Choosing Your Name

[Jason C]

Hey folks! Just wondering, how did you go about choosing your new name? I know some people use the feminine/masculine version of their birth name, or people will choose a name beginning with the same letter as their birth name, but when you can't/don't want to do that, how do you go about choosing a name and identifying with it? Did you feel a connection to it straight away, or did it take a while for you to associate that name with yourself?

I never gave it any thought before, but now, it seems kind of weird to think that the name that you've had your entire life, that all of your memories are associated with, gets thrown away and you get a new one. So I'm interested in hearing how people went about that.

[FalseHybridPrincess]

Just search some names online etc...

When you find the one it will sound really natural, it will feel yours...

[Lauren5]

It's also OK to try out some names with your friends and such to see what sticks best. I'm actually in the middle of that possibly as well, going to try out Lauren for a while, see how that works.

[mowdan6]

I looked up websites of names that also included what the name means.  I chose my name based on it's meaning.

[MugwortPsychonaut]

I go by what my mom would have named me, had I been born with girl parts.

[Gina Taylor]

I took the first initials from my male name and created a feminine name and therefore I came up with Gina Taylor and I've been using that name for the past 20 years!  Soon I'll be making it my legal name! 

[Colleen♡Callie]

For my first two names I took (both held for about 10 years), I found names I liked that fit me.  Baby name books and sites are great for that.

Then I finally found out what I would have been named if I had been born a girl.  And really liked it, so I took that instead.

[Calder Smith]

I wanted to pick a name that had the same first letter of my birth name to make it easier for people. I was dating someone from England for a bit, and grew to love the culture so I picked a name of English origin: Calder. I like it and I think I'll stick with it.

[kaylagirl0806]

I choose Kayla because I go to school with a girl named Kayla who I admire and desire to emulate. She's super feminine and has great taste in outfits. I can only hope to become as good of a girl as she is!

[Eris]

I still haven't chosen a name for certain.

I looked through lists of girls names online and found a few that I liked the sound of and tried saying them out loud.

You could try saying "Hi, my name is [insert name here]" and see what sounds right to you. Just a thought...

Thanks to Willow for the friend suggestion. I think I might try that out

[kaylagirl0806]

My life sounds like that! My parents don't approve of me and they think that I'm either going through regular teenage hormones or I'm listening to the devil Also my name is Ben and that can't really be converted to female

[Colleen♡Callie]

The devil is underrated 

Hmm.... You could be Beth or Betty....but I don't think those names are all too common anymore...

Beth is short for Elizabeth, which is still fairly common. Betty can also be a short version of it.

[kaylagirl0806]

Maybe At one time I was thinking Bailey, My middle name is Kyle so I guess I could be a Kylie....or just a Kayla

[Missadventure]

Beth is short for Elizabeth, which is still fairly common. Betty can also be a short version of it.

Elizabeth is such a versatile name for shortening. Beth, Betty, Betsy, Liz, Liza, Eliza... I even know a girl who went by Zabet as a nickname.

My life sounds like that! My parents don't approve of me and they think that I'm either going through regular teenage hormones or I'm listening to the devil Also my name is Ben and that can't really be converted to female

There are female variations on ben, but, they're all ethnic. If you're willing to rock old hebrew or latin names, I say game on! There's also names like Bernice, Beverly, Becky...

I say get yourself a bunch of KISS posters, start blasting some Black Sabbath, and get your Goth girl on... Then after 6 months or so de-goth yourself, but keep the girl... That might make your parents think "Well, at least the devil is gone now..." 

Disclaimer: NEVER listen to my advice on how to handle parents.

[kaylagirl0806]

Ok I won't lol Thanks missadventure

[Lauren5]

I say get yourself a bunch of KISS posters, start blasting some Black Sabbath, and get your Goth girl on... Then after 6 months or so de-goth yourself, but keep the girl... That might make your parents think "Well, at least the devil is gone now..." 

Disclaimer: NEVER listen to my advice on how to handle parents.

Never really did it for me, even though those are 2 of my favourite bands.
Of course my parents never thought I had the devil in me, just a metaphorical demon, in the form of depression, but what they didn't know is that depression was in the form of dysphoria.

[skin]

When I was little I asked my Mom what I would have been named had I been born a girl.  She said either Sarah or Nicole, and since my little sister got Nicole, anytime I let my mind drift to what-if fantasies I was Sarah.

[Missadventure]

When I was little I asked my Mom what I would have been named had I been born a girl.  She said either Sarah or Nicole, and since my little sister got Nicole, anytime I let my mind drift to what-if fantasies I was Sarah.

One day it might be more than a fantasy... I too had the "what would I have been named" conversation with my mom, probably 20 years ago... Now that name is mine....

[kaylagirl0806]

My problem though is that they wont even let me see a therapist

[Lizzie]

I wrote this before and deleted it out of my own fear of someone finding out. But I"m not gonna do that anymore. I'm tired of hiding and being scared.  So once again.

I choose the name Lizzie because it sounds similar to my birth name; Donnie. I also like the Z's and I can still bitch about it being ie and y. I did of course admittedly get it from Lzzy Hale of Halestorm, because she awesome and I hope to one be as awesome as her.  Elizabeth Von, love it.

I will not delete this!