Changing your first name, would you?

[Ace-TheTimelordsCompanion]

"What's in a name? A rose by any other word would smell as sweet" - Shakespeare

[floralprinting]

I went by another version of my birth name when I was a kid since I didn't like the version my parents chose for me. This poll is actually coming at a really interesting time since I'm thinking of changing it to better match my gender identity-- something more neutral, less masc/femm.

[KaitlynS]

I am also thinking about changing my first name to match my gender identity. I want a more feminine name. Right now i am thinking Kaitlyn instead of Tyler.

[ObsessedWithCats]

I've legally changed my first name to one that better matches my gender identity. There's a somewhat-tenuous link to the name my parents gave me in the new one.

[Skycaptain]

Official first name David, given as a sop to religious grandparents. Ever since childhood I've abbreviated it to Dave.

Nowadays I use Sky more and more, partly because I don't really like my original name, and partly because it stems from a cis-gendered heterosexual male identity which doesn't apply at all. It's a reminder of what everyone wanted me to be, not who I really am.

[scarletlatitude]

I'm not a fan of my first name, but I haven't really considered changing it. I'm fine with it... it's just inconvenient sometimes.

[marauders]

I'm mostly indifferent to my first name; it's pretty, but I'm not super fond of it, I guess. I don't feel like I need to change it, though; going by a shortened version (nickname) seems to work well enough.

[Guest]

I'm not sure if I'd want to change my given name, though I'm not as attatched to it as I used to be. On the internet I ask for people to call me Quentin if we're using real names, because I like being called that. Although it is a male name, I like how it sounds and feels more than the name given to me at birth.

[.,.]

Official first name David, given as a sop to religious grandparents. Ever since childhood I've abbreviated it to Dave.

Nowadays I use Sky more and more, partly because I don't really like my original name, and partly because it stems from a cis-gendered heterosexual male identity which doesn't apply at all. It's a reminder of what everyone wanted me to be, not who I really am.

Gotta wonder. How does "Dave" imply heterosexuality? How does any name imply any sexuality?

[J. van Deijck]

I'm gonna change my whole name, not only first name actually. My choice is made of names that have a special meaning to me and I want to change them because I'm transgender. But even if I was a cis female, I wouldn't like my current name as well.

So, I am Jonas Austin. Even if not legally yet.

[J. van Deijck]

I'm not sure if I'd want to change my given name, though I'm not as attatched to it as I used to be. On the internet I ask for people to call me Quentin if we're using real names, because I like being called that. Although it is a male name, I like how it sounds and feels more than the name given to me at birth.

Hi Quentin :3

[Guest]

I'm not sure if I'd want to change my given name, though I'm not as attatched to it as I used to be. On the internet I ask for people to call me Quentin if we're using real names, because I like being called that. Although it is a male name, I like how it sounds and feels more than the name given to me at birth.

Hi Quentin :3

Heyo Jonas ;)

[deltaX]

I really don't like my first name (Katherine) but I'll probably never legally change it. After 21 years of using it, I've gotten too used to it, and changing a name legally would be too much hassle. Maybe if I could find a nickname I liked I'd get people to call me that unofficially, but so far that hasn't happened.

[J. van Deijck]

I'm not sure if I'd want to change my given name, though I'm not as attatched to it as I used to be. On the internet I ask for people to call me Quentin if we're using real names, because I like being called that. Although it is a male name, I like how it sounds and feels more than the name given to me at birth.

Hi Quentin :3

Heyo Jonas ;)

Yay! :3

Now the time for confession:

my official name is Natalia

and I swear I hate it with a passion. They couldn't choose a worse name, ignore the fact I'm not a woman <_<

[RK800]

I've changed my name online (though haven't changed it legally) just slightly to make it neutral.

My birth name is Tyra and I'm going by Tyran now (though my friends are free to call me Ty and I've gained the nickname 'T-Rex' from it. Also my family of course still calls me Tyra....).

[cato]

My immediate family has called me Becky since birth. I've always hated it, and I've gone by Rebecca exclusively outside of the family since 4th grade. (I've had people spontaneously call me Becca and Beck along the way, which is fine... just not Becky :() I was lucky in that I had the fall-back of my full name; if Becky was a full name by itself and Rebecca didn't exist, I'd probably have changed names outright.

[Freckled_penguin]

This poll was- "SPACK OFF"

i have no idea what this means but yet there is no way i can select any other option.

its just too perfect an option.

[Tja]

Should have included last names, as well.

[Vivaldi Ives]

I can't say that I identify with the name my parents gave me 100%, but I don't care enough at this time to figure out a new name for myself. My first name gets misspelled/mistaken for other names a lot, so I tried using my middle name as my "Starbucks name" but after a while I went back to using my first name, spelling it out if needed. (Once at Starbucks my cup said "Natalie" and that was the weirdest misinterpretation of my name I've gotten so far...I guess some of the letters are the same...but it doesn't even have the same number of syllables as my real name!)

I am currently the only living person with my first name/last name combination, which is pretty cool. My last name is pretty rare, it's often mispronounced/misspelled, and I probably wouldn't choose it on my own, but having been born with it I think I'll keep it.

If I did ever change my name, I would want it to be meaningful and fairly uncommon. My real first and middle names are definitely recognizable but not very popular in my generation, and I'd want my name to stay that way. I don't want to be a Jennifer/Megan/Sarah//Katie (to give a few examples of names that everyone my age seems to have).

[Maiflower]

My name is Jacob. I like the name, it is just WAY TOO COMMON! There are Jacobs literally wherever I go. So, when I started 9th grade a couple months ago, I started to permanently go by Jake (I already did at home my whole life). And, it's so common it's kind of boring. Now I don't like the name that much.

[J. van Deijck]

My last name is pretty rare, it's often mispronounced/misspelled, and I probably wouldn't choose it on my own, (...)

Same here. My last name is rare and even Polish people have troubles pronouncing it, and I definitely wouldn't choose such name for myself.

I'm going to change it because it's way too difficult for British people (and I'm not surprised, really... my bf has no idea how to pronounce it as well XD) and it would make problems because I'm going to stay there.

The only thing that is good about my last name is that it's a noble name and we even have our own coat of arms. I have to neglect it, though.

[Ace-TheTimelordsCompanion]

My name is Jacob. I like the name, it is just WAY TOO COMMON! There are Jacobs literally wherever I go. So, when I started 9th grade a couple months ago, I started to permanently go by Jake (I already did at home my whole life). And, it's so common it's kind of boring. Now I don't like the name that much.

Hi Jake, I'm Susan

Yep, really common first names are often a pain. My last name is super common too. So there are like four people from my hometown with the exact same first/last name combo, I even know one of them personally.

[Tanzanite]

I'll be happy to change my name to something more meaningful and...me. If I go through with this, my name will be Sola. I've already gotten some of my friends to call me that (if they can remember), so already, I've gotten more comfortable with it than the name I already have.

[Queen Under the Mountain]

My first name in itself I wouldn't have chosen for me, but I really really like the combination with my middle name, so I wouldn't change it. I basically never use my first name, only the middle one, even at home, but at work or in "official" occasions where people use my first name it doesn't really bothers me. And it is pronounced the same way nearly everywhere around the world, so when I travel it is really helpful.

[daveb]

Official first name David, given as a sop to religious grandparents. Ever since childhood I've abbreviated it to Dave.

Nowadays I use Sky more and more, partly because I don't really like my original name, and partly because it stems from a cis-gendered heterosexual male identity which doesn't apply at all. It's a reminder of what everyone wanted me to be, not who I really am.

I hear you! David/Dave doesn't even have a feminine or even gender neutral alternative or nickname. It's about the most "bloke-y" name there is. And it also has biblical connections, which don't fit me as an atheist.

But, after more than half a century with that name it would be such a hassle to change it and get everyone used to a new name. If only my given name had been more gender neutral from the start (or if only I had learned enough about myself and had the confidence to make a name change when I was much younger and had less personal history behind me).

[MarieIsEatingTacobell]

Oh yes, 100% I would like to change my first name. I'm actually 100% sure I'm changing my last name.

I go by my middle name anyways, only family calls me by my first name and even some family calls me by my middle name. It doesn't fit me at all, and I just plain don't like it. The only reason why I don't see myself actually doing it is because I'm almost sure it would really upset my mom. My last name though is gone as soon as I have the money, because I have my biological father's last name and we're not even in each other's lives at all, haven't been since I was 13. I much rather have my mother's last name, so that's what it'll be hopefully soon.

[Grumpy Alien]

I've never heard of anyone being against name changes.

I plan on changing my name, as I always have. At the moment, the circumstances are not in my favor. (Long story short.) When I eventually move, I will be changing my shortened first name to my last name (a common Korean surname) so that anyone can still call me that without it being weird. I'd keep my middle name and change my first name to something I like, probably chosen from a family name.

Spoiler for emotions?

I hate my first and last name because I think they're hideous. But I also hate the association with my father. My mom didn't have a say in naming me. So I'm named after some actress my father liked at the time and a completely unoriginal first and middle name combo. I purposely mispronounce my last name the way most people assume it's said. I say it's Cohen, just spelled differently. Because after someone local sees it written, the first thing out of their mouth is "Oh! Are you related to [my father]?" Quickest way to get on my shitlist. I already carry the reminder, please don't assume the relation would be a good thing. It's upsetting because they would never ask if they knew what he was actually like. So I know when they say that, they genuinely believe his bullshit. Master of psychopathic manipulation, he is. And there's not much I could do to change their mind. It'd just make things even more awkward.

[verily-forsooth-egads]

Thing is, I would definitely like to legally change my surname at some point, and I haven't decided whether that makes me more or less inclined to change my first name at the same time. I don't particularly like it, but any change would need to be a significant improvement; no point forcing it.

[IceHurricane]

My parents are completely against name changes. Whenever they hear about it, they refuse to call people by their preferred name, and continue calling them by the name given to them at birth. <_<

Besides that fact, I still wouldn't change my name. I have nothing against my name other than people not understanding me when I say it. I have a speech impediment, so whenever I say my name (Samantha), people confuse it with Amanda, or something totally different. For a while I've thought about changing my name to Amanda so I could stop correcting people, but that thought was short lived. I've started going by Sam instead which has done wonders. I haven't correct anybody yet, and It's also gender neutral which is a bonus! It's still only a nickname though. I wouldn't legally change it. to anything else. ^_^

[Sleepy Skeleton]

My name is common enough that I know other people who also have it (gross) but not common enough that I get to have cute little key chains and mugs with my name on it from gift shops. It really tears me apart on the inside, you know.

But I'm more or less okay with my name. I have thought of a few that I think I'd like to be called, but I don't think I could get other people to call me that, especially since there isn't any reason for me to change my name. The ones I like fit my assigned gender, so what good would it do? But I do like to use different names online. The three names that I like the best are Misty, Luz, and Lacey. And if in the future I want to use a gender-neutral name, my middle name is perfect for that.