Traditional Hmong marriage customs strictly prohibit marrying within the same clan, but cross-cousin marriages between different clans are historically practiced under specific cultural frameworks. Because clan exogamy is a fundamental rule, a person cannot marry anyone sharing their exact paternal surname. However, traditional alliances sometimes permitted marriage to a maternal cousin (such as a mother's brother's child or a father's sister's child), provided they belonged to an entirely different clan name, though modern generations increasingly favor personal choice and broader dating pools over traditional cousin alliances.