A Story of Two Last Names

Like many of my fellow Puerto Ricans and Latinos, at school, we were taught to write and always have our parents present when it came to our last name. I was, I am, and I will be Medina-Rosa. My father contributed the first and my mother the other one. For years, nobody thought to take away any of them until I got to North America.

People didn’t know how to process the information. Medina was placed as my middle name, because how would I have two surnames? And well, with Rosa they also had a blast. So, at one point in my life, I opted to put a hyphen between them and try to do me.

Everything was, more or less, OK until I decided to get married. When it was time to face the notary, they couldn't understand why I was not changing my last name and taking my husband's. Why would I? I am an improved version of the Keyla Medina-Rosa my parents brought to the world. Why would I adopt my husband's name in the blink of an eye? For me, it was like abandoning myself, denying my identity to become someone else's. Nah!

Bombón did not have the slightest problem, and since he wasn't going to change his last name either, we decided that together we would continue being ourselves.

So, who do you want to be? Photo by Jon Tyson.

As in the USA, everything is allowed, when our daughter was born, we decided to give her the maternal name of my husband and my father's. (They always take away mine, but I'll keep fighting to be respected). And then, when we travel, and we mark on the immigration paper that we are family, they always give us a crazy look; until they see that Candela has the best of both worlds.

All this without talking about bureaucracy. Because after years of being a "person" it is complicated and expensive, (Thank you, government!) to be the original again.

Today I ask, did those who changed their last name did it because they wanted an upgraded, to keep up with tradition or to improve their brand? I'm curious. I am looking forward to your comments.

Best,

Keyla Medina-Rosa

Side dish: “Papaoutai” by Stromae.