Today's episode is incredibly timely given the SAVE Act. This time, I had the pleasure of chatting with the incredible Melania (pen name), also known as Melanie Murphy. She’s a writer, speaker, and the author of Bound by Love Not Tradition, a book that empowers women to make intentional choices about their married names.

Here are some of the fascinating insights and stories we explored:

Cultural and Personal Complexities: We dive into the history and laws around married name changes, revealing surprising international perspectives. Did you know that in Japan, married couples must share the same last name, and in 99% of cases, the wife adopts the husband’s name?

I shared a personal anecdote about my daughter and son-in-law creating a new family name by combining parts of their last names. It was a beautiful symbol of equality and mutual respect.

Finally, we discussed how different countries approach naming conventions, like Greece and Quebec, where laws prevent women from changing their names after marriage to promote gender equality.

At the time of our conversation in December 2025, the SAVE Act had passed in the House but was dead on arrival to the Senate. The later iteration, SAVE America Act, passed in the House February 2026 and as of April 15, 2026, faces a difficult path in the Senate, where it is currently under debate and faces a filibuster.

To reach Melanie: [email protected] and website https://www.melaniajoy.com

To apply to be on the show: https://www.intuitivewisdomcoach.com/roaming-with-restless-women-podcast

If you are a senior woman leader and are contemplating making a big career or life change, discover more resources on https://www.intuitivewisdomcoach.com

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