How did you decide on a name?

[WolfNightV4X1]

Just wondering, a lot of trans people tend to go by the masculine or feminine version of the name they already have, wanted to know if that was the case for most of you or whatnot

For me it was finding one of a lot of male names, of course I havent changed yet so I havent settled. Ive been going by my nickname: Val, the elongated version now to be Valentine

Names do not need to be said but examples and explanations are fine and appreciated

[Mariah]

It is different for everyone. I wanted to run as far away from my birth name as I could because I didn't want to take a chance wit the female version of my birth name. It also didn't feel right to me. I went with a name that like that was on my radar and that felt right along with resonated with me. In others, it fit me.  I almost sometimes feel the name chose me more than I chose name. You need to find what works with you and your comfortable with. Hugs
Mariah

[WolfNightV4X1]

Oh darn...sorry guys I shouldve checked the other threads first, didnt realize I made a duplicate topic, sorry.

Feel free to lock this or let it go...my bad

[Mariah]

No worries, It happens. it gets to be so long and then some of the old threads get buried. Hugs
Mariah

[SonadoraXVX]

Its a fresh new start and new people come into the forum, who can get overwhelmed at the other threads by their massive posts if they have not kept up with it I chose my name by the first initials of my male name and I gave it a lot of thought too, trial and error for fit.

Lucia X 

[Peep]

I didn't go with a genderbent version of my birth name just because I don't really like the male version either. I kept my initials the same though because i'm an artist and that's how i sign my work >.>

I don't think there's anything wrong with using a nickname as your name, or using a nickname day to day and picking a new name for legal purposes. if you can't decide, you could always make your nickname a middle name too and so it would be part of your legal name but you wouldn't be stuck having to use it for everything

[Elis]

I wanted something original because my birth name was much too common and I didn't like the male versions of it. I also knew something very masculine sounding wouldn't me as I'm just not a very masculine person. I just randomly found my name on the internet and liked it so that was that. I didn't want the hassle of going through a 1000+ plus names in order to find one I felt truly connected too (which i don't think realistically happens for most people when finding a new name). I also didn't bother with middle names; i had two i was born with but seems pointless and it takes longer to sign your name on stuff.

[FTMax]

The only thing I knew going into it was that I wanted to keep my initials the same. I sign my name with just initials, and didn't want to change that up too much. Lazy, I know

I also didn't want it to be something that really stood out from other people my age (I'm mid-20s), so knowing those two things, I went to a list of popular baby names from my birth year and wrote down every name that started with 'M' up to like, 500. Immediately crossed a few off, played around with a few variations of ones I liked. I go by Max, but it is the short form of a less common longer name that I chose. If you like cheap coffee, my legal name might be familiar to you.

For the middle name, I still wanted to keep my initials the same, but I got a little more creative. I looked through a list of 'A' names from popular culture (books, movies, games). Cross-referenced everything I liked with where it appeared on the popularity list, just to see how outlandish it would look for someone my age. Chopped the list down to a few that I liked, tried them all with the first name I had chosen, and narrowed it down to 2. It was a really hard choice between them, and I honestly think I would've been happy with either. My family thinks what I chose is weird, but they would've found the other one just as strange if not more so. Strangers who hear it think it is very cool. It is the name of a character from an award-winning, very well known 1960s book.

[Heather14]

I have always loved the name Heather. To me it sounds soft and lyrical to say.

[Soli]

the 2nd name on my birth certificate is gender neutral especially in my language, so I went for that even if I didn't really like it, so to ease things up, all my family knows my 2nd first name even if I never used it, and official change will probably be easier

[TardisGurl]

Before I was born my mother was convinced she was having a girl so prepared for such.  One of the first things she did was choose a name which I was told about here and there whilst growing up.  So when I started transitioning it just felt natural for me to use the name Tamara.  I just wish she was still around to find out she was right to begin with.

[Kylo]

Well, my name's already gender neutral. I'm really not sure whether to keep it or change it to something more overtly masculine. I'm thinking about making life easier in the future, but given I don't know just how masculine or feminine I will continue to appear, who knows if a neutral name might not be safer. I also thought about changing the last name... I was thinking about how different ethnic groups/nationalities can be recognized easily from those and be discriminated against and I'd like to lessen that if possible, but when it comes down to it, neither my first name nor last name are especially "identifiable" that way.

If I could get away with it I'd rather just call myself "X". Lol.

[BeverlyAnn]

Beverly was my grandmother's maiden name and was the name my parents had picked out for the first girl but never was used.  Girls in my mother's family were not given a middle name so I picked Ann in honor of my very supportive wife because it's her middle name.  I originally tried to come up with something that worked with my initials but I couldn't find anything I liked and most of my friends agree Beverly suits me. 

[FreyasRedemption]

Freya came from a character from a writing project I was writing during the time I started to accept all this.

Her name, on the other hand, came from the Scandinavian goddess. Having a divine namesake is a nice concept.

[Dayta]

I was all set to change my middle name to the feminine version of it, just to kind of give myself a boost.  I had even filled everything out, and was going to take a day off to go to the courthouse.  Then I ended up having to cancel and go in to work that day.  The next week, my wife and I were talking about it, and about pursuing a more complete transition, so we decided to wait and change it then, and just the one time.  I wanted to keep my initials the same, (maybe that's a crazy reason in retrospect), so we toyed with lists of names beginning with "E."  We narrowed it down to two; Elisabeth and Elle.  Both of us preferred "Elle," so that's the plan. 

Meanwhile, my wife never liked her first name, so she's planning to change hers at the same time, also choosing to retain the same initials.  Fun to follow. 

L

[Sena]

Didnt really want a femmine version of mine didnt like it. So when i was watching something i would hear a name i like and pretty much went with the name i liked most.

[WolfNightV4X1]

My roommate suggested Vallium, I really like it although I think thr majority of the normal population will find it odd as a name. Someone thought the longhand of my nickname was Valiant, and I considered that before, too.

I have time to decide but Valentine, Vallium, and Valiant are all choices

[Elis]

My roommate suggested Vallium, I really like it although I think thr majority of the normal population will find it odd as a name. Someone thought the longhand of my nickname was Valiant, and I considered that before, too.

I have time to decide but Valentine, Vallium, and Valiant are all choices

I think you might have to put up with people making fun of you if you chose those names. Vallium is the name of a medication so I wouldn't choose this as a name and the othe two are too unusual. Unfortunately we live in a world where if you have a really uncommon name you risk ridicule or being passed on for possible jobs.

[Thessa]

I know what name my parents would have chosen, if I would have been AFAB but I could not connect with that name. So I started searching and when I stumbled over the name Theresa I could feel that it is the right name. I can't describe it but I just knew at that moment. Still I consider to take the name my parents would have given me as a middle name.

Another benefit, I don't have to change my signature and I don't have to replace the monogram tags on my large assortment of luggage and bags. 

[Dena]

I have time to decide but Valentine, Vallium, and Valiant are all choices

I would vote agains Valium because of this. The movie was funny but that name will trigger anybodies memory who saw it.