Name Change

[dustkitty.livejournal.com]

In the wake of divorce, I would like to change my name.

My first name, I think I might keep. It's Elizabeth. I like it. It's long and elegant, and it's feminine without being fluffy. But I have been called "Beth" since birth and I dislike that a lot. I'm not really sure what to do there. I've tried fostering other nicknames, but it just never seems to work--people who call me Elizabeth or Liz will hear family call me Beth and then they also do so.

My middle name is Ann. At the very least, I would like to tack an E onto the end. Ann < Anne. But I was thinking that maybe something that wasn't Beth could come in and replace Ann and I could just start using my middle name. My family might be more inclined to listen to my request to be not-Beth if that happened (or so I tell myself).

As for my surname...hm. I have not changed my ID to reflect my married name, though I use my married name on all kinds of informal things--magazine subscriptions, facebook, what have you. To be completely shallow, I just like it better than my maiden name, and would rather like to keep it. Is it weird to finally change my ID when I'm separated pending divorce? But there's also my son to consider; keeping my married name will give us the same surname, which is probably a good thing, yes?

I have been going by Belle online, and I'm not sure why I like that better than Beth. I suppose I could change my middle name to that, but Elizabeth Belle sounds ridiculous to me. A friend suggested I just start using it as a nickname for Elizabeth in real life; what do you think, too much of a stretch?

Another name I have looked at for myself is Chiara. I like it a lot, but I think a lot of people would misspell it as Kiara, or mispronounce it when reading it. (The sound of chee-are-ah doesn't bother me, but that's not the name, you know?)

Sooo, what are your:
A) Favorite non-Beth nicknames for Elizabeth
B) Choices for a middle name to follow Elizabeth
C) Thoughts on keeping an exhusband's surname.

Comments

[a-tergo-lupi.livejournal.com]

I think Belle is a perfectly acceptable nickname for Elizabeth.

[soapfaerie.livejournal.com]

My grandmother is Elizabeth but goes by Bette. :) (As in Betty, not Bet.)

For the sake of your child, i would understand keeping the last name.

[laminy.livejournal.com]

A) Lillibet (from Queen Elizabeth II)
B) Alexandra, Dawn, Camille
C) I wouldn't keep my ex's name if I divorced, but it might keep things a bit easier for the kid.

[retrodancekitty.livejournal.com]

A) Liz, Libby, Elsie, Zab
B) Marie, Morgan, Vivian, Rebecca, Melissa
C) I'm in favor of it, for all of the reasons you mentioned.

Chiara is strictly italian, I'd okay it only if you were comfortable with people assuming you have italian heritage.
I love Belle for Elizabeth! It's clever and not a stretch at all.

[kaoriz.livejournal.com]

ooo I like Lillibet!

[arbus.livejournal.com]

a) lizzie is my favorite nickname for elizabeth, followed by betsy

c) i dont mind the idea of keeping the name. my mom did that her entire life, and she and my dad got divorced when i was a toddler. it meant a lot to her to have the same last name as her kids. its a very respectable reason, imo.

[requiem-morrow.livejournal.com]

Absolute favorite nn for Elizabeth is Eli (E-leye). Actually my favorite nn for all names with eli in it lol.

[lind-saay.livejournal.com]

My favorite nicknames for Elizabeth are Eliza, Ellie, and Lily.

[cassandrakfreaq.livejournal.com]

my mom kept her name of her first husband and my brother's father.....it was very amicable and actually since she kept it she gave me and my little brother the same last name (she asked my bro's dad first and he was happy about it)

that is pretty odd but my dad was an asshole and I loved that I had my brother's dad's name.

it's weird but oh well

[babyjess8.livejournal.com]

I like Elle/Ellie and Lily. Betsy is also cute for a little child, but not so much on an adult. I think Belle would be an acceptable nn also.

I really like the initials E.E. Lastname. So how about:
Elizabeth Emilia
Elizabeth Emerson
Elizabeth Eve
Elizabeth Escher
Elizabeth Eowyn
Elizabeth Erica
Elizabeth Eileen

[hwar.livejournal.com]

A) Favorite non-Beth nicknames for Elizabeth: Birdie! I also think you could pull off Belle, especially if you use it online already and would remember to answer to it. Eliza is also cute. Introduce yourself to every new person you meet as the new nickname. Sign your emails with it, change your voicemail to it, etc...people will eventually start using it. Your parent might never but your acquaintances and friends will if you persist. I think Chiara is pretty awful and you will tire of it.

B) Choices for a middle name to follow Elizabeth: I think Ann is great. Why do you want to go through the hassle of a name change to add an E? SO not worth it.


C) Thoughts on keeping an exhusband's surname. If you like it there's no reason to change it unless you just don't want it anymore. Especially since your child has it too.

So basically what I'm saying overall is don't change your name, just pick a new nickname! :)

[giveitfullheart.livejournal.com]

If I have a girl, she will be Elizabeth nn Lily.

[duckduckcaboose.livejournal.com]

1. Libby or Ellie.

2. I don't really think you should go to all the trouble of legally changing your name from Ann to Anne. I would just spell it that way informally. I have an acquaintance who is legally Erin Ann, but spells it Erynn Anne and everyone goes with it.

3. Having the same last name as your kid is totally your call. Some anecdotes: a) My parents have been married for 23 years and my mother never took my father's last name, everyone that matters still knows that she's my mom and my parents are married. It occasionally comes up that we have different last names and when I was younger I would say "Oh, well that's because I'm married." just to get a reaction, which my mom thought was hilarious. Now that I'm 21 and it's plausible, I'm pretty much just like "She didn't take my dad's name, why would you go from Porter to [long, ugly Russian surname]?"
b) My friend Leah's mother has now been divorced from her father almost as long as she was married to him, and she still uses his name, because although she HATES HATES HATES him, she apparently had a "very rough childhood" and hates any reminders of it.
c) My best friend was born when her parents were still engaged and in that time her father cheated on her mother so they never got married. BFF got her mom's maiden name. Her mom then married someone else 10 years later but BFF doesn't like her stepdad so she kept her last name, and her mom & half-sister have the stepdad's last name.

[how-obscure.livejournal.com]

A) Eliza, Libby
B) Jane, Clara, Charlotte. If you DO go through the process of changing your last name, you could add the 'e' to Ann, but if you don't I wouldn't bother with legally adding the 'e'.
C) That's completely up to you. If you want to keep it, do it.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

I like Bess - it's strong and honest - but I am so aware that a lot of people don't...