For 20 years, Taylor Swift has been writing and singing about love in all its iterations, from lust and yearning, friendships and nemeses, to proposals and marriage, estrangement and grief.
Interestingly, however, Taylor has never once spoken or sung about changing her name if she were to tie the knot: the closest she has come was in the 2022 song "Midnight Rain," in which she sang, "He wanted a bride / I was making my own name," hinting that her own name has always been more important to her.
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It's a decision that women have been making for decades. Although not taking your husband's last name has never been strictly illegal, historical coverture laws – such as refusing to let women vote or register to vote under maiden names – meant women felt widespread institutional pressure to adopt a new name until the 1970s, when second-wave feminism led to landmark court rulings and relaxed societal forces.
Now, keeping your name of origin is synonymous with feminism and the importance of maintaining your identity, and it's left many wondering if Taylor will take fiancé Travis Kelce's name – or if he may take hers.
© Getty ImagesWomen with a significant brand usually don't change their names professionally, Diane Brandon Moody, a dating coach for accomplished women, tells HELLO!
However, Diane suggests that Taylor may legally change her name to Kelce as a "romantic and symbolic gesture to her soon-to-be husband," but will continue to use Swift professionally "since she has a couple of decades in the entertainment business."
Taylor, 36, has crafted an entire brand around her name for over two decades.
It's no longer just her name but a global corporate empire valued at over a billion dollars, encompassing music rights, film production - including Taylor Swift Productions, which has won Grammy and MTV Awards - and a massive merchandising arm.
© Getty ImagesAnd let's not even get into the administrative nightmare of changing a name.
Swift is also a name that Travis, 36, has himself recognized is bigger than his own. In 2025, the NFL star liked an Instagram post, shared by the sports podcast Bussin' with the Boys, that featured a clip of the hosts discussing a potential name change and concluding that Taylor "is way more globally famous than Travis Kelce – if anything, Travis would have to change his”.
However, it's unlikely Travis would change his name to 'Swift', as he himself is also known for his last name, with 14 years as one of the top Tight Ends in the NFL, selling millions of jerseys with his name embroidered on it.
© Getty ImagesIn recent years, it has become more common for both individuals to add their partner's name to their own – look at Brooklyn and Nicola Peltz-Beckham, Carlos and Alexa PenaVega (who blended their last names), and Beyonce and Shawn Carter-Knowles.
There are also good reasons to adopt your partner's name; a shared name among family members encourages unity and can make life easier when children are involved.
Changing your name legally but not professionally is also the decision numerous A-listers have made; Sarah Michelle Gellar, Carrie Underwood, Jessica Biel, Sophie Turner, Priyanka Chopra, and Miley Cyrus have all legally taken their husbands' names but are not known by that name.
The absolute best thing about feminism is that it gives women a choice, and Taylor has several. Whichever option Taylor chooses, modern marriage is no longer about losing your identity but about how you want to share it.
But just remember, as she sang in 2024, "no, you can't come to the wedding".
