Adrienne Writes

I love everything about being married. But when I first tied the knot I was a bit reluctant to do the name change thing. It’s not that I didn’t like Gibbs as a new last name. But, it felt kinda weird. At first when people called me Mrs. Gibbs, I had no clue that they were addressing me! Plus, I was (and am) definitely attached to being a Samuels.

As a writer, it’s important to me that readers understand my maiden name is Adrienne P. Samuels. When I was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, that’s the name that went with the story (which was written in Spanish by the way… Siguiendo los pasos de Francisco, 2004 St. Petersburg Times. http://www.sptimes.com/2004/webspecials04/francisco/spanish/spanish-story1.shtml)

I was also Adrienne P. Samuels at The Miami Herald, San Fran Examiner and The Boston Globe. All that to say it’s weird to say “I do” and then just up and forget who you were for all of your life. My compromise was to do the double last name. I am not hyphenated. For writing purposes, I am Samuels Gibbs. That’s how I stay connected with the name that adorns my clips. But officially I’m a Gibbs through and through.

It took me a year and a half – and dozens of sheets of paper where I practiced my new signature – to get to this point. And finally I’ve changed over my prescriptions, government ID and all other pertinent documents. It took a long time for me to get used to looking in the mirror and saying “Gibbs.” I’m also told that introducing a kid to the relationship makes it even easier to adopt the new name. I don’t have to worry about that though – just one change at a time!

I knew I’d hit the transition point when I went to CVS and they called me Samuels over the loud speaker, but I never answered. When I finally went to the pick up desk, I asked for the Gibbs prescription and then realized that it was still listed under Samuels. I had the pharmacist change my name straight away. That was the first time when I was listening for Gibbs rather than Samuels.

My mom calls me Mrs. Gibbs. So does his mom. All the Christmas cards came addressed to the Gibbs. When I pick up the laundry it’s for Gibbs. When I sign checks the account says Gibbs. My own computer says Gibbs Company. The bills are addressed to the Gibbs.

It’s been a slow and sometimes painful transition. It’s required filling out paperwork and standing in line and taking new pictures. It’s meant looking at my resume and my clips and changing that all-important header. It means new business cards and new email addresses and involving my company’s IT department to facilitate those changes. It means a mental shift and an acceptance of an expanded identity.

To some, these changes make absolutely no sense. I get where they’re coming from. But my husband wanted me to take his name. That was one of the “must-have” points on his marriage list. I certainly wasn’t going to forgo marrying him because he wanted us to be spiritually, legally and Etymologically connected.

Still, I agonized over the decision. I put it off. I came up with excuses. I told him I needed more time being Adrienne P. Samuels – even though I was already married. I experimented with Adrienne P. Samuels Gibbs. Adrienne Gibbs. Adrienne S. Gibbs. Adrienne P.S. Gibbs. I interviewed other married journalists. Half of them said they took their hubby’s name. The other half said they didn’t. Both halves were happy with their decision. And I’m happy with mine.

Only thing is this: I’m still trying to find an elegant way to write a G in cursive.