Although it is becoming more popular for women to hold onto their family name after getting married, children often inherit their father’s last name.
”Some people want to carry on with the tradition of a common name for the whole family. There could also be pressure from the family to use the patrilineal name. For others, the decision is based on which name is perceived to be more appealing,” says Sirkka Paikkala, a researcher at the Research Institute for the Languages of Finland.
Passing down dad’s name is also popular among non-traditional families and in common-law marriages.
”Couples in common-law unions may want to maintain some traditions, so they choose to give their child the father’s name,” says Salla Hyvärinen, of the Family Federation.
For many men, passing on their surname can be a very important family tradition. Nowadays, the same could be said for many women as well.
