Is it a bad idea to suddenly start going by a different name?

I don’t see any problem. It’s a natural time to make a change. You’re entitled to use any name you like, as long as it’s not for fraudulent purposes. Go ahead and reinvent yourself. That’s what this time of your life is for. (Actually you can do it any time, but it’s easier now than later.)

My cousin did exactly that: shed her babyish childhood nickname and started going by her initials when she went to college. My son’s friend did something similar at the start of law school: plucked a new name out of the air (or actually, off a pack of cigarettes, or so he said) and introduced himself that way. Everyone knew him by that name all through law school. When we met his parents at their graduation, it sounded funny to hear them call him by his real name, but other than that, it didn’t matter.

I’ve also know youngsters who tried to confer “cool” nicknames upon themselves in this way, only to have it backfire: “My name’s really Robert, but I want everyone to call me Skip. I hated my kid-brother nickname of Boey.” Guess what that kid’s going to be called all through school.

I also know two women who changed their names completely in adulthood, one taking on an entirely different stage name and asking everyone to use it from then on, and the other adopting a magical name that she thought suited her better than the one she was born with. It takes a while for friends to get used to it, and your mother may never adjust, but so what?

@Jeruba
Thanks for the answer. :)
I definitely know of some failed nickname changes as well.

I was worried that “K.W.” sounds a little awkward, though.
What do you think?

I think this sort of thing is exactly what college is for, when you are young (I go to college, but I’m old.)

Be adventurous, try things out, find a new name, find a new style, find new friends, find a new attitude! Just don’t neglect your work.

K.W. sounds fine to me. (K.Y.—not so much.)

Well, W is certainly our most awkward letter. I always think it’s funny when something is called by its initials “for short” when the initials take longer to say than the word. For example, “World Wide Web” is three syllables, and “WWW” is nine.

If I were you, I think I might pick an arbitrary letter instead of W that would increase the likelihood of adoption—for example, “KJ.” First and middle or first and last or first and something else of your own invention. Definitely pick something that doesn’t have any other meaning.

People called our president “W” for 8 years. No one seemed to have any difficulty

@dpworkin
Oh God, K.Y. I hope everyone else won’t make that connection.

@Jeruba
Yeah, W is awkward. My friend pointed out that in the movie Where the Wild Things Are they gave one of the monsters the name of K.W. That made me want it even more, actually. But maybe I should pick another letter.

I think KW is awkward, but that could just be my perception

They called him “Dubya.”

I also knew a girl in college who told everyone her name was Madeleine. And that’s what we called her. When we found out her name was really Evelyn, we didn’t care. She was Madeleine to us.

My husband’s aunt did the same thing in her youth, and even her own sisters forgot what her given name had been.

Really, the only problem I can see is if no one knows both names and there ever has to be a phone call to the parents, the authorities, or whatever—“It’s about Madeleine.” “Who?”

If it makes any difference, my mother used to call me KW on occasion. That means it’s not entirely an out of the blue name.

I think “Kay Dubya” flies trippingly off the tongue. You seem to like it, you should try it. It’s your nickname.

@dpworkin
I do have one friend that calls me “Kay Dub.”

K with me.

@squidcake K Dub! Nice!

There’s also this long complicated story that ended with half the people I knew calling me Melvin (even though I’m a girl). I grew fond of that name as well, as ridiculous as it was. I wonder…

I use to have a nickname my birth-Mother gave me, which I hated. I allowed it to die in Vietnam. Now, whenever someone who has known me for many years slips up and calls me by that nickname, I tell them that “he died in Vietnam.” That usually puts an end to it. : )

I changed my name to Jan – my nickname – when I was in my 40s. A teacher suggested we make nameplates with the name we wanted to be called and I went to that. I’m very happy with it. I say go for what you want it to be; just don’t get upset when the folks back home still call you “squidcake”!

I changed my first name after I got married, because my sister-in-law had the same first name, and her brother’s wife also went by the same first name. In my case, it was a nickname for a different full first name. It was a little awkward at first, and I had to do a lot of explaining to people that knew me before, but almost everyone calls me by my name of choice unless they’re from high school and I don’t see them very often.

My nephew’s friends in college called everyone by their middle name rather than their first name. Only family uses his first name.

I think now is a natural time to switch but I can’t encourage you enough to go with a solid name (first, last or brand new) that people can remember – especially professors and people you work with. Otherwise it can get confusing.

I go by my middle name but sometimes when professional references call old jobs, schools, etc and try to connect with someone – they often get “huh? ____? I’m not sure who you’re talking about…” and then it just looks bad and weird – especially with academic references.

So, my strong advice is now is the perfect time so pick one very clear name to go with it!

I see no reason to worry about that. You’re not pretending to be someone else, or lying about who you are.

I exclusively go by my last name when I’m around friends or classmates. I’ve never liked my first name.
For a little bit in middle school, I went by my middle name, but it never stuck (I never really felt like a “Scott” anyway).
When I was 17 I was in a new environment, making new friends. I got active in the local LAN scene (Where nerds bring their computers to other nerds’ houses and play nerd games all night long), and my username would always be my last name. So it kind of stuck in peoples’ minds that my name was insert last name here. I had always liked the sound of my last name, so I went with it. I started introducing myself to people with my last name. I started asking my professors to refer to me by my last name as well.

I had a psychology teacher do something similar. She had some wimpy sounding first name, so when she went off to college she started introducing herself by her middle name, Diane. Which apparently made her feel more outgoing.

If it works for you, go with it.

You could go the gangsta root and try “K Dub”

I don’t see a problem with it.I have a few different nicknames for years all of which I answer to…well,most of them anyway :)

@lucillelucillelucille

Is one of them Annie Oakley? : D

BTW, reading the second part of your question, some friends still call me by my old full name, new friends call me by the name I started introducing myself as, and it’s all good!

I know a guy who has called himself “Wavy Gravy” since 1968. It hasn’t done him any harm. I still call him Hugh, to which he still seems to answer.

I know an ice cream that calls itself that and it doesn’t do it any harm!’

Hey, pd, are we the last two people on Fluther right now? We can’t go on meeting like this – yet we seem to!

The Ice Cream named itself after Hugh Romney, not the other way ‘round.

Well yeah – and we know who Cherries Garcia was named for too. I would assume that any friend of yours is older than Ben & Jerry’s – oops, hoist by mine own petard!

If you have a good reason, go ahead. I would not do it just for kicks.

@CaptainHarley -lol! :)

I’ve been trying to go by @lucillelucillelucille for several months, but she’s not having it.

Nah – I also thought of the KY reference. I’d vote against KW.

Like most actors, and many people, why not just pick a name you really love. If you must use your initials, I happen to like just K. Kay. It’s cool.

I don’t see any problem with changing your name. If your parents might be offended, you should inform them so that won’t be hurt or offended that you kept it a secret. I hope your new name makes you happy.

A guy walked into a pub and immediately noticed a young lady at the bar on her own. After a couple of drinks, he decided to offer her a drink and make small talk.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“Carmen,” she replied.

“That’s a nice name,” he said. “Did your mother or father name you that?”

“Neither,” she said. “I changed my name when I was 18 from Sharon to Carmen.”

“Why did you do that?” he asked.

“Well,” she explained, “I like men and I like cars, so that is how I got my name. What’s your name?”

“Beertits,” the man replied.

Not when you’ve just joined the witness protection program.

I actually considered changing my name at one pooint, but I was already an “adult” and married… I figured the fam would really get pissed. LOL