name can symbolize a covenant between husband and wife.
- Embrace New Identity – It reflects the spiritual reality of becoming one—moving from “me” to “we.”
- Demonstrate Unity – Sharing a name underscores that the couple now operates as a united family, with shared goals, responsibilities, and spiritual purpose.
As believers, our ultimate identity is in Christ (Galatians 2:20), but God often uses physical signs—like names, rings, or baptism—to reflect spiritual truths. Taking your husband’s name can be one such sign: a visible expression of the inward spiritual unity God designed for marriage.
Isaiah 62:2 – “You shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.”
Revelation 2:17 – “…I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.”
These verses remind us that God values names and uses them to mark transformation and intimacy. In marriage, a new name can represent a new shared journey under God’s guidance and blessing.
In the end, the question of whether a woman should take her husband’s name isn’t merely about tradition, legal convenience, or even personal branding—it’s about biblical alignment and spiritual symbolism.
The Bible doesn’t command a wife to take her husband’s surname. However, it does lay out a divine order and purpose for marriage—where the husband lovingly leads, and the wife respectfully supports. Taking his name can be a powerful expression of that biblical unity and covenant. It reflects the oneness God designed in Genesis 2:24 and illustrates the deeper spiritual truth that marriage is not just a contract, but a covenant before God.
Culture will continue to shift. The world will always try to redefine marriage, identity, and roles—but as believers, our compass must remain fixed on God’s Word, not public opinion or convenience. Romans 12:2 reminds us to renew our minds and resist conforming to worldly patterns. Colossians 2:8 warns us not to be swayed by empty philosophies rooted in human tradition.
So, should a wife take her husband’s name?
That’s ultimately between the couple and the Lord. But for those who desire to walk in God’s design for marriage, taking the husband’s name can be a beautiful, humble, and meaningful way to embrace their new identity as one, just as believers take on Christ’s name when adopted into His family.
May we honor God in our marriages. Not just in what we say, but in the names we carry, the symbols we embrace, and the unity we cultivate under Christ.
If you found value in this article, consider reading Biblical Roles in Marriage.
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