I changed my name

After 10 years of marriage, I changed my name back to Alison Lea Nielson. 

When Eric and I decided to get married, I didn't want to change my last name. Eric never cared about our last names, but it was important to me at the time that we have the same last name. I asked Eric to change his name to Nielson, but he declined. Knowing that either we would have different last names or I would have to change my last name, I decided to change my name to Alison Nielson Troff when we got married. I never loved it, but I assumed that once it was formally changed I would grow to love it and it would begin to feel like "me." After 10 years, neither of those things were true, so I changed my name back to Alison Lea Nielson. 

The name change was legal as of January 20, 2022. The next day, I submitted the paperwork for a new social security card and passport. I also reverted back to my previous e-mail address and updated several of my other accounts to my new last name. By mid-February, I had received my new social security card and passport and on February 22, I received my new driver's license. Once I had all the formal identification documents updated, I updated my bank accounts and travel accounts. I also updated my transcripts and diplomas from both BYU and the University of Utah. I honestly thought changing my name would be such a massive undertaking, but after just 6 weeks I've updated nearly all the necessary documentation. 

I have been so happy with my name change. I feel like I reclaimed a name that always felt like it belonged to me. I truly missed my middle name and I've taken to signing nearly everything with my full name because it makes me so happy to have it back. Every time  I see an e-mail or a piece of mail addressed to Alison Nielson, it makes me smile. 

I always thought if I could go back 10 years, I never would have changed my name. And while I think that's still true because it is a hassle (and some expense) to change it back, I have a much greater appreciation for my name and my identity than I otherwise would. I absolutely love my name and it doesn't bother me in the slightest that Eric and I have different last names. In fact, I kind of love it. I feel like Eric Troff is the right name for him and Alison Nielson is the right name for me. We both fit our identities and we both chose them, which I find incredibly powerful. When we have kids, we will hyphenate, but we haven't decided which name will go first. Honestly, neither of us are too concerned with it right now and when the time comes to make a decision, I know we will be thoughtful about it as we have been throughout this process for me.