Ethan Payne refuses to marry Faith Kelly over changing last name

The couple have divided their fans after Ethan Payne revealed his stance. Photo / Instagram/@faithlouisak

A young couple has divided the internet over the man’s refusal to marry the mother of his child because she refuses to budge on one key point.

Ethan Payne and Faith Kelly are British YouTube stars and podcasters who have built a large following with their show Growing Paynes.

But, despite the show’s name, Faith Kelly has refused to take Payne’s name if the pair were to wed - and he has refused to move forward with the nuptials.

“Faith doesn’t want to take my name and that irks me,” Payne recently told fans.

Payne’s refusal comes despite his partner agreeing to a double-barrelled surname - and even to give his name if asked.

She said she wanted to use Faith Kelly-Payne but introduce herself as Faith Payne.

“I don’t want to lose my association with my family,” she said. “I’ve grown up with that name. I like it. I wanna keep it.”

Payne’s stance divided the couple’s fanbase.

“If you don’t want to take my name, then we’re not getting married,” one follower said. “That’s the sole purpose of marriage is to take the man’s last name.”

“Ethan’s right, especially since he’s gonna pay for everything,” another argued.

Others warned Kelly that her partner was clearly waving a “red flag”.

“Why does he want to own you so bad?” one fan asked.

“If you have a problem with a girl not taking your last name, you’re the problem. You don’t own her. Want the same last name? Take hers then,” another said.

But elsewhere in influencer-land, more progressive blokes have taken a different path.

In 2021, fitness influencer and businesswoman Laura Henshaw married husband Dalton Graham - and he took her surname, a decision that saw the couple flooded the couple with praise on social media.

The Keep It Cleaner co-founder married Dalton Graham late last month, with Dalton becoming Mr Henshaw.

“It’s blown me away because the decision wasn’t too complicated for me,” Dalton said, speaking on the KIC POD podcast after the couple were wed.

“The decision was pretty straightforward but to so many it was a shock.”

He said he knew his wife had worked hard to achieve what she had and said her name was closely associated with her brand.

“It made a lot more sense for me to take your name,” he said.

“The biggest thing for me was I wanted to make sure our future kids had the same last name as their parents.”