The question of 'what's in a name' is one Kristine Gick and Jason Wagner have been pondering for a long time.

Gick (pronounced 鈥榡ick鈥�) has just sent in government documents to change her name. And 鈥� so has Wagner.

They are both changing their last names to a new one, one that contains letters from both their surnames.

Once the documents are processed, the couple will be Kristine and Jason Wickner.

Kristine explains she became curious about names when she was a child. Her mom鈥檚 surname at birth had been Grattan, her dad鈥檚 Gick. When her parents married, her mom changed her name to Grattan Gick.

鈥淚 was probably super annoying, always asking why, why, why about everything,鈥� says Kristine. 鈥淚 liked my name, I was proud of my name. But if my mom鈥檚 name was Grattan Gick, why weren鈥檛 we?鈥�

It led her to think about when she has kids of her own.

鈥淚 had a disconnect 鈥� my mom had feminist values but it didn鈥檛 get translated into my name.鈥�

Jason says that before he and Kristine got married two years ago, they began discussing what to do.

鈥淲e鈥檙e really big on equality, and we thought, well we鈥檒l just keep our own names.鈥�

However, then they considered children.

鈥淗ow do you explain to future children, why do you have Daddy鈥檚 name or Mommy鈥檚 name?鈥� Jason asks.

They also considered hyphenated names, but decided no. When the children get married, they could end up with several hyphens.

The idea of creating a new, shared name came from a movie Kristine watched.

鈥淚 would like to note he has more letters than I do, but percentage wise it鈥檚 pretty close,鈥� says Kristine with a grin.

Both she and Jason emphasize that although the combined name is right for them, they don鈥檛 judge what other people choose.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think any person takes what your identity will be as a married person lightly,鈥� says Kristine. 鈥淚 have friends who took their husband鈥檚 name, but they were still as thoughtful and intentional as our decision.鈥�

The couple considered keeping their current names for work, given that they鈥檝e both worked hard to build a name in their respective fields. However, Kristine has recently changed careers. Jason is soon to become a professional engineer, so he must use his legal name on documents. The time seemed right.

Jason says the new name appeals to his sense of fairness.

鈥淚t goes back to the dad basically selling his daughter 鈥� now you鈥檙e his property and you have the same last name. Just because it鈥檚 the way it was always done and traditionally, it doesn鈥檛 make it right.鈥�

Jason said while his family had a little resistance at the beginning because it was a new idea and there were thoughts of losing his heritage, they now understand.

鈥淚f you do it the 鈥榥ormal鈥� way, you鈥檙e still losing that heritage,鈥� he says, noting that on a family tree, the woman鈥檚 birth name is normally in brackets, so her heritage disappears. But with a new, shared name, the woman鈥檚 and the man鈥檚 birth names would be in brackets.

Both Jason and Kristine say most people express positive reactions to their plans.

鈥淢y co-workers said do it quickly so we can use you as an example,鈥� Jason smiles.

Kristine points out there are lots of logical solutions to any problems people present to them. She notes that a few people have said creating a new name 鈥渋s way out there, so non-traditional,鈥� but she sees the opposite.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very traditional, having one name for a nuclear family.鈥�

One thing that frustrates her is some people assume Jason could not possibly be okay with the plan and is only doing it because she is forcing him.

鈥淚t paints a picture of me as a monster, dominating, and creates the story and narrative that Jason doesn鈥檛 have a backbone鈥� so it鈥檚 painful to both of us.鈥�

A few people have said, 鈥榳hy do you care, it鈥檚 just a name?鈥�

Kristine responds by turning the question around: 鈥淲hy do you care, it鈥檚 just a name?鈥�

She sees the plan as an evolution.

鈥淏ecause my mom had already recognized there was a problem. She was one step in the evolution.鈥�

Jason and Kristine expect to receive confirmation of their new name within two weeks. It will have cost them about $1,000 total.

Jason says it has seemed harder for him to make the change, as some clerks he encountered hadn鈥檛 done it before. But he doesn鈥檛 see himself as a groundbreaker. He says he and Kristine are both very aware of gender issues.

鈥淚鈥檝e never tried to follow the 鈥榤en can鈥檛 cry,鈥� the stereotypical stuff. I don鈥檛 see myself as a trailblazer, I see it as what comes naturally鈥�, what should be normal.鈥�

Kristine sums up their decision.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about people who have identities separate from each other but who are wanting to have something that represents the partnership we have together.鈥�