Changing my name...

[Kedami]

Has anyone on here ever changed their real name? I was just wondering because I'll be doing it soon (personal reasons, I'd prefer if you don't ask) and was wondering how quickly others got used to calling you by your new name...

I don't think people will stop calling me by my current name until I beat it out of them, heh.

[rubakhin]

I've changed my name legally before (and probably will again) and I tend to go by assumed names for ... well, no real reason, aside from massive identity issues, I guess. Mostly because I'll sometimes wind up in a country where people have difficulty pronouncing my legal name. Which is currently French, because I changed it in homage to a French poet, so in America, Russia, Chechnya, I try to go by the Russified version (Sevastian), or use another one. It's a lot easier to say my name is Konstantin or Jack than to patiently explain the pronunciation of Sébastien.

(Under no circumstances is anyone allowed to call me Sebastian. That is the ugliest name.)

Generally speaking, people will call me whatever I introduced myself as the first time. It's too much effort to get them to change, so whatever. :smallsigh: It doesn't really matter to me. Trop de noms pour avoir un nom ...

[Pandaren]

My sister had her name changed, legally mind you, when she was about 7. Yeah. Interesting story don't you think?

[Eksar Lindisfar]

ooh...you think you have awful names? you have to see how most parents make names for children in Venezuela...is awful...

success with that

[Kedami]

So what I'm getting is to inform others of my name change, but don't expect them to use my new name...?

My current name is Christopher and I am in no way a Christian (now at least, I was raised as one) and I was hoping to finally be rid of that name, even though I'm changing for other reasons...

[Quincunx]

Basically, yes. Call it an investment in the future.

In the U.S., in some portions of it anyway, a name change is free at marriage and hideously expensive at other times. Any U.K. playgrounders have anecdotal evidence of cost?

If you didn't want us to ask, why are you volunteering more information? We have respected you and not asked.

Try to match the current syllabification of your name, that might help. A friend of mine changed name from something short and masculine to polysyllabic and feminine. I couldn't use the polysyllables, and kept chopping it down to an irksome, short nickname.

[Narmoth]

Heh, heard of a band called Norwegian black metal band called Burzum?
The founder (and sole member) had the given name Christian.
He changed it to Varg.

But really, there are a lot of veird names with weird meaning.
The meaning shouldn't really be the reason to change the name.

[H. Zee]

Heh. There's a kid in my class at school who used to be called 'Feargal Edmund Glean.' A faintly ridiculous name, so I wasn't surprised when he legally changed it. I was, however, surprised to find out what he changed it to.

He is now officially called 'Feargal Edmund Paolo Drake Che Beowulf Glean.'

And when he writes his new name down on a test paper or something, he writes it down in full. Every. Single. Time.

[Kedami]

Quincunx

I don't know the cost for the US, but my birth was registered in Scotland, so the base fee I need to pay is £36, plus £13 for an extract as proof.

That comes to £49 or around $90-100 if the exchange rates are similar to the last time I checked.

I was just volunteering my current name, not the reason for changing, but it feels like it should be right for me... But again, this isn't the reason.

---

Narmoth

I've never heard of that band... Sounds interesting, though.

The new name doesn't have a meaning as far as I'm aware.

---

Hollow Zaraki

I'd like to know the reason behind this change, but only if it isn't an invasive question.

[Terumitsu]

I plan on changing my name. The reason being that.. Well, ever heard the silly old saying "That's my name, don't wear it out"? That seems to be it. It just feels worn out and quite grating to my ears. Perhaps it may just be that I have some bit of my personality that wants to be expressed differently... Or something. But still, that is a ways off from now... Schoolings at a universities takes money... And is primary in priority. At least for now.

[SoD]

I also am planning on (eventually) changing my name...only my problem: I don't want to change my first name, I'm the only person who's going to be using my last name for future generations, and my middle name was named after two of my uncles...but with the three names together, it just sounds so...ordinary.

[bluewind95]

When it comes to bad names.... I've yet to see something that beats Alaska. Yes. A CHILD named Alaska. And she lives in the US. Oh, and her new sister? She's named Nova. What do those people think they're naming? Dogs? :smallannoyed:

[Kedami]

...I like the name Nova...

[bluewind95]

Well.... there's all sorts. I speak Spanish as my native tongue, though, so Nova Kalea sounds bad to me. It sounds like "Nueva Jalea" (which means "new jelly"), so I don't like it. :smalltongue:

What weirds me out about those names even more than the names themselves is that they're chosen for their exotic meaning. Alaska was named to mean something like "Unexplored paradise" or something like that. Nova was named to mean "New bright star". Sure, the meaning is cute, but... it just seems like the kind of names those kids are gonna have a rough time with. Supernova, anyone?

[Kedami]

I agree that some names would be silly (like calling a child Supernova), but some names seem alright if you ignore the meaning.

Alaska is a good example. If it wasn't the name of a state and didn't mean that, what would make it so different from a name like Alexa (although I do know that the whole "Alexander" line means stuff like "Defender").

Some names, when chosen for meaning, do sound alright, however.

---
As a side note: Behind the Name (http://www.behindthename.com/) is a good site for coming up with names and it lists their meanings.

[valadil]

When it comes to bad names.... I've yet to see something that beats Alaska. Yes. A CHILD named Alaska. And she lives in the US. Oh, and her new sister? She's named Nova.

My roommates sister wants to name her kid Boston. Or if it's a girl, October Delight. This doesn't trump Alaska though since she hasn't actually had the kid yet. I do know of a Renaissance Lenore though. That's pretty low.

[Kedami]

...
...
...
October Delight?
Renaissance?

I thought my new name would be a bit strange... But how can people do this to children?

[Flickerdart]

There's a man out there whose name and title is Staff Sergeant Max Fightmaster. He puts any name you could come up with to shame. Shame I say! :smallwink:

[Dihan]

Speaking of names, I think these two (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7309581.stm) BBC articles (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7244427.stm) are very fitting.

On the subject, I hate my first name. It is the name of a medieval Welsh hero, but I'm not fond of it being my name. It's a good job I go by my middle name then. I'm so uncomformist. :smallcool:

[Kedami]

First article: I'm crying on the inside, not only because people name children like this, but also because these people live about a mile away...

Second article: Kinda makes you feel sorry for them, huh?

[FoE]

There's a man out there whose name and title is Staff Sergeant Max Fightmaster. He puts any name you could come up with to shame. Shame I say! :smallwink:

That's just wrong. But sort of cool, if you were like a superhero.

"Oh help, who will save us now?!"
"Never fear, citizens!"
"(Gasp) It's Max Fightmaster!"

I knew a lawyer once who was named "Doc Crooks." I told him he sounded like a supervillain. Maybe he was Max Fightmaster's arch-rival?

And though I never met her, I know of a woman named X Ray.

My last name got me a lot of grief in school, but I thank the gods that I was never named Semen. As in "Hi, my name is John Semen." Yes, I once encountered a family with that rather unfortunate last name.

[Catch]

I was almost named August, which I initially found horrific and appalling, yet I think my current name has given me far more grief, given its similarity to certain popular (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Myers_%28Halloween%29) figures (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Myers_%28actor%29), which has lead to an almost perpetual misspelling of my last name, despite repeated explanations.

It also makes for unfortunate introductions, yet I've chosen not to change it, if only because I'd rather not give in to the multitude of people who think they've made a witty association.

"Wait, you name is... Like the-"
"Yeah, it is. I can assure you that you're the first person to ever notice this. Really. Go on. Get it out now. Everybody gets one."

[I'm da Rogue!]

Heh. My poor aunt, she was called Grammatiki.

In Greek, it's as ridiculous as it sounds in English.
It means Grammar.:smallyuk:

Fortunately, noone calls their kids like that nowadays.

Also, I've met a woman called Moscha (Moscow).

[Shhalahr Windrider]

In the U.S., in some portions of it anyway, a name change is free at marriage and hideously expensive at other times.
Hm. Unless I'm mistaken, Mr. T changed his name via deed poll, which I believe is rather inexpensive. Yeah, I'm gonna have to chalk that up to regional issues.

In any case, I imagine what could be the most expensive part would be making sure all the various organizations that send you bills and magazines and so forth get the message.


When it comes to bad names.... I've yet to see something that beats Alaska. Yes. A CHILD named Alaska.
You really think that beats Moon Unit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_Unit_Zappa)?

[Trog]

Yes. Trog's original name was Slaptyback Fistiebuns.

[Kedami]

I am starting to think that names were possibly the best and worst thing this race has ever come up with... And I've lost a little faith in people, which I never had in the first place.

[Green Bean]

Man, I wish I'd thought to change my name. I didn't actually know you could do that until it was too late.

You see, my father ended up being the one who named me, even though he disappeared soon after I was born. For some reason I never understood, he gave me a girl's name. I was constantly made fun of in school and because of that I kept getting into fights with bigger kids.

Anyway, years later I run into him at a bar, and I can't help but take the opportunity to get some well-deserved vengeance. He's got about six inches and fifty pounds on me, but I give him one heck of a fight. We both take some heavy hits, and the old man tells me he gave me such a girly name because then I'd grow up strong.

Let me tell you, if I ever have a boy, I'm going to name him Bill, or George, or something...

:smalltongue:

[sktarq]

On wierd names. I grew up with hippies. My past is littered with Zephers, Sorroccos, Snowshadow (the first black kid I knew), Semalinna (like the wheat/flour), Rainbow, Rainforest, Tiger, Amathysts, Sequoia, Ocean, Lucy Crystal and Mary-Jane (who were triplets-no joke), Snake (my 2nd grade ecology teacher, Wind, Summer, Autunm, Spring (no Winters yet), and almost every month, Zodiac symbol, Major Celestial body, and flower you care to name. Yes there is still a Nova in my life and we will be going on a date the next time I'm in LA.
I know about wierd names.-Fankly they aren't such a big deal and can be rather useful once you pass HS. Until then they are living hell.
I know several people who changed their name due to either trauma with the given name, dominance of a nickname (like my 1/2 brother who has changed his name so often I know longer know it), of because people GIVE them nicknames they don't like (In my case I just switched to using my surname as my name is "too normal" in the opinions of most people")


On changing your name.
Many places insist that you publicly announce your legal change of name. Often in the local newspaper as a subsection of classifieds.
As for speed it depends on how easy it is to say/how normal it is. My friend who switched his name from Robert to Fire-penquin Disco Panda (and got it tattooed to his calves-a fire breathing Antartic bird on one and a Dancing Panda in a bellbottomed One piece sequined suit)(I'm seriously NOT making this up) had a VERY tough time getting people to use it.
Also if you are moving it is easy to change your name. Others never knew different. A GF of mine became Mina from Mary when she went to Uni but never could get locals to switch.
If you have been using your new name as a nickname for awhile it helps too.
Showing formal ID and polietly requesting your friends to switch usually works in my experience.

[Kedami]

Some good advice there, I think.

5 letters, 1 sylable (sp?)... I think that's short enough for people to remember, even if it has a weird spelling.

[ghost_warlock]

I've thought a lot about changing my name, but I think I may have just become too lazy to do so.

I was adopted by my step-dad when I was an infant and I find it utterly boring. Also, because my mother gave me my first name before she met my step-dad, I've got people who mistakenly call me "junior" because my step-dad and I have the same first name. Usually, my step-dad goes by a nickname, but it still leads to confusion with mail and a few other things. When I moved out of the house and registered my new mailing address I started getting his mail, particularly important insurance bills and business mail.

One of my issues with changing it, though, is that I actually like my first name, more or less, but I can never come up with anything that I think I'd be okay with for my last name. I thought about going with my mother's maiden name but I'm not sure that's the best idea.

[Ivius]

Make sure it starts with "Mega-".

[Arioch]

On the subject of strange names, I'm amazed no-one's mentioned what, for me, is the archetypal story for this issue.

A couple in the UK had a child and, for reasons of their own, decided to call it 4Real. Yes, with a 4. 4Real. They weren't allowed to because you can't have numbers in names. They took the matter to court, and lost. They have now decided to call the kid Superman (bringing the total children in the UK called Superman up to 5, by the way), but the father insists they'll still call him 4Real at home.

[Kedami]

Wow... This thread is really starting to depress me. Why would anyone choose such names for their children?

It just doesn't make sense.

I'm guessing that last couple must have been fairly young... Or odd, but then who isn't? This especially applies to those whose childrens' names got into those articles.

[Arioch]

I think it's a combination of a desire to be individualistic and a misplaced 9in my opinion) belief that its better for a child to have a really unusual name than a typical one.

Should I have children, I'm hoping to go for a "rare, but not ridiculous" policy. Its annoying to have a name that lots of other people have (especially when they're in the same class as you - as a Will, which at one point was the 2nd most popular name in the UK after Tom, I'm used to people having my name) but I'd prefer that to having a name like Tree, Superman, Apple or Green.

[Kedami]

This is from the perspective of already having a common name. Since neither of us seem to have grown up with an unusual name, we can't really say if we'd prefer it from birth.

What I mean is, can you really imagine being called something like Superman from birth? Having to go through school like that...

[Kiren]

This is from the perspective of already having a common name. Since neither of us seem to have grown up with an unusual name, we can't really say if we'd prefer it from birth.

What I mean is, can you really imagine being called something like Superman from birth? Having to go through school like that...

Though it would be awesome to have a last name, Of Steal

Excuse my mister Super man of steel

[Syka]

I plan on giving my kids an unique first name and normal middle name. :) First name'll probably be something for mythology or history as I'm a huge classics buff (it IS my major after all, but think along the lines of Ovid, Cicero, Juno, Athena, etc). Or, give them a 'normal' name with ties to the classics (Diana, the Roman huntress goddess equivalent to Artemis; Terence a play write; Julia, meaning Caesars daughter, etc).

I like my name, personally, though. It's pretty typical, I never had a class in high school without sharing my name with another girl, but the story behind it is unique which I like. It's not like I was named after a family member or anything. And, no, I'm not telling the story because it would give my name away. :) My middle name, however, is normal but my mom and my paternal aunt both share it, so...yeah. My initials freaking SUCK though. My mom didn't realize it until years later when I mentioned it.

I will NOT give my kid bad initials.

Cheers,
Syka

[Kedami]

Never even thought about intials...

I have a friend who's initials are A. Fish. His father is R.A.W. Fish.

Oh how I wish I was joking...

[Ivius]

"Hi, I'm Fred Otto Orson. This is my friend, Ben Aaron Richards."

[Kedami]

"Hi, I'm Fred Otto Orson. This is my friend, Ben Aaron Richards."

Not sure I get this...

[Cobra_Ikari]

...I heard of a Steven Oliver B-something before... >.>

...poor kid.

[Ivius]

Not sure I get this...

F.O.O. B.A.R.

FUBAR

Fudged
Up
Beyond
All
Repair

A lot of programmers also use "foo" and "bar" as variable names until a more descriptive one can be found, out of convention.

[Kedami]

I get that one... Yup, have to agree: poor kid.

Edit
Ooooh... FUBAR... I get it now... *Feels stupid*

I've known what that meant for a while... I just didn't get it the way it was posted because I'm reading a different thread and wanted to get back to it... That and I was reading them as seperate.

[Shraik]

I have a friend, the resident DM as I refer to him as, works for the coutny, and refularaly finds funny names. He hates searching two names because of the really long lists. John Smith, and Yung Kim. They are days work for him.
In fact he changed his last name to Powers.

[Iudex Fatarum]

Seriously I have considered changing my name if I get married to my spouses surname, mine is Dull, and my initials are ADD. no joke, thankfully I rarely use my middle name.

[R.O.A.]

Kedami, if you don't mind me asking, what name have you chosen as your new name?

My siblings and I were all given names that are uncommon, but no where near as radical as 'Superman' :smalleek: It means I've always been the only person in my class / year with my name. One of my sisters has only ever met one other person with the same name in her life. But they are all names you know how to pronounce and spell, and actaully sound like the names of real people in the modern world, unlike poor Angel Aphrodite in that article.

[Totally Guy]

I'm happy with my first name, single syllable names kick ass. My surname is a bit harder to enjoy as people think I'm mispronouncing McDonald with lazy pronunciation.

Maybe it should be more dynamic. But I think it would be better to have a stage name, rather than change surname, as that would upset my grandma, Granny Mac.

Two Sylables... I like the pattern of One Sylable, Two Sylables.

[YPU]

Under no circumstances is anyone allowed to call me Sebastian. That is the ugliest name.
wait, there are places where sebastian gets writen with only one a at the end? around here people who learn my second name always ask, 'shouldnt that be sebastiaan?' my mother found it to be to much aaaah ish. and its my second name so i hardly use it anyway.

[Dallas-Dakota]

wait, there are places where sebastian gets writen with only one a at the end? around here people who learn my second name always ask, 'shouldnt that be sebastiaan?' my mother found it to be to much aaaah ish. and its my second name so i hardly use it anyway.

Only places where english is tortured and killed.
_
Yep, pretty good qeustion.
_
Aaah ish? No other name then Sebastia(a)n then?
________________________
Anyway, I hate my middle name, valentine:smalleek: Becouse of the fuss made over the day and private reasons.
___________________________________

Also, no name change needed for me.
I can pretty much translate my first name so that everybody can understand it.
(its dutch, can be translated into French, German and English, and more that I can't be bothered to remember)

[Nonanonymous]

Well.... there's all sorts. I speak Spanish as my native tongue, though, so Nova Kalea sounds bad to me. It sounds like "Nueva Jalea" (which means "new jelly"), so I don't like it. :smalltongue:

Hm, I though it might have something to do with what it means when you place a space in the middle.

And on the subject of strange names, I've read of a man who changed one of his names to Megatron.

[rubakhin]

wait, there are places where sebastian gets writen with only one a at the end? around here people who learn my second name always ask, 'shouldnt that be sebastiaan?' my mother found it to be to much aaaah ish. and its my second name so i hardly use it anyway.

Sebastian is the standard British/American/Anglophone/whatever spelling. Also the standard Polish.

[YPU]

hm, i supose i knew that about english i probably never tought about it before because its spoken quite diferent, in a way most english cant reproduce. just as every english person finds me saying my name sounds like dim rather then tim.

[Kedami]

Edit: Oops... Got impatient... But yay, my first double post! :smallsigh:

[Kedami]

See... I take a day off from my computer and someone asks me a question and I start to feel like I've been rude.

R.O.A: I've decided to call myself Thiin. It is pronounced thine (soft "th", like "the", and "ine" like the end of "mine" (thīn)). Of all the internet names I've used over the years, this one has felt closer to what I feel I should be called than any other (Kedami was a close second, but I feel it is more of a title than a name now). It also feels quite gender-neutral (to me) which is funny because I like confusing my friends.

Thiin is the name I find that my soul should be called, if I was to put it in what I'd say if I said it face to face. And I don't mind negative criticism because I doubt anyone could deter me from using that name.

Also... What is with the names from comics/cartoons/whatever? Now we can add Megatron to the list...

[Zaggab]

I read a news article about a Norwegian guy who changed his name to Gud Er God (or Gudergod or however he wanted to spell it), which means God Is Good.

My neighbors' daughters first child is named Joy

My dad's initials is BH, Swedish for bra.

My Spanish teacher has a friend called Imaculada Concepción (sp?), which means Immaculate Conception (I know, shocking).

My own name is very common, the most common male name in Sweden, which had led to multiple intances where many have had the same name as I. Like the archery club where there were 4 with the same name for a while. Or in English class now, where we are 3 with the same name. In the rest of the school, so many have the same name as I that I don't react to people shouting my name anymore.

[Zeful]

My last name is nearly impossible to pronounce but it gives me the initials PSE.

Backwards I'm ESP.

[The Valiant Turtle]

Ah names, such wonderful things...

I was a birth certificate clerk at a small hospital for about a year, so I saw a few rather odd names. I believe the most unusual I saw was "Blue"

The most unusual name I have ever encountered was a girl in high school. Her given name was Velvet Lipps. She went by her middle name most of the time. I really don't want to know what her parents were thinking when they gave her that name.

[Kaelaroth]

I remember a little girl in my nursery school called Zulcinea Patrick [insert surname here]. Is that a common name somewhere? If not... Hah! :smalltongue:

[Drascin]

My Spanish teacher has a friend called Imaculada Concepción (sp?), which means Immaculate Conception (I know, shocking).

In Spain, there have been many names lke that that have proven popular until only a few years ago, actually. My own grandma is named Salud, which means Health, and half my mother's family (I'm like the only person to be born with an Y chromosome in that bloodline) is named Maria de los Angeles (I'm sure you can translate that one yourselves - basically Mary of the Angels), and my dad's new girlfriend is named Maria Dolores (Mary Pains)

And let's not get on South American names... :smalltongue:

[Emrylon]

Speaking of names, I think these two (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7309581.stm) BBC articles (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7244427.stm) are very fitting.

On the subject, I hate my first name. It is the name of a medieval Welsh hero, but I'm not fond of it being my name. It's a good job I go by my middle name then. I'm so uncomformist. :smallcool:



Your not uncomformist...It's a really common thing in North Wales (don't know about the south) to be called by your second name...My Dad is...

So there :smalltongue:

[Kedami]

Nope, I don't really know anyone called by a middle or surname around Cardiff... It may be outside my social group, however.