California wants to make it esier for men to change their name when getting married. Today it’s very easy for the bride to take her husbands name or a combination. For men it’s a lot of work.

Though most U.S. states today allow husband and wife to have any last names they want, some make the process routine for women and an ordeal for men.

According to the Argus this will all change, when The Name Equality Act of 2007 is approved. The bill will update California law to let men too select a surname of their choice when they marry.

Under current law, a name change for a bride is easy. She simply can pick what her married last name will be; there’s a separate line on the application for her to list her maiden name. When the marriage certificate is granted by the state showing her new name, that qualifies as a legal name change. The only cost is the cost of the marriage license, which in California ranges from $50 to $80.

But the groom has no such option. If he wants to take his wife’s last name as his married last name or take on a combined name, he’s got to go through a legal name change, which is not a simple matter. He must fill out a petition for change of name with the clerk of the Superior Court; pay court costs of $375; publish a legal notice of his name change before the court date with the judge (adding expenses of $400 or so); and show up on the assigned court date.