Why Jennifer Lopez Took Ben Affleck's Name After They Got Married

Ben Affleck Jennifer Lopez — (Image credit: Getty Images)

When Jennifer Lopez married her longtime love Ben Affleck, she decided to take his name, making her Jennifer Lynn Affleck, or Mrs. Affleck.

Soon after, the New York Times published an opinion piece which expressed concern over the feminist implications of a woman taking her husband's name, especially such a prominent woman as Jennifer Lopez.

But the actress, singer and entrepreneur had not read this opinion piece nor heard about it until her recent Vogue interview.

Upon being told about it, the star said, "What? Really? People are still going to call me Jennifer Lopez. But my legal name will be Mrs. Affleck because we’re joined together. We’re husband and wife. I’m proud of that. I don’t think that’s a problem."

The journalist then floated the idea of her husband becoming Mr. Lopez instead and whether that idea appeals. "No!" she answered, laughing. "It’s not traditional. It doesn’t have any romance to it. It feels like it’s a power move, you know what I mean? I’m very much in control of my own life and destiny and feel empowered as a woman and as a person."

Lopez (well, Affleck technically, although she's basically given us permission to continue to refer to her as Jennifer Lopez here, right?) acknowledged that everyone is entitled to their opinion on whether women should take their husbands' name or vice-versa or if everyone should just keep their original name.

"I can understand that people have their feelings about it, and that’s OK, too," she said. "But if you want to know how I feel about it, I just feel like it’s romantic. It still carries tradition and romance to me, and maybe I’m just that kind of girl."

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Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.