btw - i'm hoping that academic search machines soon become sophisticated enough that when you search for an author's name, they will automatically display also the results which were published under a different name but by people who have that name now. hm. suppose it would only work if people who changed their names actively informed the search machines who could then establish the links. but technically it should be possible, i think - after all, we do find "all the papers which cite this paper" and "all the papers cited by this paper" which seems to be a similar technical problem.
alternative strategies are: cite your own older papers; keep an up-to-date homepage on your university site which includes all publications; put your previous name in the first footnote on all new papers. then people who search for your work will quickly also find your older work under different name.

Thanks for your responses; I wasn't intending to criticise people for changing their name; I was just suprised that no-one seemed to be remembering that it is optional.

I quite like the Spanish system of taking on both names, myself.

Kronkodile: it's a guilty secret that Viz did make me laugh quite a lot . Especially Mr Logic; I know more than one academic who talks like that.

Juno there is no way I will EVER change my family name even if I married a Rockafella!
My surname/maiden name is quite unusual and very much part of my cultural identity and well who I am.

As I said in my earlier post several of my friends who have married in the last few years have not changed their name or gone double barrel and actually I think there is a real shift towards women keeping their surnames.

Oops, somehow missed your earlier post, Pea. I've read it now though.

Although again, not intending to judge anyone's personal choice, to me there is something in taking on a man's name that implies deferral to the man. My own family name is very boring, but I don't see the need to take on "his" family name when I have a name already.

Mind you if I was called Belcher or Trollope I might think differently (apologies to any forumites who may have these names).

well, some people argue, why should you prefer one name which you got from a man - your father - to another name you get from a man - your husband. anyway, i'm all for keeping names, but according to the laws i know (swiss) it is not possible for both partners to keep their exact names. you need to agree on a "family name" which will also be your children's name. so if smith marries jones, you either have "smith" and "jones smith" (children called smith), or "jones" and "smith jones" (children called jones), or jones and jones/smith and smith. mr smith jones may choose to call himself simply mr smith, thus appearing to have kept his name, but legally he will be mr smith jones and his kids will be joneses. does anyone know exactly what the legal situation is in the UK?

I am only not keeping my name (for work at least) because I earned my doctorate in my name. I would feel somehow cheated if I transferred all my hard work to my OH's name, partcularly as his family have nevr quite got the whole PhD thing. Also, I have a decent number of publications in my maiden name, so I don't think it would be a good idea. I also actually prefer me name. I am toying with the idea of being Mrs spikemonster at home and being dr fluffymonster at work, therefore keepnig everyone happy. I am still not convinced that would work though, I am sure I would end up being confused!

Also, Eppi, thanks so much for the extensive research. It is much appreciated!

Interesting point about having a man's name already, Shani - hadn't though of that. Mind you, that could stop with this generation, if people so chose. It doesn't always have to be patriarchal. Women no longer count their date of birth from the date that they married, after all, but that was once standard in some societies.

juno, you are so right, and i agree that the spanish system sounds good. my idea would be that both parents keep their name, their children get a double name. mrs smith, mr jones, kiddies smith-jones. to avoid the names becoming quadruple and eightfold in the following generations, children would choose upon coming of age, or at the latest when they have their own kids, which of these names should be their primary one, to be given on to their children.
the only drawbacks i see here are: having to decide by yourself which of your parents' names you prefer might cause hostilities in families. and: for sake of ease and tradition, it might be that most everyone chooses their father's name, thus individually reinscribing the patrilineal system by "free choice".

Very true: I bet most people would not like to have to choose. How about the Icelandic system? Girls are called (mother's name)+ dottir, and boys (father's name) + son? Easy!

By the way, glad I'm not the only one stuck inside on this nice Bank Holiday weekend . Are you going to sunbathe later?

oh, this is off-topic, but yes - after doing some household work i'm off now, to explore my lovely new neighbourhood by bike. hope you get some fresh air too!

yes, the icelanders... there is much the rest of the world could learn from them!