Why she changed her name: After marrying actor George Clooney in 2014, the human rights activist adopted his surname and began being credited as Amal Clooney in press and in legal reporting, though her maiden name still appears in older casework and academic references. The controversy: The internet split in half. Some critics argued that such a high-profile lawyer, who built her own reputation, should not “erase” the Alamuddin name for a Hollywood star. Others pointed out that it was her choice and that policing a woman’s surname was its own form of control.

© Photo: Getty/Taylor Hill

Why he changed his name: When Brooklyn married actress Nicola Peltz in 2022, the pair decided to merge their surnames, becoming “Peltz Beckham.” Brooklyn later explained that they “kind of combined [their]

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