Editing Maiden and married names (section)

===Philippines===
{{Main|Filipino name#Maiden and married names}}
Article 370 of the [[Civil Code of the Philippines|Civil Code]] states:{{Blockquote
|text=A married woman may use:<br />(1) Her maiden first name and surname and add her husband’s surname, or<br />(2) Her maiden first name and her husband’s surname, or<br />(3) Her husband’s full name, but prefixing a word indicating that she is his wife, such as “Mrs.”
<ref>{{cite act|title=Civil Code of the Philippines|type=Republic Act|number=386|article=XIII: Use of Surnames|articletype=Title|date=18 June 1949|url=http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1949/06/18/republic-act-no-386/}} {{Cite web |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1949/06/18/republic-act-no-386/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=9 November 2023 |archive-date=8 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220508160939/https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1949/06/18/republic-act-no-386/ |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>}}

The usage of the word “may” implies that a woman can retain her maiden name without adding her husband's, and Articles 371 and 372 explicitly state that a woman may resume using her original name upon legal separation or exercise the option to continue using the husband's name unless either the court decrees otherwise or either spouse remarries. The [[Supreme Court of the Philippines|Supreme Court]] ruling  ''Yasin v. Sharia Court'' reiterated this, noting [[Arturo Tolentino]]'s commentary that usage of “may” indicates a permissive action.<ref>{{cite web |title=G.R. No. 94986 |url=https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri1995/feb1995/gr_94986_1995.html |website=lawphil.net |access-date=1 January 2025}}</ref> Nevertheless, this caused confusion among some people, leading them to believe that the Civil Code required women to change their surnames, when it wasn't actually the case.<ref name="Pilar">{{cite web |title=Yes, Pilar, you don't have to use Pepe's name after marriage |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1522568/yes-pilar-you-dont-have-to-use-pepes-name-after-marriage |access-date=23 January 2023 |date=2 December 2021}}</ref> On 21 March 2023, the [[House of Representatives of the Philippines|House of Representatives]] passed a bill to revise the Civil Code to explicitly declare that a woman can keep her surname.<ref name="Pilar" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Lower House grants married women right to retain maiden surnames |website=[[Manila Bulletin]] |url=https://mb.com.ph/2021/12/01/lower-house-grants-married-women-right-to-retain-maiden-surnames/ |access-date=24 January 2023 |date=1 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Misis aprub gamitin apelyido sa pagkadalaga – Kamara |url=https://tonite.abante.com.ph/2023/02/19/misis-aprub-gamitin-apelyido-sa-pagkadalaga-kamara/ |website=Abante Tonite |access-date=19 February 2023 |language=Filipino |date=21 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Bill allowing married women to retain maiden name gets House nod |url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1197877 |work=Philippine News Agency |access-date=28 March 2023 |date=21 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Panti, Llanesca |title=House okays on final reading bill allowing married women to keep maiden surname |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/864587/house-okays-on-final-reading-bill-allowing-married-women-to-keep-maiden-surname/story/ |publisher=GMA News |access-date=28 March 2023 |date=21 March 2023}}</ref>
 
Married women in professional circles (e.g. [[Gloria Macapagal Arroyo]], [[Korina Sanchez-Roxas]], [[Vilma Santos-Recto]]) typically join their maiden and married surnames in both professional and legal use. This allows them to be identified as married, and keep track of their professional achievements without being confused for any similarly named individuals. An older scheme based on [[Spanish naming customs]] add the particle ''de'' ("of") between the maiden and married surnames. This tradition is no longer common.