A woman recently shared her view on TikTok advocating that Kamala Harris should be referred to by her last name, similar to how men in the political arena are addressed. At first, this perspective resonated with me as I noticed the trend across various professions.
In politics, we often see Hillary Clinton referred to simply as Hillary. In literature, there’s a clear distinction with figures like Jane Austen being called by her first name whereas Charles Dickens is identified by his last name. The same pattern occurs in science, with Marie Curie more frequently acknowledged by her first name while Charles Darwin is known by his surname. It seems that female figures often require their first names to accompany their last names.
A study by the Mayo Clinic in 2022 revealed that female doctors are twice as likely to be called by their first names compared to their male counterparts. Similarly, a 2018 report from Cornell University indicated that college students were 56% more inclined to use a male professor’s last name over a female professor’s.
Stav Atir, a social psychology doctoral graduate from Cornell, noted that the choice between using first or last names often reflects gender stereotypes, where women are perceived as more approachable but lower in status, while men are seen as more competent and less familiar.
The TikTok user who brought this topic to light argued that addressing women by their first names diminishes their power and infantilizes them. After reflecting on this issue, I personally concluded that I prefer to be identified by my first name. Kamala Harris herself has encouraged reporters to call her Kamala.
Each of my names has a story. I was born with my father’s last name, took my first husband’s last name, and retained it post-divorce for the sake of our children. In my recent marriage, I adopted my husband’s last name with joy—not only to embrace this new chapter but also for the fun of changing my initials to A. S. K. I am genuinely excited to be Mrs. Kruse.
My husband, Sam Kruse, and I are thrilled to share a name and a life together. We celebrated our wedding with family and friends in a private ceremony in July, followed by a small gathering in the park where we got engaged on August 10.
While I recognize that each of these names belonged to someone else before being associated with me, they do not define the strong woman I have become. My affinity for my first name shines through, as I often receive compliments on AnnaMarie for its distinctive spelling.
“I’m too cool for one first name, so I have two,” is a common introduction for me, which I have also taught my daughter, LilyAnn.
Despite my fondness for my first name, I have never felt a deep connection to my last names, viewing them as formalities for official purposes, such as bylines. Ideally, I would prefer to be known like Cher or Madonna, where a last name isn’t needed.
However, my profession does require me to present an official name to the public. Therefore, from this point forward, my work will be attributed to AnnaMarie Kruse, rather than AnnaMarie Ward. It is a pleasure to introduce myself as the AnnaMarie I am today.
Regardless of the last name, this AnnaMarie will always embrace moments of joy, spinning in a pretty dress. I believe Jane Austen would appreciate being published as “By Jane Austen,” rather than “By a Lady.” I cherish the chance to be recognized not just as AnnaMarie Last-Name-of-My-Father or Last-Name-of-My-Husband, but simply as AnnaMarie.