WHAT'S in a name? When you've had your name all your life you don't tend to think about it very often.

It’s only when it comes to getting a new name that you really start to ponder the one you had.

The reasoning behind my thoughts is that in little over six months I won’t be Caroline Dutton anymore.

She is being replaced by the new and improved (and married) Caroline Taylor.

I think I got pretty lucky with Taylor. It could have been so much worse.

Taylor is a good solid name and I like the way it sounds when you say it out loud.

“Caroline Taylor”. She sounds a more classy kinda girl, don't you think?

Don't get me wrong, I won’t cast the name Dutton aside without a care in the world.

For women who get married and choose to take their husband's name, I suspect there's always a moment of sadness when you say goodbye to your maiden name; a lump-in-the-throat feeling when you realise you won't have the same name as your parents and siblings anymore.

And to give credit where it's due, Dutton has served me well so far.

It made sure I was near the top of the register in school (handy for getting things like injections and presentations over with quickly), and it formed the basis of many a nickname (Dutto, Duttie, Duttonator).

It'll be sadly missed.

Of course there's the option of double-barreling. And Caroline Dutton-Taylor doesn't sound too bad compared to others, but it gives an air of grandeur I fear I can't back up. And anyway, in for a penny, in for a pound, I say.

When you think about it, taking your husband’s name is a bit of a lottery.

We all know women called ridiculous things like “Lynne Lin” and “Joan Jones”.

I even knew someone who once shared a post box with a Chinese woman called “Wi Poo”. And I'm honestly not making that up.

Some women get lumbered with surnames they really don't like.

I've got a friend (who shall remain nameless) who is so opposed to her new husband’s surname that she keeps booking flights with her old passport so she can use the excuse that there’s not enough time for her to get it changed before they depart!

Even if you love your new name, I can’t imagine it’s easy to get used to.

I fully expect to be suspected of fraud a good few times after signing the wrong name on cheques and receipts after the wedding.

The only way of getting used to having a new surname, I reckon, is to look upon the whole process as an exciting venture in creating a new signature.

My current one is rubbish — it just looks as though someone has written my name in a rush.

So I’m going to pull out all the stops with Caroline Taylor, and am looking forward to seeing what elaborate swoops and swirls I can incorporate into it with a “Y” and an “L” to play with.