Flash backward ten years (I can’t believe it’s been ten years already). Ten years ago today, we had just lost my maternal grandfather Jack in January, and my maternal grandmother Hilda’s health was slowly declining. She didn’t tell anyone in the family, but she had breast cancer, and in my opinion, didn’t want to fight it because of her grief over losing my grandfather. They were as important to me as my own parents were, and even ten years later, my eyes begin to water when I think of them. There are some losses you never get over, and for me, this is one of them – particularly since they had such a huge hand in raising me.
My grandmother was born Hilda Blaze – like a fire, and never (apparently) spelled any other way, even in the “Old Country”. In what can be described as an absolute tragedy, she became Hilda Finkenthal when she married my grandfather Jack (what can I say, they were Austrian Jews – appparently the name is all the rage in Germany?!). There really wasn’t any other option back then but to take the man’s name. Blaze has still stayed around through my grandmother’s siblings and their children, fortunately…
But now we’re considering bringing it back to Hilda’s line. Devon, knowing how important they were to me – as well as being convinced (like me) that it’s genuinely the coolest real (in the sense that it came from somewhere in the family line) last name ever – is on a kick that after we’re married, instead of becoming the Hagues (which is a cool last name in and of itself) we should be the Blazes. Naturally, that made my mother euphoric, but I’d be lying to say I don’t feel bad that we’d be effectively ending the Hague line as Devon is the only boy in the family.
Here’s my questions to you: What’s your opinion? If you’ve decided on how you’re choosing (or chose) your last name, or are currently in the process of, how did you do it or are you doing it?
That seriously is an awesome last name!
Are you sure it would be right for both of you, though?
I really hate my last name, and I can’t wait to take my fiance’s name, even though it’s not the most unique in the world. My mom’s maiden name, on the other hand (Brekka), I think is beautiful! I would have loved to be a Brekka.
I think we’ll give this name as a middle name to our daughter, one day.
That could be pretty rad for you! your daughter could say, “My middle NAME is Blaze! I’m a wildfire!” 🙂
Go for it! My friend who’s happiest with her post-marriage name is the one who made up a new last name with her husband, and they both took it. She thinks it’s the best (and one of the first!) decisions they ever made.
Thanks guys!
Allison – That’s actually the way the whole conversation came about, interestingly enough. I wanted to name a child partially after my grandmother, but Hilda was a too old fashioned, so we were thinking of doing Blaze instead. That’s when Devon started getting consumed by the name, hah! I’ve always loved it, and I think to a certain degree it rolls off the tongue better than “Maddy Hague”. I’m cool with whichever though…
Maggie – great to hear! Devon’s sister and ex-husband (long story) made up a new name for themselves, too – and she loved it so much that after their divorce (which was pretty amicable) she kept it. I think it’s definitely a thing where you both really have to thing it sounds awesome and be really passionate about it to go for it!
I know this is quite a long time ago but I couldn’t stop myself. My fiancee is taking my name you see. It’s funny because before I met him I always said That my future husband would have to do that, but then when I met a man I loved and wanted to marry I all of a sudden felt a little less female if I don’t change my name when married. It was him hwo suggested it though. But after going back and forward with it we have desided to take my name (or well, he has had his mind made up from the beginning). And after all this I do feel good about it.