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Ilovetako Posted 22 years ago
Letter Writing

What's her last name? "Janice Wallace-Robinson"

Hello...
I was reading an article online and saw this person's name "Janice Wallace-Robinson". I was wondering what's her last name? Wallace-Robinson? Robinson? or Wallace? I think it should be Wallace-Robinson, but it sounds weird to me if somebody calls her Ms. Wallace-Robinson. What do you think?

Kate
  

Top answer

Kate, My thinking is that her maiden name is Wallace. Her husband's surname is Robinson. She has deliberately and legally changed her last name to Wallace-Robinson.

  • Kate, My thinking is that her maiden name is Wallace.
  • Her husband's surname is Robinson.
  • She has deliberately and legally changed her last name to Wallace-Robinson.
  • So it is Ms.
  • Wallace-Robinson.
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4 Answers
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Kate,

My thinking is that her maiden name is Wallace. Her husband's surname is Robinson. She has deliberately and legally changed her last name to Wallace-Robinson. So it is Ms. Wallace-Robinson.

Hope that helps.

MountainHiker
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Hello MountainHiker,
Since she is married, shouldn't it be Mrs. Wallace-Robinson?

Kate
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Hi Kate,

It may or may not be. Many women don't like "Mrs." even if they are married. "Mrs." has a "property" connotation. Ms. is equivalent to Mr. It is seen as equals.

Miss - single
Ms. - single, divorced, widowed, separated, married, gay, straight, whatever....
Mrs. - married

I always use Ms. unless the person mentions that she prefers Mrs.
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I agre with the use of Ms unless you know someone prefers Miss or Mrs.

Regarding the original question, it is also quite possible that either some ancestors of hers combined their names upon marriage so she has had a hyphonated surname since birth.

Surnames are interesting things and the 'rules' are getting much more flexible. The 'correct' form of calling a woman by her husb

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