Keeping your birth name?

[Calistine]

I just wonder about this because I had a unisex name and when I first started thinking I was trans I thought I would end up keeping it. But I was wrong because despite its ambiguity it didn't feel like me and I was partially worried about being read as a girl even though I wouldn't post t. Is there anyone here who kept their birth name? How do you feel about it?

[Yakshini]

I, too have a unisex name. My name has much more masculine leanings, and in my whole life I have only met one woman ever who had the same name as me. I like my name and plan to keep it. Heck, most people don't even consider it a unisex. So I figure changing my name is not important.
It's Shawn, by the way. Masculine enough for me.

[Calistine]

I like it. I have never met a girl named Shawn before. But yes it is a very male name you're lucky.

[Sinnyo]

I.. can't say I've met any girls named Shawn either, though Sean Young does spring to mind as an exception. I always thought it quite fun to see her and Daryl Hannah credited on the Blade Runner posters; neither one is used by women in the UK from what I've seen so far.

I would like to keep my name but it's definitely a masculine one, and so society demands I switch - or else find myself in some awkward circumstances. I envy you with unisex names.

[rejennyrated]

My foster son is called SHAUN. It is quite a common male name in Cornwall.

So I think all you need is to change the spelling slightly.

[mtfbuckeye]

I'm MTF and plan to just change from Johnny to Johnnie

[pebbles]

I had a funny incident as my Name change papers came through today a friend of mine told another steam friend of mine "Pebbles is getting a name change and she's really happy about it." and then that person he told asked me "Pebbles why are you getting a name change?" alas that friend is such a pest ¬.¬

"Umm... Cuz I have a boys name."
"Oh you mean like Sam or Chris."
"Urr no... Like Martin."
"That is a really strange name for a girl why on earth did your parents name you that?"

*sigh* well it shouldn't be too much of a problem for much longer.

[Calistine]

I had a funny incident as my Name change papers came through today a friend of mine told another steam friend of mine "Pebbles is getting a name change and she's really happy about it." and then that person he told asked me "Pebbles why are you getting a name change?" alas that friend is such a pest ¬.¬

"Umm... Cuz I have a boys name."
"Oh you mean like Sam or Chris."
"Urr no... Like Martin."
"That is a really strange name for a girl why on earth did your parents name you that?"

*sigh* well it shouldn't be too much of a problem for much longer.

Haha I love people. You should have just told them a really embarassing girl name. An mtf asked me what my birth name was once and I said Mary Sue.

[Ms.Behavin]

I kept my old name, well changed the spelling just a little.  There are times I thought it would have been nice to do a complete change to a new name.  But I've been pretty happy keeping the name. It has not been a problem at all as the years go on. 


Beni

[cynthialee]

My male names are male only names. Pity. If they had been unisex I would have kept them. But a girl named Peter or Charles? Not good names for a woman. So I of course went with the female name I chose as a child for play time. The name that I carried in secret for most of my life.

[mtfbuckeye]

One reason I'm just changing the spelling of my name is that my Mom told me that if I had been born a girl, I would have been Johnnie instead of Johnny (which isn't a nickname... on my birth certificate it actually says Johnny) 

[cynthialee]

My mom was going to name me Susan Rachel if I had been born female. But she gave that name to my second sister when she was born. So it would not have been a good choice.

[rylielove]

I'm Ryan and am thinking about keeping it... I know a girl named Ryan and have seen a few girls on tv like Ryan Starr and some others.  For now I'm using Rylie to help me feel more feminine but I dunno if it will stick

[sneakersjay]

I always disliked my birth name which is why I took the masculine form of it when I transitioned.  I could have shortened it, which would have made it unisex, and I had met men with that name.  But I decided to change it altogether.

I do know a guy who kept his unisex name and it works for him.


Jay

[placeholdername]

My birth name is unisex and fairly unique (I've only come across two other people on the planet with my name so far, one male, one female).  I thought about changing it, but it's so unique that it's become part of my identity and personality -- picking a name that already exists would feel like a step down, and making up a totally new name would just be kind of arbitrary.

[sylvie]

I like it. I have never met a girl named Shawn before. But yes it is a very male name you're lucky.

I have met several girls named Shawn.  One of the reasons that I have decided on keeping it, but I'm still undecided as to whether to add the a onto the end of my name or just leave it as Shawn.  I really should decide real soon as I'm looking into my name change by Christmas. 

[Calistine]

My mom told me yesterday that she wanted to name me Christopher but my dad wouldn't let her because he said Id be confused about my gender o_o

[MaggieB]

I think that the most important thing about the name you go by is that it suits who you are. If your birth name is unisex and fits your new life AND you like it, I say go for it.

I changed my name to Margaret because my mother told me time and time again as I grew up that she expected me to be a girl and to be named Margaret. She never had a boy's name picked out so when the nurse came in and asked what to call me, my mother just blurted out the first male name that came to mind. All my life when I saw characters in movies or TV shows named Maggie, I instantly took a liking to them. I wanted a nickname of Maggie so Margaret seemed especially appropriate as it was also common back in the early 1950s when I was born. Fits me like a glove.

Maggie

[Danacee]

Amen to that, I'm not saying that we have to decide our own names. Many people grow into their given names just fine. I did not, it never suited me. Even if it wasn't a wholly inappropriate name for my gender and appearance I likely would have had it legally changed.

My parents reasoning for choosing that birth name were ignoble, a ploy to try and kiss ass to bag inheritance money. Cannot tell you the amount of times strangers would tell me my parents sucked because of that 

[Chris968]

I personally did not have a unisex name, but someone I know (ftm) was born as Lindsay and he opted to keep that name post-transition.  Nobody has ever questioned him as far as I know.  If you feel comfortable with it and you like your name then by all means keep it! (It will save you money too lol)