Zoe Saldana’s Husband Takes Her Last Name

Zoe Saldana and Husband

And her husband, Marco, doesn’t think it’s that big of a deal. In fact, the actress told InStyle it was his idea:

I tried to talk him out of it. I told him, ‘If you use my name, you’re going to be emasculated by your community of artists, by your Latin community of men, by the world.’ But Marco looks up at me and says [in his Italian accent], ‘Ah, Zoe, I don’t give a sheet.’

In an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Zoe clarified that the couple actually took one another’s names: she is now Zoe Saldana-Perego, and he is Marco Perego-Saldana.Regardless, their news has people buzzing, and Zoe and Marco are now saying that they hope it inspires others men to follow their example. As Zoe wrote in a Facebook post last week:

Why is it so surprising, shocking, eventful that a man would take his wife’s surname? Women have never been asked if it’s ok for them to give up their names—why doesn’t that make the news? Men, you will not cease to exist by taking your partner’s surname. On the contrary—you’ll be remembered as a man who stood by change. …Gentlemen, I implore you to think outside the box—remove the box altogether. Let’s redefine masculinity.

We agree with Zoe that this shouldn’t be news, but it’s still noteworthy given that, according to a 2009 study from Indiana University, 50 percent of Americans think wives should be legally required to take their husbands’ names. (Seriously.)

This is the part where we’d write a much longer post examining women’s current attitudes towards name changes, but that post has already been written, and it’s at Mic; we highly suggest you check it out. For additional thought-provoking reading, we also recommend Jill Filipovic’s 2013 editorial in The Guardian, “Why should married women change their names? Let men change theirs.”

Then come back and tell us: what do you think? Unmarried straight women, would you ever consider asking your husband to take your last name? Why or why not?