Have you ever changed your first name?

[Gardenarian]

In my new volunteer position there are 3 other people (out of 15) who have my same first name. I'm choosing to go by my initials to avoid confusion.

At my regular job there is one other woman who shares my name.

Anyhow, I kind of like being called by my initials. I've never even had a real nickname, and it's kind of cool.

I have qualms about telling people at work that I want to use my initials...they are kind of an uptight bunch (though individually quite nice.) I've been working there since January; people are still getting to know me.

Anyone have experience with this? I don't want people to think I'm a poser; I just feel my new 'name' suits me better.

[kally]

go for it, it is your name, your right, your choice.

[freshstart]

I always wished I had taken the more professional, shortened version of my name but I was young and stupid. Go for it, it's the perfect opportunity!

[catherine]

I say go for it! Sometimes we grow into a better name.

[Zoe Girl]

my daughter did that and went by her middle name at one place. no one actually remembered her real first name and her middle name is a hip gender natural name it may take a little time but people will get used to it, and everyone has either been teased about their name or grew up with another Jennifer or Tyler in their classroom

[razz]

If you offer your new name as a solution to the problem of too many with the same name, I would think others would see the possibilities and support you.

[goldensmom]

You (probably) did not choose your first name so if you want to change then change it. I've always liked my first name. At one job there were 2 other people with the same first name. We were in different departments so it wasn't really confusing but as my first name was one syllable an my last name was one syllable, I was usually called by my first and last names and it was fine with me.

[JaneV2.0]

No, but I support the idea. I'm not crazy about my name--if I chose another one, it would be Jane, oddly. (And I go by my initials often, especially in business dealings.)

I do admit giving the side eye to people who give themselves self-consciously grandiose or fanciful names, however--even though it's none of my business.

[Gardenarian]

Okay, I've told the people I'm taking classes with about the name change.

My concern with work is partly that they'll feel a need to change my business cards, office sign, etc...but since it's just my initials, maybe they'll let that go?

There is a general resistance to change at my job; any new suggestions are met with eye rolls and heavy sighs. Somewhat dysfunctional, but that is a subject for another thread.

I think I'll bring it up with the woman I am friendliest with at work and sound her out. My direct supervisor is smart & a good manager but a little snippy.

I do like that initials are gender neutral, and just sound fresh and more mature when compared to my actual first name (which isn't bad, just tired.)

[catherine]

If you offer your new name as a solution to the problem of too many with the same name, I would think others would see the possibilities and support you.

When my DIL was pregnant she announced to the family that she was going to name the baby after our son/DH (they are both J__ Sr. & Jr.) Coincidentally, she also has a BIL with the same first name.

Well, when the baby was born, it got to be really a pain in terms of clarifying who you'd be talking about.. J__ Sr., J__ Jr., Baby J___, or BIL J____. There is an opening scene in Eugene Ionesco's Bald Soprano that I felt I was constantly reliving:


MR. SMITH: Bobby and Bobby like their parents. Bobby Watson's uncle, old Bobby Watson, is a rich man and very fond of the boy. He might very well pay for Bobby's education.

MRS. SMITH: That would be proper. And Bobby Watson's aunt, old Bobby Watson, might very well, in her turn, pay for the education of Bobby Watson, Bobby Watson's daughter. That way Bobby, Bobby Watson's mother, could remarry. Has she anyone in mind?

MR. SMITH: Yes, a cousin of Bobby Watson's.

MRS. SMITH: Who? Bobby Watson?

MR. SMITH: Which Bobby Watson do you mean?

MRS. SMITH: Why, Bobby Watson, the son of old Bobby Watson, the late Bobby Watson's other uncle.

MR. SMITH: No, it's not that one, it's someone else. It's Bobby Watson, the son of old Bobby Watson, the late Bobby Watson's aunt.

MRS. SMITH: Are you referring to Bobby Watson the commercial traveler?

MR. SMITH: All the Bobby Watsons are commercial travelers.

So, when I mentioned how the names were getting confusing, my son and DIL looked as us a little sheepishly and then told us that they were going to start calling the baby by his middle name, which is the surname of a US president, and DIL is extremely patriotic, so she was probably happy to make that change. They were afraid of offending DH, but he got over it.

[Francie]

In DH's family we have a hierarchy, of sorts. John Alan Smith, John Alan Smith Jr., John Alan Smith III, John Alan Smith IV, etc. So the "called" name, or nickname, changes with each child: John, Alan, Al, John again, etc. So far it's worked, but perhaps the next generation will change the system, since the great-great-great grandparents aren't still around (we would have stopped with our son, but some would have been upset, so we didn't ... )

[Selah]

I once attended a week-long workshop. When I arrived, the greeter said, "what's your name?" I told him. Then he asked, "and what name would you like to be called?" I didn't realize he was asking if I used a diminutive of my name, e.g. Catherine to Cathy, so I blurted out an entirely different name that I had always admired and wished had been given to me when I was born. My then-husband burst out laughing and told me I was being ridiculous for asking to be addressed with that name. I stuck to my guns, however, and had a week where everyone I met only knew me by that new name. I loved the sound of it, and when I moved to a new country and started a business, I used that name for my company. A few years later, I legally changed my name to that name (my original first name became my middle name), and I've never looked back. It was expensive, but not overly so, and in some cases was a hassle with all the explaining I had to do, but it was worth it entirely.

[ctg492]

Some neat stories about name changes. I feel like one poster mentioned, we did not choose our given name so change it if you wish.

I kept my maiden name - husband's name = four names. Only kept my middle name just because it meant some to my parents. I hated 4 names. I was always going to drop husband's last name when kids were grown, then I ended up dropping my maiden name for some reason.

The Birkenstock store in Ann Arbor, the couple merged their last names to make a new last name. Gosh I thought that was so nice.