---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I took my son's name. I didn't take my…"
description: "\"I took my son's name. I didn't take my husband's name.\" — Elizabeth Edwards"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/elizabeth-edwards-3857_husband_i-took-my-son-s-name-i-didn-t-take-my-hu_3004602.png"
---

#  I took my son's name. I didn't take my husband's name.

![“I took my son's name. I didn't take my husband's name.” quote by Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/elizabeth-edwards-3857_husband_i-took-my-son-s-name-i-didn-t-take-my-hu_3004602.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/elizabeth-edwards-3857_husband_i-took-my-son-s-name-i-didn-t-take-my-hu_3004602.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/elizabeth-edwards-3857_husband_i-took-my-son-s-name-i-didn-t-take-my-hu_3004602.png)

> “I took my son's name. I didn't take my husband's name.”

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

She kept her son’s name, rejecting her husband’s, asserting personal identity.

**In simple terms:** She chose her own name over marital tradition.

Key Takeaway

Own your identity, not imposed labels.

Themes

identity feminism family

Mood

determined reflective

Type

personal social

When to use this quote

- legal name change
- family discussions
- public advocacy

Key Concepts

naming rights personal autonomy

Questions to Reflect On

- What does a name symbolize for you?
- How do you navigate identity within family?

A Different Perspective

Societal pressure may challenge personal choices.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Didn Husband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-husband-4786158/) [Husband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/husband/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [My husband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-husband/) [My son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-son/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took/) [Took Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-son-511471/)

## Related quotes

> [“I am happier when I love than when I am loved. I adore my husband, my son, and my grandchildren, my mother, my dog,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/i-am-happier-when-i-love-than-when-i-am-loved-i-adore-my-husband-my/)

[Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/)

> [My husband is a former Air Force pilot and my son is an active duty Army surgeon, recently returned from Iraq, so my pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/my-husband-is-a-former-air-force-pilot-and-my-son-is-an-active-duty/)

[Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/)

> [I first met my husband when I was 15. He was very cool, in a band, all that kind of thing, but he took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natascha-mcelhone/i-first-met-my-husband-when-i-was-15-he-was-very-cool-in-a-band-all/)

[Natascha McElhone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natascha-mcelhone/)

> [“It’s damned hard to fire another human being face-to-face, which is why you sort of have to congratulate Ted Turner, who took it upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-bing/it-s-damned-hard-to-fire-another-human-being-face-to-face-which-is/)

[Stanley Bing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-bing/)

> [“They took my son, they took my sense of feeling safe in the world, they took my joy, they took my freedom and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-silver/they-took-my-son-they-took-my-sense-of-feeling-safe-in-the-world-they/)

[Miriam Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-silver/)

> [“He had one of those typical piece of shit days. The grind always. At least this time he had the guys to stay away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/he-had-one-of-those-typical-piece-of-shit-days-the-grind-always-at/)

[Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/)

> [To think I should have lived to be goodmorninged by Belladonna Took's son, as if I was selling buttons at the door!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-think-i-should-have-lived-to-be-goodmorninged-by-belladonna-took-s/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“This guy barged in here and started yelling at me!” “I’m not—” James clenched his teeth behind a fake, faltering smile. “I’m not yelling,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-smith/this-guy-barged-in-here-and-started-yelling-at-me-i-m-not-james/)

[Jake Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-smith/)

> [I have a 22-year-old son, and when my son was born I made a decision to raise him. My husband and I took turns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryse-alberti/i-have-a-22-year-old-son-and-when-my-son-was-born-i-made-a-decision/)

[Maryse Alberti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryse-alberti/)

> [There was a courtroom scene where my son is convicted of killing Kevin Spacey's character. I find the bloody T-shirt and realize my husband…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-janney/there-was-a-courtroom-scene-where-my-son-is-convicted-of-killing/)

[Allison Janney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-janney/)

> [After we put my son to bed, my husband and I curl up and watch a movie or TV. That's when I finally put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-goucher/after-we-put-my-son-to-bed-my-husband-and-i-curl-up-and-watch-a-movie/)

[Kara Goucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-goucher/)

> [My priority is my son and my husband, and I have a lot of spinning plates, so I try to make sure they're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherri-shepherd/my-priority-is-my-son-and-my-husband-and-i-have-a-lot-of-spinning/)

[Sherri Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherri-shepherd/)

> [That's your friend. My husband is my best friend. He's not the mirror that holds up my flaws. He's just the guy who's like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/that-s-your-friend-my-husband-is-my-best-friend-he-s-not-the-mirror/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/)

[Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/)

## More by Elizabeth Edwards

> [Every parent has gone through a period when their child wasn't so happy with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/every-parent-has-gone-through-a-period-when-their-child-wasn-t-so/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [If I had lost a leg, I would tell them, instead of a boy, no one would ever ask me if I was 'over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/if-i-had-lost-a-leg-i-would-tell-them-instead-of-a-boy-no-one-would/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [A lot of sad stories in a row - that wears on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/a-lot-of-sad-stories-in-a-row-that-wears-on-you/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it's less good than the one you had before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/resilience-is-accepting-your-new-reality-even-if-it-s-less-good-than/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [The military is already sexually integrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/the-military-is-already-sexually-integrated/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [I was a 16-year-old girl at one point, so of course I wrote poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/i-was-a-16-year-old-girl-at-one-point-so-of-course-i-wrote-poetry/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [Sometimes you get politicians who dig their feet into the sand and aren't willing to listen to another voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/sometimes-you-get-politicians-who-dig-their-feet-into-the-sand-and/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [I have three living children for whom this is a father who I want them to love and on whom they're going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/i-have-three-living-children-for-whom-this-is-a-father-who-i-want/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [I think that it is our intention to deny cancer any control over us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/i-think-that-it-is-our-intention-to-deny-cancer-any-control-over-us/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [I love children, love spending time with them; I love getting things for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/i-love-children-love-spending-time-with-them-i-love-getting-things/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [You have to have enough respect for other human beings to leave their lives alone. If you admire that life, build it for yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/you-have-to-have-enough-respect-for-other-human-beings-to-leave-their/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/she-stood-in-the-storm-and-when-the-wind-did-not-blow-her-way-she/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [I can't turn on the television without seeing me, or open the newspaper without seeing me and, honestly, I'm sick to death of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/i-can-t-turn-on-the-television-without-seeing-me-or-open-the/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [The way campaign funds are distributed are all a matter of record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/the-way-campaign-funds-are-distributed-are-all-a-matter-of-record/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

> [Brave people are the firemen who run into the burning building. That's brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/brave-people-are-the-firemen-who-run-into-the-burning-building-that-s/)

[Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

[Explore all 120 Elizabeth Edwards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/)

## More Husband quotes

> [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/)

[Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/)

> [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/)

[Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/)

> [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/)

[Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/)

> [While husbands and lovers in the stories are of all kinds, ranging from sympathetic to disgusting, women are invariably deceivers: inconstant, unscrupulous, quarrelsome, querulous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/while-husbands-and-lovers-in-the-stories-are-of-all-kinds-ranging/)

[Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/)

> [My husband really loves my feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-curry/my-husband-really-loves-my-feet/)

[Ayesha Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-curry/)

> [An ideal wife is any woman who has an ideal husband.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booth-tarkington/an-ideal-wife-is-any-woman-who-has-an-ideal-husband/)

[Booth Tarkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booth-tarkington/)

> [There are few husbands whom the wife cannot win in the long run, by patience and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-of-valois/there-are-few-husbands-whom-the-wife-cannot-win-in-the-long-run-by/)

[Margaret of Valois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-of-valois/)

> [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/)

[Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/)

> [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/)

[Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/)

> [Sonny Von Bulow, who said to her husband Claus on their honeymoon, Stop needling me. Never got a dinner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-buttons/sonny-von-bulow-who-said-to-her-husband-claus-on-their-honeymoon-stop/)

[Red Buttons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-buttons/)

> [That's your friend. My husband is my best friend. He's not the mirror that holds up my flaws. He's just the guy who's like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/that-s-your-friend-my-husband-is-my-best-friend-he-s-not-the-mirror/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [“I am happier when I love than when I am loved. I adore my husband, my son, and my grandchildren, my mother, my dog,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/i-am-happier-when-i-love-than-when-i-am-loved-i-adore-my-husband-my/)

[Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/)

> [Men often joke about this assignment (I Peter 3:7): 'Who can understand a woman?' God has answered the question loud and clear. You can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stu-weber/men-often-joke-about-this-assignment-i-peter-3-7-who-can-understand-a/)

[Stu Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stu-weber/)

> [I would like not only to have a successful band, but I want to have children, a home, and a husband. Two or three.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-corr/i-would-like-not-only-to-have-a-successful-band-but-i-want-to-have/)

[Caroline Corr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-corr/)

[Browse all 4,389 Husband quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/husband/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I took my son's name. I didn't take my husband's name.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Elizabeth Edwards"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/i-took-my-son-s-name-i-didn-t-take-my-husband-s-name/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Husband"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/i-took-my-son-s-name-i-didn-t-take-my-husband-s-name/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/elizabeth-edwards-3857_husband_i-took-my-son-s-name-i-didn-t-take-my-hu_3004602.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/elizabeth-edwards-3857_husband_i-took-my-son-s-name-i-didn-t-take-my-hu_3004602.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/elizabeth-edwards-3857_husband_i-took-my-son-s-name-i-didn-t-take-my-hu_3004602.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I took my son's name. I didn't take my husband's name.” — Elizabeth Edwards",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Elizabeth Edwards",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I took my son's name. I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/i-took-my-son-s-name-i-didn-t-take-my-husband-s-name/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/i-took-my-son-s-name-i-didn-t-take-my-husband-s-name/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
