[ELI5]: Why do people sometimes refer to a husbands wife as, “Mrs. (Husband’s name) Smith?” Like the husbands first name but just Mrs. at the start? Wouldn’t it be easier to just say her name?

Question

[ELI5]: Why do people sometimes refer to a husbands wife as, “Mrs. (Husband’s name) Smith?” Like the husbands first name but just Mrs. at the start? Wouldn’t it be easier to just say her name?

In: Other

Answer 1

Waaaaaay back in the day, some women were proud to take their husbands name. It was like a badge worn with honor, or a prize ribbon won at a fair. It depends on how you look at it. It used to be considered proper or respectful to call someone by their name like that. Today, it’s a matter of personal opinion and the culture one has been raised with. Women tend to be more independent these days and have more ambitious goals than being a housewife or a Mrs. (insert husbands name here).