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

[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.