Legally, we will soon be...

Posted by Mie on December 14, 2005 | | Comments (4)


So this name changing business is a lot more complicated than I thought. If I were changing my name to Dav's because of marrige, that's rather simple. But since we're both changing our names to something new, we have to post a notice for 4 weeks in the papers, and then appear in court before a judge. That will be exciting! I suppose if someone is vehemently against our changes, they can appear too and make a case.

If you don't know already, Dav and I are legally changing our last names to Yaginuma, my mother's maiden name. I have 1 uncle only on my Japanese side who does not have children. So technically, the family name would end after my uncle. So Dav and I decided to take it on. We wanted the same last name, but he's not super attached to "Coleman," and taking Yaginuma is very meaningful to me and us. Plus, when we have kids, in case they don't get to live in Japan, at least they'll have this real connection to their Japanese side. And, it'll be fun to explain how their last names came about.

Legally, our Yaginuma name won't go in the Japanese 戸籍 Koseki (Family Registry System) since my mom married out of the family and was removed from the koseki. But no matter. We'll be living the name and it will continue for our family. I'm thankful my bewildered uncle accepted that we take the name.

So by February, we should officially be the Yaginumas. I'm already going by that, introducing myself as Mie Yaginuma. Still strange...And dad, I've always loved Kennedy, but this is a new chapter in my life, and Yaginuma fits perfectly.

Dav took advantage of this process to also change his middle name. So soon he can truthfully say, "My middle name is Impossible. Don't mess with me."


4 Comments

Helen said:


Oh my goodness, what a chore! I do love though that you are bringing your ancestry into your name, to pass that on to your children. And that is just the best - Dav Impossible Yaginuma. I love that. A big smile on my face right now. Are you changing your middle? Ann is very sweet, it's a good middle for sure. I actually have no middle name but wanted Grace, hence graceopenheart. ;-)

December 14, 2005 10:16 PM
Ele said:


Mie,

It might be too late, but why not change your name from Mie Ann Kennedy to Mie Kennedy Yaginuma? Then you would still have your Dad's name in the mix. Ooh- I know! If it is too late, then you could consider naming one of your children Kennedy (something from Dav's side) Yaginuma! What a great name for a girl....

Ele

December 15, 2005 8:30 AM
JY said:


Mie Nuts Yaginuma. ? Sounds good.

December 15, 2005 5:03 PM
Mie said:


I need to feel a reason to change my name, and although I feel perfect changing from Kennedy to Yaginuma, I don't have a real reason to change Ann. Don't use it much, and don't really identify with it, but it's been my middle name my whole life. Silent and solid. I don't want to change it just because. It's been faithful. Plus, now my initials spell M-A-Y.

Although JY's recommendation for "nuts" is tempting...[inside joke between crazy JY and myself when we need a break from work]

As for kid names, I'm sure Dav and I will concoct something as unique as we can. For Dav and I to have a kid named Kennedy would be too weird, I think.


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December 16, 2005 4:31 PM

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