Why Did Dorothy Keep Stan's Last Name Zbornak After The Divorce? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 12-26-2008, 07:10 PM

I never understood why; and I don't know if I missed something throughout the show that explained it...

During the show with all of the disliking Dorothy has towards Stan, why did she keep his last name after the divorce and not go back to being "Dorothy Petrillo"?

catlover79 · 12-26-2008, 07:22 PM

I don't know, but maybe she didn't think it was worth it to spend the money and time having her name legally changed back. Women have a lot to change when they take their husbands' name: you need to change your name for the driver's license, charge accounts, social security number, etc. Maybe it was too much of a hassle for her to change everything back. That's my guess, anyway.

80sTrivia · 01-03-2009, 08:57 AM

Plus, it was the last name of her children, so for sentimental reasons, she may have kept Stan's last name.

Jonathan · 01-03-2009, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

I don't know, but maybe she didn't think it was worth it to spend the money and time having her name legally changed back. Women have a lot to change when they take their husbands' name: you need to change your name for the driver's license, charge accounts, social security number, etc. Maybe it was too much of a hassle for her to change everything back. That's my guess, anyway.

Very true. This is a very common occurrence. Nice observation.

robyrob · 01-03-2009, 12:58 PM

i think that it was just because "Zbornak" is a MUCH sexier sounding name than "Petrillo"

Heather987 · 01-04-2009, 04:43 AM

Possibly for reasons that professionally she was already known as Zbornak, she was Zbornak for 30+ years and the people in life probably knew her as Zbornak, not to mention like an earlier poster stated the changing of all her legal documents can be overwhelming and very time consuming. Many women keep their maiden names if they are already in a career while those who seek careers after marriage (like Dorothy, since she was married young and I believe right out of high school or close to that time) then use their married name.

catlover79 · 04-25-2012, 11:24 PM

Stan was Dorothy's high school sweetheart, and I believe she got pregnant before they graduated, hence their hasty marriage. I THINK I have that right, but anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

ShamelessFanGirl · 05-18-2012, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

Stan was Dorothy's high school sweetheart, and I believe she got pregnant before they graduated, hence their hasty marriage. I THINK I have that right, but anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

From my memory was that Dorothy was in college at the time she became pregnant by Stan, because I remember in a flashback episode Sophia reminds Dorothy that she was studying to become a teacher, a young Dorothy tells her mother that she was still going to be a teacher that she wasn't going to let what happened change that. That's what I remember anyway.

catlover79 · 05-18-2012, 11:49 PM

Thanks!! I think I remember that now.

andress_jade · 05-19-2012, 06:38 PM

My mom did the same thing after her divorce from my brother's dad. She kept his name even after she met my dad, they were never legally married and so I was born with my mother's first husband's last name. It was changed to my dad's when I started school.

On Frasier, Niles' ex wife Maris kept Niles' last name Crane when they divorced. They probably did that since we didn't know Maris' maiden name. It was weird seeing Niles married to Daphne and hearing her being called Maris Crane.

But anyway, it's not uncommon for a woman to keep her ex husband's name after a divorce. I have seen it quite a bit actually.

Lovey · 05-22-2012, 10:38 PM

It's very common to keep the maried name after divorce.

MikeLutton · 05-24-2012, 11:27 PM

i always liked Dorothy and stan they had lot of funny remembel scenes on there,always liked her expressions when he showed up at the door or at the house lol uninvitied

Mr. Television · 05-24-2012, 11:51 PM

My sister still has her ex-husband's last name. It's pretty common.

djhsolara · 05-25-2012, 08:26 PM

I could be wrong here, but I think it is perhaps more common for younger people who have not been married for a "lifetime" to change their name after a divorce. When people are younger they may not have established a 30-year identity with their name, so it may be easier to change their name and still be known. When someone has had a name for 30 years it could be like starting over (which isn't a bad thing, but could be much harder).

*ROGER* · 07-06-2012, 12:11 AM

Dorothy was a Zbornak for 38 years, and before that she was a Petrillo until only the age of 18 or so. She was Zbornak for much longer, so that's probably how she's always thought of herself.

12-26-2008, 07:10 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,129	Why Did Dorothy Keep Stan's Last Name Zbornak After The Divorce? I never understood why; and I don't know if I missed something throughout the show that explained it... During the show with all of the disliking Dorothy has towards Stan, why did she keep his last name after the divorce and not go back to being "Dorothy Petrillo"?

12-26-2008, 07:22 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	I don't know, but maybe she didn't think it was worth it to spend the money and time having her name legally changed back. Women have a lot to change when they take their husbands' name: you need to change your name for the driver's license, charge accounts, social security number, etc. Maybe it was too much of a hassle for her to change everything back. That's my guess, anyway.
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01-03-2009, 08:57 AM	#3
80sTrivia Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 23, 2002 Posts: 21,714	Plus, it was the last name of her children, so for sentimental reasons, she may have kept Stan's last name.
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01-03-2009, 12:58 PM	#5
robyrob certified wackball#3 Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Aug 03, 2003 Location: hiding under the third booth at Arnold's Posts: 58,194	i think that it was just because "Zbornak" is a MUCH sexier sounding name than "Petrillo"
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05-19-2012, 06:38 PM	#10
andress_jade Life Goes On... Moderator Senior Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2004 Location: Iola, KS or Glenbrook Posts: 1,220	My mom did the same thing after her divorce from my brother's dad. She kept his name even after she met my dad, they were never legally married and so I was born with my mother's first husband's last name. It was changed to my dad's when I started school. On Frasier, Niles' ex wife Maris kept Niles' last name Crane when they divorced. They probably did that since we didn't know Maris' maiden name. It was weird seeing Niles married to Daphne and hearing her being called Maris Crane. But anyway, it's not uncommon for a woman to keep her ex husband's name after a divorce. I have seen it quite a bit actually.
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01-04-2009, 04:43 AM	#6
Heather987 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 13, 2004 Posts: 476	Possibly for reasons that professionally she was already known as Zbornak, she was Zbornak for 30+ years and the people in life probably knew her as Zbornak, not to mention like an earlier poster stated the changing of all her legal documents can be overwhelming and very time consuming. Many women keep their maiden names if they are already in a career while those who seek careers after marriage (like Dorothy, since she was married young and I believe right out of high school or close to that time) then use their married name.

04-25-2012, 11:24 PM	#7
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	Stan was Dorothy's high school sweetheart, and I believe she got pregnant before they graduated, hence their hasty marriage. I THINK I have that right, but anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

05-18-2012, 11:49 PM	#9
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	Thanks!! I think I remember that now.

05-22-2012, 10:38 PM	#11
Lovey Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 28, 2012 Posts: 30	It's very common to keep the maried name after divorce.

05-24-2012, 11:27 PM	#12
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,887	i always liked Dorothy and stan they had lot of funny remembel scenes on there,always liked her expressions when he showed up at the door or at the house lol uninvitied
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05-24-2012, 11:51 PM	#13
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	My sister still has her ex-husband's last name. It's pretty common.
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05-25-2012, 08:26 PM	#14
djhsolara Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 03, 2009 Location: York PA Posts: 44	I could be wrong here, but I think it is perhaps more common for younger people who have not been married for a "lifetime" to change their name after a divorce. When people are younger they may not have established a 30-year identity with their name, so it may be easier to change their name and still be known. When someone has had a name for 30 years it could be like starting over (which isn't a bad thing, but could be much harder).

07-06-2012, 12:11 AM	#15
ROGER Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 05, 2007 Location: United States Posts: 2,776	Dorothy was a Zbornak for 38 years, and before that she was a Petrillo until only the age of 18 or so. She was Zbornak for much longer, so that's probably how she's always thought of herself.