I’m going through the same thing. My SO feels that it is just appropriate for me to take his name. I don’t want to take his name, I don’t like it. He doesn’t want to take mine. But we both want just one family name. What to do, what to do?
So, I’m thinking that I’m going to suggest my grandmother’s maiden name. She is the last in the family line, and I don’t think it would hurt to carry on that particular name. (It’s a pretty Italian name)
Before I got married, I just assumed that whatever woman I married would take my last name. But then the woman I did marry turned out not to want to give up her last name, and so I thought about the issue (for about five minutes) and decided that not only was I fine with that, but I couldn’t think of a single reason to ask her to do otherwise.
Children will be another can of worms…both of us have simple 6-letter last names which are nice and distinctive (hers a fraction more than mine, at least on this continent) and we both want to see our respective last names live on. I actually rather like little*bit’s suggestion.
JoeCool: I don’t see any pitchforks or torches in my post, just a simple question, which you have yet to answer.
Would you be willing to take your wife’s name? And if not, why not?
My ex kept her last name, and I had no problem with it. Should I ever click strongly enough with another lady to do the marriage thing again…I still wouldn’t have a problem with it.
An idea I like the symmetry of is for both to take each other’s name. John Doe & Jane Notdoe become John Notdoe & Jane Doe. But that’s only theoretical, because I wouldn’t want to give mine up.
my dad took my mom’s name 
dodgy