Name Change.

[deer-lanterns.livejournal.com]

I know this has been posted/discussed/asked before, but there aren't any tags so it's hard to find again...so, name changes. Who here has gotten one? Were you still happy with the change in the future? 

I've been through a lot of terrible crap this past year, and I'm making a big move and, just, starting over. A name change seems very apropos. It's something that has been nagging at me constantly lately. I mentioned it to some friends and they just laughed. Does it seem too late to do at the age of 27? I've never really liked my name anyway, and now seems like an opportune time to do something about it.

I'm broaching this the way I would a tattoo, very cautiously.

Comments

[bubblymush.livejournal.com]

I like the name Courtney. It's my sister's name also.

[jordle.livejournal.com]

It's my sister's name too but I hate it!

[brittmarie.livejournal.com]

I used to dislike my name, because it was so common.. but it very much seems to fit me. So I'll never change my name. I probably never would anyway, because I know I'd be upset if my child changed his/her name I had chosen & wouldn't want my mom to feel the same way. She really fought with my dad to name me Brittany, because he wanted Heather. I hate Heather, so I'm glad she fought for my name.. but her fighting is for nothing if I change it.

[brittmarie.livejournal.com]

I made that sound more dramatic then it was.. hahaha.

[bubblymush.livejournal.com]

Ugh no offense to anyone but I hate the name Heather!

[jordle.livejournal.com]

I feel that way too. My parents gave me my name and no matter how I feel about it (I hate my name) or how I feel about my parents I feel like it would be really disrespectful to change it.

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I don't think I could ever change my first name. It's not my favourite name in the world, but at this point, 21 years in, it's who I am, pretty much. It's how I think of myself and how everybody knows me. Plus, my parents (okay, my mother, Dad doesn't like it, lol) chose it, for me, and she loves it, so I'd feel like I was offending her.

I said it on here once before: I'd only change my first name if I had to like, like witness protection, and even then, I would still think of myself as the name I have now, my real name. I might be willing to add in a middle name, but likely not.

[deer-lanterns.livejournal.com]

I guess that's just it, I don't have an attachment to my name. It doesn't feel like when I say that word, that it is me.

[solitudete.livejournal.com]

I have never changed my name, but I do have several nicknames that different groups of people know me by, so I have friends who call me by different names. If you are thinking about starting over with something new, I say go for it. It's never too late to change who you are. Your friends will get used to it eventually if they can understand that it is a serious and important change for you.

Like you said, take your time with it and see what ends up feeling the most like You.

[krosp.livejournal.com]

I've never done or considered it but it sounds like a perfect time to do it if you were going to

[run-atreyu.livejournal.com]

If you want to do it, go for it. When someone changes their name it's a tricky thing for the people around them but you'd be surprised at how people adapt. It also weeds out the people who don't respect you and your right to your own identity, because there'll always be those people who declare it "stupid" and insist on using your original name, and that says a lot about them. I liken it to when transpeople start living as their true gender. There are always assholes who refuse to use the correct pronouns. Those who make the effort to respect the person will slip up occasionally, and then realise and likely feel bad and then keep up with it until the new name/pronouns become natural. It's a matter of effort on their part. And I think pronouns/gender is a lot trickier than a name change for people who've known someone for a long time, so if transpeople can be respected, there's no reason you can't be.

I've known a couple of people who've changed their names. For the one I was closest too, it took us a while to get used to calling Stuart "Ethan" and there were occasional slip-ups, but everyone was calling him Ethan soon enough and now it's years on. Anyone who is worth having around will respect your wishes, and then it's just down to you cutting them a break as everyone goes through the teething period, because it's not something where you can draw a firm line in the sand - it's a gradual process.