Former NFL Star Ricky Williams has officially changed his name to Ricky Miron!
The 11-season NFL veteran and Miami Dolphins running back announced during an appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz that he adopted his wife Linnea Miron’s last name in order to honor her in their marriage.
He explained that it is something he has been wanting to do for some time and he recently went through the legal process to make it official. “I did it probably a year and a half ago, made it official,” he commented. “Something I’ve been thinking about and talking about, and I finally went through the steps.”
Although the legal process was tedious and required trips to the social security office, the former NFL player described the experience as easy and most importantly, meaningful. He stated, “It was quick and easy, and it felt meaningful. Really meaningful.”
Ricky went on to detail the specifics behind changing his name and noted that he felt his wife did not get enough traction despite being a well-acclaimed defense attorney, given his background as a professional athlete in the NFL.
Wanting to establish a better sense of equality between him and his wife, Ricky brainstormed ideas that would give their marriage more unity. He explained, “One of the ideas that popped into my mind was I can take her last name.”
“I think it’s cool. It’s somewhere where we can both win,” the 45-year-old relayed before discussing the impact the name change has had. “I’ve found that that’s been really powerful in creating ease, intimacy, and trust in my relationship.”
Ricky Miron states that Williams ‘is not even really my last name’
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In addition to finding more meaning in his relationship, the former running back acknowledged that he never really felt connected to the last name Williams, as it was never his “real” last name.
“It’s one of those family secrets,” he commented. “My grandma, obviously, back then you don’t say anything. And so Williams was her husband’s name, but wasn’t my dad’s father.”
He added, “So Williams is not even really my last name and if you go back far enough, its idea of it is a slave name, so I think of what is even the purpose of a last name. And I find more meaning in this last name than Williams.”
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