Why do some Jamaican Olympic women athletes have hyphenated last names?

Answer 1

Here in Jamaica (like every where else) when we are born we take our father's surname. But when we get older and if we choose to marry we take our husband's name or we take it but keep our name also BUT note briefly if a man marries a woman he cannot take the woman's surname. So for example, say your father's name is Junior Gorffe. So when you are born then your surname will be Gorffe. Say your name is Janae. So you will be Janae Gorffe. Now suppose when you get older you meet a nice young man/woman and you want to marry he/she and their name is Rayvon Clarke when you get married you can become Mrs.Janae Clarke or if you choose Mrs. Janae Gorffe-Clarke. So as you see now it is not only our athletes that have hyphenated names. And ofcourse it is not a custom because you get to choose out of the two ways; hyphenated or not.