"My Last Name" is a song co-written and recorded by country music

Country music

Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

 artist Dierks Bentley

Dierks Bentley

Dierks Bentley is an American country music artist who has been signed to Capitol Records Nashville since 2003. That year, he released his self-titled debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's Modern Day Drifter, are certified platinum in the United States. A third album, 2006's Long Trip...

. It is the second single released from his 2003 self-titled album

Dierks Bentley (album)

Dierks Bentley is the first major-label album of country music singer Dierks Bentley. It was released August 19, 2003...

. The song is Bentley's first single to miss the Top 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs

Hot Country Songs

Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...

 chart, reaching a peak of #17, and his last, until 2010's "Up on the Ridge

Up on the Ridge (song)

"Up on the Ridge" is a song recorded by American country music artist Dierks Bentley. It was released to radio on April 12, 2010, and serves as the lead-off single to his fifth studio album, also titled Up on the Ridge.-Content:...

," which peaked at #21.

Content

The narrator describes the origins and the experiences of his last name, such as when he beat up a bully who made fun of his name, and when his grandpa "took it off to Europe to fight the Germans in the war". In the final verse, the narrator then says that he wants to marry his lover — to give her his last name because he does not have much.

Music video

The music video was directed by Peter Zavadil

Peter Zavadil

Peter Zavadil is a music video director who works primarily in the field of country music. He has directed many music videos since the late 1990s.-Music videos directed:109 music videos are currently listed here.-References:...

, who directed his previous video for "What Was I Thinkin'". At the beginning, it shows Dierks Bentley's name spelled wrong on a marquee, but at the end of the video, it has been corrected.

Reception

Samantha H. reviewed this song on Country Music Online.net, saying that the song "My Last Name" "is a great story song. All about getting teased because of his last name and still being proud of it. Then one day he offers it to a woman through marriage." Robert L. Doerschuk of Allmusic, however, called it "gauzy nostalgia."

Chart performance

"My Last Name" debuted at number 55 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week ending October 25, 2003. >

Chart (2003-2004)	Peak position
US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Bubbling Under Hot 100	2