Refuse Thy Name?

The other night while I was watching Friends, Monica declares she will not take the last name Bing because it is "weird."  The casual diction "weird" creates a remote tone, which emphasizes the nonchalance both Monica and her fiancee Chandler feel at her name change.  The topic is easily forgotten without any problems, and their close relationship does not suffer because of her choice.  As I thought about this, my dad coincidentally brought up the fact that in the Middle East, a wife never changes her last name when she gets married.  Muslim women do not change their last name because Islam states that this may illustrate a transfer of property ownership.  This sparked more interest as I thought extensively about the name changing process.  Although Gogol and Moushumi do not practice Islam, I find their issues over her name change unnecessary.  I do believe her resistance to his name seems juvenile and ignorant, but I feel like they should not let something as trivial as a name affect their relationship.  Name changing traditions around the world vary; In Spanish-speaking countries, the wife has two last names and in Germany the wife or the husband may inherit their spouse's name.  Overall, the different customs of changing a name after marriage serve as a tradition, rather than a significant aspect of a relationship.