Oddbean new post about | logout
 i see, what you originally posted was unclear to me. that makes more sense. yes. i actually had a hyphenated name. completely unique. i changed my name legally because that completely unwise name also isolated me from belonging to any groups or family. i was never welcome in my families, and often both dropped the other parent's last name and referenced me as just half the name. always a battle. so it was a relief to change my name - until later. then mining and erasing me from my own work was the metric. when we divorced, i kept the name to align with my children; it does not matter much. i rarely think about any of it. i always did my academic work under my maiden name. my husband ignored me so he never even knew i don't think. i have many pseudonyms. comes with the territory of being a writer. it is fun to have other places to be. i have been a leaf in the wind since my frenchman year in high school. 🎈just keep records.