25 July 2023 , 12:09
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A couple who tied the knot have defied norms and decided to combine their surnames to create a unique new name, which they say reflects their love of beer.
Jessica, 30 - whose maiden name is Shyrock - "assumed" she would change her name when she got married. She wanted to have the same name as her future children.
However, when she married Zev, 38 - who grew up with the surname Steinberg - they decided to switch things up and go for a new blended name. Zev never thought he'd change his name, but was on board with his wife's idea.
They decided to blend together their surnames and became Mr and Mrs Steinrock - a name they say is inspired by their love of beer. A stein is a traditional beer glass, most commonly found in Germany.
Jessica said she always "assumed" she would change her name but Zev never thought he would (Jessica Steinrock / SWNS)
Jessica and Zev met while she was studying for her masters at the University of Illinois where he lectures (Jessica Steinrock / SWNS)Jessica, an intimacy coordinator. from Champaign, Illinois, said: "I grew up assuming I would have to change my name, My parents divorced but my mum kept my dad's name.
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"Even when she remarried my stepdad, she hyphenated with my biological dad's name. When we were 18 she changed it to just his, but it made me think that if we have kids - I want to have the same last name as them,
"I was searching through the internet and I saw the idea to combine names. I thought that's interesting and made a huge list of potentials. I think Steinrock was the only one that Zev liked."
Jessica said she felt it was important to have the same name as her future children (Jessica Steinrock / SWNS)She added: "We said it a bunch. It really started to feel like ours. It felt like an authentic mash up.
"The word Stein means stone - so essentially our surname is 'rock rock'. It means a beer stein too and we love beer. We got married at a brewery."
Zev, a professor of acting at the University of Illinois, said: "I never assumed I'd change my name. At first it was really hard for me but then the idea of combining names to make a new one reflects what we are trying to do. I love our name now."
The couple got married three years after meeting, in 2018 (Jessica Steinrock / SWNS)
The couple even got married in a brewery (Jessica Steinrock / SWNS)The couple met in November 2015, while Jessica was studying for her masters at the University of Illinois, where Zev was lecturing. The pair tied to knot in 2018 and decided to combine their names to create a whole new surname.
Jessica said it felt "strange" to "lose" her name, and didn't like the idea of hyphenating. She said; "It's a personal decision.
"I made a huge list of potentials - looking at anagrams. The idea really started to grow on me."
Jessica came up with Steinrock - and the pair settled on the name after saying it over and over. The couple said some of their family and friends were resistant to their choice of surname at first but have since gotten used to it.
.Jessica explained: "My grandpa said, 'Nah, I don't like it', and then just moved on. People see things you should and shouldn't do. Just because that's the way things have always been done it doesn't mean that's the only way to do it."
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