If you could pick another first name for yourself, to replace the first name you have now, what name would you choose?

None really, but Nieves comes close.

Sarah

King Piccolo.

Tracy

Beelzebub

Gabrielle

I was almost named Rochelle, and I rather like the name, so if I were choosing a new name I’d probably go with that.

Earl of tittysuckers

Noland

Leo

Mandy

Evangeline

CWOTUS

Rolf…... or maybe Beowolf.

Brian is my second name and it’s the one we always use (except for official records), which makes my first one virtually vestigial.

So I’d really rather just delete it, instead of replacing it with a new one.

I wouldn’t want to change my name, but if I was forced to I like Kathryn. A lot of people call me Stephanie (it’s weird) so maybe that actually would makes the most sense.

I haven’t wished for a different name since I was about 14, when I thought nothing could be more excellent than Rebecca. If I had such a choice now, I would give that option to my friend who hates her name.

Now that I think of it, she named her daughter Rebecca. Maybe it’s what she’d have picked for herself.

I’ve sometimes thought how odd it is that the thing we typically associate most strongly with our identity is chosen for us by someone else who doesn’t even know us at the time.

The state where I live made me choose a third name. My parents gave me only two names, and I was perfectly happy that way. I found myself on the spot, and went with a name I am not fond of, but I’m stuck with it.

So, rather than choose a new name, I’d go back to the one I had in the first place!

I did make myself feel marginally better by putting tape over the offending name on my drivers license, and I refuse to sign anything under the new name, but that’s small compensation.

@snowberry Can you explain that further? Do you mean you were forced to have a middle name? What third name? What state?

I actually have kind of changed my first name but not legally. I was named Janet which I have always found kind of a harsh sounding name but was often called Jan as a nickname. about 20 years ago, I realized I could just introduce myself to people as Jan which is a name I like. I have some older friends who still call me Janet and it sounds strange to me now.

I was always partial to Elizabeth, because one could choose from so many neckname options, and redefine themselves if they wanted to. Then I realized that Katherine has a bunch of options, as well; so I started liking my own name well enough. and yes, I am known by three differentt variations, depending on from where/when the person knows me

@hearkat, Elizabeth is the most prolific, I think, but Katherine and Margaret are not behind by much.

@JLeslie

I’d like to know her answer to that too, because her reply might provide a general clue to why I have a first name that my parents never used to address me.

I just gave her a GA, hoping it’ll prompt her to return to this thread.

@Jeruba Speaking of Margaret, how do people derive Peggy out of Margaret?

The same way they derive “Dick” from “Richard”?

@JLeslie I live in Texas at present. Like so many people when I moved here, I waited until the last possible day to go get my new drivers license. At the drivers license bureau they informed me that everybody had to have at least three names in Texas. I could’ve picked Mosquito or Baloney; they didn’t care! I just had to have at least three names to have a legal ID card in Texas. If I had had time to think about it I might’ve ended up with a name that was more tolerable than the one that I have now, but that isn’t how it worked out.

Every time a policeman stops me, I go through the whole rigmarole about how my real name is not on the drivers license that I am handing them, thanks to the that great wisdom of the state of Texas. And that now I have a new name which I will not recognize.

Some of them are not even aware of the law and take up my side in the issue but nothing can be done about going back to two names. I have even talked to a judge about it and they’re not moving on the issue. I know I can go and get my new name changed to one that is more tolerable but it will still Irritate me regardless of which one I pick.

It’s also lots of fun come voting time because my complete new name is right there and I’m supposed to put my signature and underneath it. So the last time I voted I explained to the registrar my problem and then crossed out the offending name. Apparently I wasn’t supposed to do that. “Oops! Too late!”

I mentioned to the drivers license people that I have met several folks here in Texas with only two names and they said “Oh really? We wish we knew who they were so we could get them to change their name too!”

And Robert…Bob. John…Jack. Henry…Hank. William…Bill. Edward…Teddy.

I don’t know.

@snowberry That’s the craziest story. Lol. I guess the one positive about it is it is a story that is fairly entertaining. It makes me wonder if my husband had a driver’s license when he lived in Texas. He might have been too young. My husband only has two names in America.

So, what happens when you fly? Do you use your three names? Now everything has to match. Or, do you have a passport that’s correct and just use that as ID?

This sort of reminds me, but it’s different, that for years now I’ve been asking about my MIL’s name, because her full first name is two names and she has no middle name. I’ve always wondered if her official name is recorded that way, or as a first and middle name. I think it’s recorded as a first and middle, because she receives some documents with her first first name and then a middle initial.

I did my MIL’s citizenship paperwork several months ago, and I spent a half an hour with her about this. In the end she said she wanted it how her mom named her, two names for her first name and no middle initial.

Long story short, months later she goes for her interview and the official she’s meets with says the form is filled out wrong, supposedly multiple things, JL did it wrong. The official goes through the whole firm and enters everything into the computer. The name comes up, among other things, and I’m pretty sure she spaced out in her nervousness and it will be recorded as a first and middle. We’ll see.

I need to mention that we filled out paperwork for her and her husband all together. We did both the same. They both had interviews the same day. My FIL came out from the room all happy and everything was good. My FIL just became a citizen a month ago.

@JLeslie my plane ticket is always bought with just my original two names. There’s never been an issue with it.

In the past I’ve had duct tape covering the new name on my drivers license, but it’s so thick it gets rubbed off. At present I have a strip of light yellow sticky note over it. It blends right in with the color on the card, and I don’t think people even notice it. It’s starting to wear off though. Maybe next time I should use hot pink just to mix things up….

LOL. It just makes no sense. Such a great story.