**Trailer: The Politics of Last Names—Why I Gave My Daughter Mine**

Last names are more than just identifiers—they’re political statements. From celebrities ditching their birth names to politicians softening theirs for mass appeal, the choice of a surname is rarely accidental. Even Meghan Markle’s adoption of “Sussex” sparks debate—why should women still be expected to take on a man’s name?

For writer Frizzell, the tradition of patriarchal naming has always felt absurd. So when she had a daughter, she broke the mold: her little girl carries *her* last name, not her father’s. It’s a small rebellion against a system that erases women’s identities—one that even her young son endorsed with the simple logic: *”Girls are Frizzells.”*

But bucking tradition comes with its own headaches—endless bureaucratic battles proving you’re actually your child’s parent. So here’s her radical proposal: skip the hyphenated chaos and let daughters inherit their mothers’ names, sons their fathers’, and same-sex or single parents pick the best fit. Because in a world where names are power, why shouldn’t women claim theirs?