'unique' names

[Sly]

I think I saw a thread like this not too long ago, but I can't seem to find it now.  Sorry if this one is redundant.


How many of you here have picked a unusual name, loved it for a few months or years, then decided it didn't work for you?
I'm starting to have second thoughts about Sylvester/Sly.  I like the name, but not the fact that it's uncommon and pretty obviously one I picked myself.  There are plenty of other names I like that are more normal sounding.  I'd be fine with being a Jack or Shane or Trevor.
For now I'm sticking with Sly, since my parents and all my new friends call me that.  Just wondering if anyone has stories to share regarding this.

[jacob.ayden.averi]

I've always been Jacob or Jake for short. It was my middle and last name that gave me trouble. I wanted them to be unique, but still important to me. So I chose Ayden Averi because one is Irish and the other English and they mean little fire and elf ruler. I guess they're not too common, but whatever. Everyone can suck it, because I don't care. And originally, they were both gonna be my middle names and Syko was going to be my last. Just thinking of that makes me turn red, haha.

[Zack]

I went by an unusual name for around 8 months, I chose the name Addison because it's gender neutral, my parents didn't know I was trans and so I didn't think in a million years I'd be transitioning anytime soon so I changed it, about a few months later my parents found out I am trans and I've actually just sent the papers off for my name to be changed to Zack.

If I had waited until transitioning then Addison isn't a name I would have chose, I think if you want to go stealth (which I do, once I'm on T) then choosing an unusual name isn't a great option.

As for your friends/parents getting used to it, I can't offer much insight because my friends call me by my last name & my parents weren't used to Addison that much so it didn't really matter. But you're going to have the name for the rest of your life so if you want to change it then go for it!

[Shang]

I don't think I'll get bored with my name--I love it and I've always loved the name and I'm glad I can start using it, at least online and with my sister.   I've never met someone with my name before and I'm fine with that--my friends think it's a sexy name, which is cool.

[Radar]

My new middle name could be considered unique. It's a European (especially Eastern European) and Russian variation of a common name so it's not seen much in the U.S. However, it's not so unique, exotic or "weird" that it phases people too much. So I guess it's in the middle. My name also goes back to my heritage so if someone should ask (nobody has yet) it makes more sense when I explain it.

I think having a unique name doesn't out you. I've known many non-trans people with unique and odd names. I think what's more important is having a name that would make sense for your age. A person in their 30's having a recently popular name that you see just children and teenagers having is more of a red flag.

If people ask about it you can tell them you changed your name. Many people change their name for different reasons. You can just say you changed your name because you didn't like yours (which is true). If they ask for your old name tell them you don't like people knowing it and leave it at that.

[Summerfall]

'Summer' was not popular at all the year I was born, but it's not unheard of either. My primary worry was that my name would be too much of a "stripper name".

I couldn't/can't stand the idea of naming myself or any of my future children after something with biblical roots. So it looks like we're all getting dirty hippy names.

[Janet_Girl]

If I had given it a lot of thought at the time I was working on a name, I would have taken Caspara after my maternal grandmother.

[rexgsd]

i like my name, even though it's really old fashioned and kinda fake/weird sounding now. but i tell myself that i love the name and i shouldnt be persuaded by anyone or anything else to make me feel uncomfortable with it. i mean, i can think of lots of good names id like for myself, but Rex is just me. i guess i dont really have a story, but i guess i can just say if you like a name and feel it is really 'you', dont let anything make you feel like you have to change it, even if it is real seemingly awkward or fake :3

[Silver]

Sylvester isn't all that terribly odd. It's definitely a male name too. I think it sounds pretty good.

Anyway, if you are a male and you bear the name confidently, there's no reason it should be a problem.

[Rock_chick]

I picked quite an unusual middle name for myself because i like it. Kaede is obviously not a European name, but it's pretty and as it's not my everyday name it doesn't really matter. And if i ever need to explain it to someone I don't want to know I can borrow a variation of the story of mow my youngest sister got her name...which is my dad met a pretty woman on a business trip abroad and though it would be a nice name for his newest child.

[kyril]

I don't think an unusual name is a problem. Invented names, names that just effectively didn't exist when you were born, can be problematic - but Sylvester's a very old name so it's fine in that department. I know lots of people with unique, older, or simply uncommon names - not a big deal.

The main place I think you might run into trouble in the "outing" department are names that you see constantly on kids young enough to be your own kids. For instance, for us twenty-somethings, Kayden/Jayden/Brayden etc might be appealing (because we're subject to our generation's naming tastes) but probably aren't great choices because there's essentially no way we could have gotten them unless we picked them ourselves. Of course, in the event that you really really like a name like that, or if people question another older/foreign/unique name you choose, you could just say your parents named you something hideously embarrassing so you got a name change. That's not unheard-of.

[insanitylives]

you could just say your parents named you something hideously embarrassing so you got a name change. That's not unheard-of.

and hardly untrue.