Susan's Place Transgender Resources

As I've expressed in other posts, I've attempted to transition on and off for ten years now, but in all those ten years, I could never bring myself to choose a name and not hear fingernails grating against a chalkboard when I heard it.

With that said, I consider re-naming myself as important as naming a baby, that which represents new life and innocence  :angel:

What methods, techniques, tips or tricks did you use when selecting your new name? As crazy as this may sound, the most precious thing in the world to me passed away in 2010, and her name was Bailey -- she was my dog and most treasured companion.

Do I take that name, or does that sound a little eery?

All thoughts, comments and critiques welcome.

I don't think that would be creepy at all. But that's something you would need to decide.

my name..well it's gone from Marly to Marlee already. But it was nothing more than a name I came up with to pre-empt an uppity friend who decided she could figure out what my name should be.
In time, I will do some soul-searching and see what comes up.

I can't remember how exactly I came across my name. I remember randomly looking up the meaning of a few female names before knowing I was trans; then I guess I randomly came across Elis. I think few people find a name and feel it perfectly suits them and is 100% 'right'. I feel my name suits my personality as it's slightly androgynous and doesn't sound too feminine or too masculine; plus it's not very common which makes a nice change from my deadname. But maybe there is a name out there that will suit me better. But I don't want to go through a list of 100s of potential names and obsess over finding 'the one'. I'd rather pick one; start my transition and grow to like it even more since I found it.

Additionally; it's true when people say when choosing a name for their new baby; you realise how many people you've met with a particular name; who weren't very nice people :D

Thanks for the replies!

The way I see it is that I am starting my life anew and as such, I want to give myself the life I never had but *should have* had.

Depending on our relationships with our parents, I almost wonder if there's any benefit to asking one or both of them what they would have named us had we been born the opposite gender?

Nah. Better let my homophobic family keep banning Target, Starbucks and the like before I ask for their input......

I wanted to re-open this thread because I felt like something amazing happened today, even if it was at my baffling therapy session (see my posts dated May 7, 2016, entitled Me and My non-Conforming Gender Therapist under the child board "Therapy") and there was a lot of good input here from very kind souls.

I decided to go with the name "Bailey" and I asked my therapist to work it into the conversation as we went along. I also asked him to use feminine pronouns and I used those pronouns myself to see how it would feel -- it felt amazing!

The name "Bailey" did not sound like nails on a chalk board to me, so I think I may go with this name in honor of the most loving figure in my life, I'll take my husband's last name, but now for a middle name.....hmmmm...  ???

It's so nice when you can talk to yourself using your own name.

You'll find out your middle name soon enough but first and last is defo a good start.

It's an odd process isn't it! I wobbled and wobbled but eventually my name just kind of came to me and once it happened I couldn't imagine being called anything different! Glad you've found something you are comfortable with :-)


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P.S. I love the post title :-P


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Whenever I think the "A rose by any other name..... would smell as sweet" I always have the extra thought of "A chrysanthemum by any other name..... would be easier to spell".

Makes me laugh every time.

What a great topic!  I've thought about this too.  I'm still early into the transition, but I am not even sure if I want to change my name.  I think it's a tad bit of a legal hassle that can cause confusion in the future; I also feel there is some sentiment to it as well.

I have been considering my middle or it's first letter alone, which either is already more feminine than my first name and I respond to well.  People have called me by my middle name because my first name is far too common and my middle name is a good way to differentiate myself from others who share the first name.