How did you decide on a name?

[Wanda Jane]

@surge98b

Try Jane or Rei and see how that sounds with it to your ears.  To me it flows well.

I love Wanda Jane! My aunt is Jane and it has other family history. Thanks!

[Artesia]

I love Wanda Jane! My aunt is Jane and it has other family history. Thanks!

Glad I could Help!

[rtg]

I wanted something that kept the same initial, so my email address could stay the same.  Something that was not a feminized version of my old name, something that wasn't the same name as any friends/family/coworkers, and that sounded nice.   Then I went to lists of names and picked one that fit.  I get comments about it, since it's somewhat unusual - River.  It seems to fit well so far, been using it for about a year now.

[Jacqueline]

I wanted something that kept the same initial, so my email address could stay the same.  Something that was not a feminized version of my old name, something that wasn't the same name as any friends/family/coworkers, and that sounded nice.   Then I went to lists of names and picked one that fit.  I get comments about it, since it's somewhat unusual - River.  It seems to fit well so far, been using it for about a year now.

Interrupting the thread just for a moment to welcome rtg to our site.

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With warmth,

Joanna

[Iwantboobs68]

I was going to use the name Samantha but then relised it can be shortened to Sam which can also be a boys name,
I am stuck between Kelly and Tara...

[kaitylynn]

Long story shorter; when I first revealed my true nature to my girlfriends in the early 80's, it was decided I needed a girls name as I am a girl.  We searched and combed and such for a while as a group, but none that we found really fit me.  Finally, I was thinking back on some of my earliest memories and came across the name of a family friend...Katie.  When I said it out loud, everyone in the group said "that's it!!!" and it has been my name since...Kaity.  From there, I was able to find it is short for Katherine and so that is me.

I have heard so many different ways that we finally settle on our names and all are cool!  What an awesome thing that a majority of folk on this spinning ball will never get to do...pick a fitting name for themselves.

[David27]

I was working on a project and one of the street names seemed good. It fits ok, but for me I just needed a name that I didn't associate with others. Masculinizing my old name would have reminded me of this guy who is very transphobic.

[Skinnyd]

Hi,
I first started thinking about a feminised version of my given name, but considered it as a potential gender signifier and wondered if that on "bad or marginal passing days" it could be counterproductive....i.e. Reinforcing the doubt in another's mind...for example, "Oh Christine is your name ..(them thinking at the same time, umm...you were most likely born Christopher then).

I think if you pass really well, it would be OK, but perhaps a fully feminine name may be better as it may help to dilute or snuff out any doubt in another's mind.

Then I ended up checking the popularity of names for my age group until I got one that just felt right and luckily matches my existing signature.

It might sound a bit pragmatic but I ended up with a name I am really fond of.

Also, If you get on with your immediate family too, choosing the name that you my have had had you been born in the right body could be a useful "please accept me" aid. Just thinking out loud a bit there.

Ultimately though it's all about you. What makes you feel most like you. I think that is the right name whatever it is.

Dawn

[bonetheif]

I was actually gonna keep my original name. But decided to go by my childhood nickname Ed. (Used to be my initials until my mom remarried) my work got me a new name tag with that. I ended up figuring out my name when a customer asked me what Ed was short for and I had to stop and think about it. Edwin was one of the names I thought of and I couldn't get it out of my head. And so here we are!

[SophiaBleu]

Sophia means wisdom. I feel like a lot of us gain immeasurable amounts of wisdom during transition! Plus, it's a pretty name!

[SpeakYourMind]

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

I've used a couple usernames also being my name i wanted to use names starting with S because it went of my birth name but it didn't work out and i didn't like the names i and others found, so i moved on outside of that idea.
And soon enough i found a name called Tristan and ever sense I've been using that name without a problem around close trans friends only though. And probably won't go back but i won't lie i don't know how i'll brake it to my parents that i'm changing my birth name so i may keep it (just legally shorten it so its male) for them and use Tristan with trans friends i haven't decided. I picked Tristan while i was frustrated with names one night that same night i remembered a song i loved and a story i loved and then i remembered the name Tristan i always loved and decided to give it a shot so far it hasn't been like other names it's stuck with me.

[Koroside]

I've always known my "if you were a girl" name, so I figured why not pick that? Most people don't get to choose the name they carry through life, and it's a nice name anyway

[Kylo]

I already go by a few different names, artist pseudonyms, nicknames, online SNs that people I met up with continue to use sometimes... choosing another didn't feel like a big deal. Some people are going to continue using my birth name no matter what.

So in the end I just went with something I liked and had positive feelings about, and also added a middle name, since my parents never bothered giving me one of those.

[Angela Drakken]

Robert became Robin.

I jumbled up the letters in my middle name (which oddly enough everyone in my family goes by their middle name predominantly) added a few more, and it became Angela. (Also a delightful irony that I'm far from being an angel by any measure.)

If I were to approach my mother about it, 'Marie' is a given name to literally all of the women in her family, and likely would have been mine also..

I don't like Marie..

[JeanetteLW]

For me it was a high school crush and it's not certain. I also like Diane.

Hugs,
   Jeanette

[ainsley]

This took some doing...I had names I liked and my wife would nix them left and right because she knew some girl with that name and had a negative perception associated with it. lol  Fortunately, she never knew anyone named ainsley because that was just about the only one she did not scratch right off the bat.  It was one of my top few, anyway, so that worked out.

The female version of my deadname doesn't exist.  I kept my male middle name because my sister (cis) has a male middle name, too (both family names).   My dad was soooo happy when he heard I kept it.

[patrick1967]

I have always RPd online using the masc version of my name and the nickname is very gender nuetral. I prefer the full version, but the nick of Pat at least works.

[RavenMoon]

My mother picked out the name "Penelope." She was sure she was having a girl. She even had a big bottle filled with pennies for Penny.
She was so surprised that I wasn't a girl that she never picked a boy's name! Lol. So my older brother named me.
The other name I have been using since the 80s is "Raven Moon" which is my witch name. Then I was using Raven Nevermore, which was like a stage name. But I settled on Penelope. [emoji4]


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[SonadoraXVX]

First two letters of my girl and boy name start with Lu, so it was a shoe in, what I would pick. The name came to me after several years of pondering about it, it was a process. I guess my subconscious really had to work at it. I guess nobody wanted a girl in my prior life.

Please its kind of a sexy Italian and Spanish name.

Lucia

[amberwaves]

I chose Amber because it felt right.  The very first time fully crossdressed I looked in the mirror and was reminded of a girl I went to elementary school with named Amber.  Also, I have generally liked every Amber I've met.  It allows me to keep my initials the same too.

However,I've been getting a little flack from a few friends who are in relationships with girls named Amber.  I have to point out to them that nobody has a unique claim to the name, it was a common girl's name from the period I was born, and screw you I like it.