I got married about a month ago. I finally got around to changing my name yesterday. I had been having mixed feelings about the whole name change thing since way before we got married. I had an uncommon last name and now I’ve got a more generic one. What makes it worse, is that my husband’s cousin has the same name as me (until she get’s married). I thought about hyphenating, but it just sounded wrong, and I do like the idea of having the same last name as my husband. I know my identity is determined by more than just my name. However, guys don’t make that type of a concession very often. Most women change their names when they get married, so am I making a big deal out of nothing?
I went from a very uncommon, difficult to pronounce and spell name to a very simple, 4-letter, don’t need to spell it for anyone name. The only bad thing was I went from R to W, so I’m farther back in the alphabet, and my daughter complained about always getting stuff last at school. She says she’s not gonna marry a guy unless his name is near the beginning of the alphabet.
And, no, I don’t think you’re making a big deal over nothing. Names are important - they’re how the world gets to know you. Yeah, traditionally women take their husbands’ names, but tradition isn’t hard and fast law. My husband and I actually discussed him taking my name, but we decided against it. You need to be comfortable with your choice, and deal with those who make an issue of it accordingly.
Oh, and congrats on your marriage! 
Your husband’s cousin is also named lollipop?
My fiancee’s sister and her husband both changed their name. I thought that was kinda cool.
Nahtanoj
Congrats on the marriage!
I, too, balked at changing my last name, until I had a blinding flash of the obvious one night:
“Oh my Og, if I change my name, then I can convincingly deny ever being related to my father’s (redneck) family!!”
That turned me around right quick.
I had a coworker who took his last name and his future wife’s, combined them, and they both adopted the new name, which was actually a very nice name.
I still remember telling a client about the name change. There was a looooong pause on the phone, and then he said, “Well, we don’t do that kind of thing around HERE!”
Congrats on your marriage! And if nothing else, it will help when you have kids for the whole family to have the same last name. Multiple names in a family can cause incredible headaches. I’ve even known couples where they kept their own names, then the girls took the mom’s last name and the boys the dad’s, and wow did THEY have a lot of explaining to do! I’m all for simplification.
But yes, it does feel weird at first. Don’t worry, in a few years being called by your maiden name will just sound STRANGE to you.
Uhhh, I would be willing to guess most men consider marriage a concession.
We considered creating a joint new surname. I was pushing for Jones or Smith, but Mr Goo didn’t really see the appeal
In the end, he decided he wanted to keep his surname. I kept mine, too.
Change your name if you want, and don’t change it if you don’t. Don’t do something you know you won’t be happy with, don’t let others pressure you into doing something you aren’t happy with and don’t assume anything about others who either did the same as you, or did different. There are many reasons to change surnames when getting married and many reasons not to. No reason is the ultimate ‘answer’, just different reasons fit different people better.
Congrats on your marriage 
Where I worked, there were several couples who hyphenated to gain an alphabetic advantage. When Ms. Adams married Mr. Taylor, they became the Adams-Taylors. She stayed where she was on the seniority date list, but he moved by 150 spots (A lot of people were hired that day.)
If you’re in the States, be sure to notify the Social Security Administration right away. (They will forward the name change to the IRS who will give you a bit of grief if you send in a 1040 with the name Smith when their records show that SSN 333-44-5555 is registered to Przybilski.)