What if we could pick our own name?

I would call myself Giallo Bubble. ;)

Jude
Dario

Rooster Cogburn.

I’d like to be called His Majesty George VII.

I like my name. My first name is very popular and I know many many people with the same name. I’m not very keen on my middle name, but it was my moms first choice for my first name and she didn’t get her way, so I wouldn’t change it. As far as my last name, well, people think my married last name is really cool, but when I got married back in the early 90’s I said, “if the plane is hijacked I am probably the first dead.” That was way before 9/11, but I had that thought anyway. It is a cool name though.

I did pick my own name. As part of my transition I changed my name legally last year, and it occurred to me how amazing it was for me to be able to do that. Not priviledged exactly, because anyone can do it even if they’re not having a sex change. But still significant and unusual.

I chose a masculine variant of my original middle name, and for my new middle name I;ve picked a traditional name that runs down the male line of my family. My surname remains the one I was born with.

Well, we can. I have known several people who chose to be called by a name other than what’s on their birth certificates. Some changed their name legally and others just adopted a new name. As long as it’s not for fraudulent purposes, you can call yourself anything you want in the U.S., or so I have heard.

Three-year-old Kyle in New Hampshire was allowed to choose his own middle and last name. He is Kyle Bullfrog Banjo. A few years later he was invited to name his baby sister. She is Indigo Sky Banjo. The parents have changed their last name to Banjo as well.
True story.

Stardust I sur’pose.

Annika. There’s not one bit of me that’s Scandinavian but I love the name.

@downtide – Thank you for sharing that! I love how you made your choices.

I already did pick my own name and legally change it when I was in my 40s. I am much happier.

You legally changed your name to ‘marinelife’ and you’re happier??

Evangeline O’Shaughnessy

I fell in love with that first name when I watched a British mini-series called House of Elliot in the 90’s. One of the women was named Evangeline Elliot, played by British actress Louise Lombard It was a period piece set in the early 1900’s up through the 1930’s. Excellent series if anyone is into British period pieces.

The last name is taken from my favorite fellow, Charles Shaughnessy (aka Maxwell Sheffield of The Nanny) but with an extra “O” to make it sound even more Irish.

I would love to hear that name rolled out with an Irish brogue!

I love the name Gabrielle, I’d pick that. Or Desdemona. That would rock.

But changing my name, I’d feel really bad. That would be like telling my dad to suck a dick, since he named me.

We can pick our own name. In California we can choose and use any name we want to, and it’s completely legal.

@YARNLADY Yeah, but when speaking to the authorities, or filling out some form, you gotta give your real name, right?

I didn’t realized that changing name is kind of a common thing to do. I only know one friend who changed her name, but that’s cool!

@sliceswiththings I haven’t heard about that! Do you think kids should be allowed to give themself names?

@Symbeline yes, I would feel bad if I change my name since my mom loves my name so much. Someone told me before that when a parent wants something but can’t get it cause they are older, they give it to their kids. In that situation, it fits my mom. :)

I would pick Emily. I’m quite sure I’d be a calm, unstressed person with a name that pretty.

@Symbeline Our real name is whatever we say it is. We can buy houses, sign documents, and do any activity we want, (using a consistent name, not changing it every time we sign something), and that is just as legal as if we went to court, so long as it is not done to defraud anyone.

From what I read, you can even get away with using two names at the same time. Specifically, a woman buys and sells property calling herself One Name, and yet lives with her family and holds a government office using a completely different Name Two.

Holy crap, are you serious? So if I lived where you are, I could just call myself Gabrielle and that’s it? Doesn’t work like that here, that sucks…although lol when I was younger, my dad once signed one of my permission slips for school as ’‘Zack Michigan’’, and nothing happened. The teacher was like, okay…but it was left at that.

A name change isn’t that difficult, depending upon where you live and if there is a criminal record. In the US, it is fairly easy. In the UK, it is even simpler as well as cheaper. Plus, they don’t seem to balk at the absurd. Here is one link to support this.

Good question… my first thoughts are Guinevere and Eleanor. I thought about naming my daughter these names but they just didn’t stick.

I did some work under the name Anna Hale— out of respect for my 2 distant relatives Anna Hutchinson and Nathan Hale.

I really don’t like my last name… because of various reasons I’ve gone through 4 last names in my lifetime (but only one marriage). I could pick a new last name…... thinking…..

It’s true, in the US name change is not very difficult, some states easier than others. First names especially are not a big deal. Surnames usually take a little more paperwork and a waiting time. My grandma changed her first name when she was young because she hated the name given to her. My ex-boyfriend changed his name because it was spelled so poorly on his birth certificate. My FIL changed his surname because it was spelled wrong on his birth certificate. Close friends of the family changed their surnames (married couple with two teen children at the time) because they did not like the name much.

Baron von Rothbart.

Justin Other Joe.

Alabama Worley

I feel like a Marushka.

Changing your name in the UK is VERY easy and I think the main reason people don’t do it, is that it pisses off their parents (usually). It’s also a big inconvenience, informing all the businesses that you have dealings with. Getting your passport changed is a huge and expensive hassle.

Peterpiperpickedapepofpickledpeppers.

I changed my name, so yes you can choose your name.

If I could change my name I don’t mind being named as Phoebe or Zoey. Those names aren’t that popular, compared to my name. But I do like my name, so I’ll keep it. Maybe if I get kids I’ll name them Zoey or Phoebe! :)

@GialloBubble Phoebe was a popular name in my family, but my mother hated it. she used her middle name, Chris. I didn’t even know that wasn’t her name until I was an adult.

Zoey is in the top 50 of popular names this year, and has been in the top 100 for years.

Satan Tarantino the Fucking First, that’s me!

@YARNLADY My mom hates Phoebe too, I think it’s different and pretty. Zoey getting popular now? Damn! I still love that name anyways.