Times Drops ‘Rodham’ in Referring to Hillary Clinton

After Bill Clinton lost the governor’s seat in Arkansas in 1980, Hillary Rodham (reluctantly) took the name Clinton. “I learned the hard way that some voters in Arkansas were seriously offended by the fact that I kept my maiden name,” she wrote years later.

For the rest of her career, as first lady, senator, and secretary of state, Mrs. Clinton had preferred to keep her maiden name and be referred to as Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Until now.

After several news organizations, including The New York Times, had inquired about how to refer to the Democratic presidential candidate, the Clinton campaign confirmed on Monday that Mrs. Clinton prefers to be simply, “Hillary Clinton,” aligning herself with the branding of her 2016 presidential campaign and the name she has signed to be placed on the ballots of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and other states. (Mrs. Clinton had also used “Hillary Clinton” in her 2008 presidential campaign, an aide said.)

In referring to public figures, The Times generally uses the name preferred by the subject. The Times made the change after The Associated Press, The Washington Post and other news outlets did the same.