Is a Kardashian by Any Other Name Still a Kardashian?

Kim Kardashian is getting married — and it’s causing a minor rift with her mother. Not because Ma doesn’t like the fellow, New Jersey Nets forward Kris Humphries. And it’s not because of the wedding preparations for the reality TV star’s big summer event. No, it’s because 30-year-old Kim Kardashian plans to lose her last name, the golden family brand, and become Kim Humphries.

“I don’t think she should take his name and be Kim Humphries,” her mom, the 55-year-old Kris Jenner, reportedly said. “I think she needs to be Kim Kardashian because she’s worked so hard to get where she is.”

Of course Jenner ditched the last name of Kardashian, too, when she married Olympic legend Bruce Jenner. But her daughters — the K-named trio that is Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney — have made their names household ones since Keeping Up With The Kardashians debuted on the E! Network back in October of 2007.

Kim describes herself as "business woman, exec producer, fashion designer, perfumista" on her Twitter account. Indeed, all three sisters have expanded into plenty of other businesses including acting in non-reality roles, providing celebrity testimonials, selling perfume, designing clothing, opening a store, and, apparently, marrying NBA players.

Khloe is married to Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom. Mother Kris wasn’t public about any ill feelings about Khloe taking on Odom’s last name but that may be because she isn’t Khloe’s manager, as she is for Kim. Or it could be that she didn’t feel so strongly because Khloe kept Kardashian in her name and goes by Khloe Kardashian Odom. Who knows? 

One imagines that the family is so used to doing everything on reality TV by now that it won’t find a way to stop. The Daily Mail notes that the wedding will likely be broadcast on E!, just as Khloe’s was before hers. But it isn’t clear if it will be part of the regular show, a special one-off show, or perhaps its own special series.

After a well-publicized battle over her weight with her mom, the 26-year-old Khloe is striking out on her own, while keeping up with Keeping Up on E! Khloe recently embraced that she (gasp!) has cellulite and, because of that, has become the spokesperson for a new Nivea skincare campaign.

“I love to be an advocate for anything that helps empower women and give confidence to them especially when I can relate to something as sensitive as cellulite,” Khloe said, according to the Daily Mail.

Yes, it's certainly a new era for the Kardashian brand.