Give babies their mother’s surname by default
New proposal in Italy sparks debate
The Female Quotient
June 10, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 15 minutes
WHAT’S ON DECK
Tell Me More: Are global surname trends starting to consider mothers?
Troublemaker Spotlight: Monica Earle, Public Relations Director at Duolingo
Dear FQ: How can employees build a personal brand?
Poll the Pack: Making an impact outranks status and salary
TELL ME MORE
What’s in a (sur)name? The global conversation around last names is changing
Italian politician Dario Franceschini is pushing forward a bill in Italy’s parliament that would see children automatically inherit their mother's surname, as opposed to their father’s—a move he describes as "righting a historic wrong." He calls it "compensation for centuries-old injustice."
While Italy debates this change, naming conventions already vary greatly around the world:
Spain revised its naming laws in 2017, allowing parents to choose which surname comes first (most people in Spain take both their mother's and father’s), breaking from the tradition where the father's surname automatically took precedence.
In other Spanish-speaking countries, women keep their last names when they marry, and their children inherit two last names, instead of automatically assuming the father’s.
The Netherlands implemented new rules in 2024 allowing combined surnames for children, giving parents more flexibility in how they pass down family names. Previously, babies were automatically given the father’s last name.
But it’s more than just a name. The conversation happening in Italy is about legacy, recognition, and acknowledging the often invisible labor of motherhood. The average mother spends 12 hours per week on childcare responsibilities, compared to 6.7 hours for fathers. Not to mention, the mental load—mothers manage 71% of household mental load tasks—the behind-the-scenes conception and planning of tasks that keep the family and home afloat.
Despite this, 95% of babies born in the U.S. are given their father’s last name. Charlotte J. Patterson, a psychology professor at the University of Virginia, says the tradition started as an acknowledgment that “fathers were the head of the household, and when they named their child this way, it was expressing that it was a legitimate birth and the child could inherit from them. Because we have this longstanding custom, I think many people [continue the tradition] without really considering any alternatives.”
Names carry tremendous weight. They're how we identify ourselves, how history remembers us, and how legacies last. When we systematically erase maternal surnames, we're not just changing a name—we're potentially eliminating entire branches of family history, cultural heritage, and even career accomplishments. According to a 2021 Stanford University study, women could experience a 30% drop in professional recognition after changing their last name—that’s years of hard work made suddenly invisible in the eyes of algorithms and search engines.
But the conversation around surnames is already igniting change, especially in younger generations. Gen Z women, in particular, prefer to keep their last names and not give up their brand identity and persona, thanks in part to their social media presence.
“My last name is German, and no one ever knew how to pronounce it. As a kid, it was a challenge for me, but almost a badge of honor, too. I worked really hard for this last name so that people respect and try to pronounce it. It’s an interesting part of who I am, so to walk away from that completely because I decided to marry just didn’t resonate with me,” says one millennial from a recent Female Quotient study.
It’s not just a tradition—it’s a decision. And one that should be shared between both parents. It’s time to reconsider how we shape the legacies of both mothers and fathers.
Bottom line: Dario Franceschini isn’t suggesting the elimination of a father’s name—the movement in Italy just asks the question: what would it mean if children could more easily carry their mother's name forward? Sometimes, meaningful change starts with something as simple—and as powerful—as a name.
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TROUBLEMAKER SPOTLIGHT
Monica Earle, Public Relations Director at Duolingo
Monica Earle is not a risk-taker. A “textbook type A,” she’s the kind of person who got in trouble as a child for reading too much. But that all changed in 2016 when she took an out-of-character risk that changed the course of her entire career. Monica left the TV world, and her job as a producer, to move to New York with three suitcases and a below-average salary.
So how did she trade morning show shifts for heading PR for one of the world’s most talked-about brands? From the Wall Street Journal to the “Today” show, Monica’s work for Duolingo is everywhere, and even earned her a spot on Business Insider's Rising Tech PR Stars. Here’s what she wants you to know.
FQ: What’s the worst career advice you’ve gotten?
ME: When I made the decision to leave TV news, I had a family member tell me, "No, no, no, you should stay." I worked there for just under 3 years, and I was breaking a contract to leave.
The advice was to stay in a role where I was no longer growing, in a field I didn't have a passion for. I think TV news takes a very particular, strong-willed, passionate person. And I just didn't see myself doing that forever.
So the worst piece of advice I got was to prioritize stability over growth.
What’s the best piece of non-obvious career advice you’ve gotten?
My grandmother says, "You catch more bees with honey."
Be someone who's enjoyable to be around, who has a sense of humor, or who's fun to work with. Regardless of the industry, you get to a point where everyone around you is equally skilled—you're all just as smart and have great experience and draw on different things. Then it becomes about who you want to spend time with.
I just went to SXSW with our creative director. Who do you want to have to sit at a 2-hour agency dinner with? Who do you want to go to the airport at 5 AM to catch a flight to whatever event you guys are working on? Just don’t be a jerk.
What was a “heartbeat moment” for you in your career?
When I left TV news, I worked in a digital marketing job for about a year and a half. I was saving money at the time, still living in my hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. I knew I wanted to move to a major market—I just knew I needed a bigger city.
I got offered a job at an agency in New York—they offered me an Account Coordinator role. I was 5 years out of college, and the salary they offered me was less than what I was making in (much more affordable) Jacksonville.
I sold everything I owned, all my furniture, sold my car, and moved to New York with three suitcases in 2016, making $45,000 a year. But it was a moment where I trusted that it was all going to work out—one foot in front of the other.
Who is one person you’d love to give flowers to from your career that influenced your journey?
Professor Bobbi Doggett and Professor Stephynie Perkins at the University of North Florida had a huge impact on me in undergrad.
I did not know what I wanted to major in, and I was taking all these electives. I ended up in an intro to Comms and PR Principles class, and they both had such a passion for the industry that it was infectious. Bobbi Doggett pulled me to the side one day and said, "I think you should get involved with PRSSA," which is the Public Relations Student Society of America. So I did, and became President in my senior year.
Those two women taught me the value of having well-rounded news consumption, which has served me in every role I've had since graduation.
Where have you caused trouble?
A big part of why I came to Duolingo is that it's founded by two immigrants working to increase access to education. We’re not just a twerking owl. We do so much more.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, Duolingo saw a massive spike in people studying Ukrainian around the world. We quickly got a rapid response Slack channel going, saying, "Okay, what are we gonna do? How do we want to communicate about this?"
Duolingo is free to use, but you watch ads, or you can pay for a subscription. The ads generate revenue. So we quickly worked with the product team to figure out how much ad revenue we were getting from new people in the Ukrainian course and made a donation of that amount to an organization that was supporting Ukrainian refugees.
Want to nominate a “Troublemaker” you admire? You can do so here.
DEAR FQ
Your burning career questions answered
Shelley Zalis of The Female Quotient weighs in:
Let’s clear one thing up: building your personal brand isn’t about shouting, “Look at me!”. If you’re doing everything yourself, why would anyone need a team? Great leaders don’t just spotlight themselves—they shine a light on others.
Your personal brand is really about visibility—making sure your voice is in the right rooms, at the right time, in the right way. It’s about being known for your value, not your volume. You don’t need to post daily play-by-plays of your life on LinkedIn. You just need to show up with purpose. That might look like:
Sharing a great insight in a meeting
Contributing to a bold idea
Amplifying a teammate who deserves credit
Think of it this way: you already have a brand. The question is—are you shaping it, or letting others define it for you?
P.S. Got a burning career question? Serve it up here to Dear FQ to score advice from a powerhouse leader in our network.
POLL THE PACK
Making an impact outranks status and salary
The definition of success has changed. While competitive salaries and great reputations matter, they've taken a backseat to purpose and meaningful contribution.
People are no longer willing to separate meaning from their work. They want to see tangible results from their efforts and know they're making a difference. In a 2024 survey, 86% of employees said they feel the work they do has a positive impact on society. And when they feel impactful, research says they stay, reducing turnover and creating healthier company cultures.
What stands out from this particular poll? How few employees prioritized having a high or senior title. There’s a fundamental shift in how we measure professional success. Employees are moving away from hierarchical advancement toward meaningful contribution.
From the names we pass down to the brands we build, legacy isn’t given—it’s created with intention.
Xo,
The FQ
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