How do you feel about a wife taking a husband's last name?

Since I was a child, I’ve always imagined I would take my husband’s last name if/when I marry. I’m one of those gals who prefers to not be overtly “feminist.” I like the idea of showing my equality while staying relatively within social norms. My intelligence, ambition, and internal strength are sufficient enough to contribute to the advancement of women, and so I’ve never felt the need to sacrifice my femininity or defy any typically feminine roles. In line with that thinking, it’d be natural for me to take my husband’s last name.

Recently, however, it’s become hard for me to not see the practice of taking a husband’s last name as incredibly outdated. I know a lot of married women, but I hardly know any who have taken their husband’s names! (No, I don’t travel with hairy-armpit group. I travel with career women.)

If you were to ask any of these women why they didn’t take their husband’s name, most would likely respond, “I was already known in my field with my last name.” Outside of the circle of academia, though, this may be more rare.

I’d still kind of like to take my husband’s last name, but I do think it would create confusion in my career, as my first publications will be under my last name. I’m not so into hyphenation, either. I think I may end up changing my last name legally, but keeping my own last name professionally.

How do you feel about this concept in general? What do you think are the implications of a wife taking a husband’s last name? Based on those implications, do you think the practice is outdated? If children come from the marriage, what should their last name be?