Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So I've been thinking about names... because at the moment I don't have a female name.

I've had a few in the past but for one reason or another they've fallen by the wayside.

So I was thinking it might be fun to ask...

how did you come up with your name? 

Quote from: Nym on October 05, 2018, 04:13:34 PM
So I've been thinking about names... because at the moment I don't have a female name.

I've had a few in the past but for one reason or another they've fallen by the wayside.

So I was thinking it might be fun to ask...

how did you come up with your name?

When I was a child my I referred to my female self as Christine. When gender dysphoria became stronger in my forties and I started cross dressing - en femme it became Kirsten which is the Nordic version. Kirsten Janelle also fits my initials.

Did you have a girl name as a child Nym?

Kirsten[emoji147]

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Well, I've told this story a couple of times, but I like it...

When I first came out to my mother years ago, she told me what my name would have been had I been born properly.  That Christmas, she gave me a silver bracelet with my first name engraved on the outside and my middle name engraved on the inside. I wear it every day.

Sarah Lee

I was in the middle of a fit of anxiety and depression stemming not just from dysphoria but also a flooding of repressed memories from my past about some peripheral issues.  I was trying to think of one earlier in the day but at the point it came to me I was so upset I couldn't rub two coherent thoughts together to save my life.  I had not yet come out to my wife.

I was in the bathroom, staring at the mirror and not even seeing anything much less me.  Then my wife calls from the other room and I shout back "I'll be right there!"  Look back in the mirror and without actually thinking about it I said to myself, "Alright Erin, time to go be a husband"...  Don't know where it came from.  Maybe a memory I haven't yet been able to dig up from my past.  Still finding more and more of those every day.

Anyway, I giggled as I left the bathroom because it just fit.  That's me!

It still fits just as well as when I thought of it.  I love my new name!  <3

I'm a hippie chick at heart, so i am choosing from popular names of the late 60's

Quote from: Kirsteneklund7 on October 05, 2018, 04:32:32 PM

Did you have a girl name as a child Nym?

Kirsten[emoji147]

My parents were convinced I was going to be a girl so had only thought of girl names... I was supposed to be Lucinda (Lucy for short)... but I was born with the wrong bits and a big argument ensued and my grandmother won the day. But then my sister was born 2 years later and although she got a different name, her pet name from my father was Lucy. So I can't really use that name.

Then as a child I thought of myself as Angela (no idea why) but I had a bad experience using that name, so would sooner not use it.

In my 20s and 30s, I used Skye. But that's too close to my daughter's name. My daughter very nearly got Skye. It wouldn't be right to use that name as much as I like it... I am not out to my daughter but she would be upset if I used that name.

So still thinking... I have a few ideas and people have offered some nice suggestions but nothing is shouting out to me yet. My mind keeps going back to Skye and that's part of the problem - lol.

Quote from: Nym on October 05, 2018, 05:31:24 PM
My parents were convinced I was going to be a girl so had only thought of girl names... I was supposed to be Lucinda (Lucy for short)... but I was born with the wrong bits and a big argument ensued and my grandmother won the day. But then my sister was born 2 years later and although she got a different name, her pet name from my father was Lucy. So I can't really use that name.

Then as a child I thought of myself as Angela (no idea why) but I had a bad experience using that name, so would sooner not use it.

In my 20s and 30s, I used Skye. But that's too close to my daughter's name. My daughter very nearly got Skye. It wouldn't be right to use that name as much as I like it... I am not out to my daughter but she would be upset if I used that name.

So still thinking... I have a few ideas and people have offered some nice suggestions but nothing is shouting out to me yet. My mind keeps going back to Skye and that's part of the problem - lol.

This could be kinda fun, lets try this:

What would you say your style/ fashion sense is? Formal, casual?
Modern or stuck in the past?
Favorite letter (s)

Do that and i will tell you the very first name that comes to mind!

(and you don't have to use it, i just like brainstorming ;)

Quote from: RetroTS on October 05, 2018, 05:51:53 PM
This could be kinda fun, lets try this:

What would you say your style/ fashion sense is? Formal, casual?
Modern or stuck in the past?
Favorite letter (s)

Do that and i will tell you the very first name that comes to mind!

(and you don't have to use it, i just like brainstorming ;)

Oooo I like it!  It's the 'Name Nym" game!   ;D

oooh this sounds dangerous - lol... but I will play along.

Style... casual - I would say I hover depending on what I am doing between outdoorsy practical and hippy/goth. I am comfortable in leggings, tight jeans, and long skirts. Although I've got killer legs... even if I do say so myself :p

Stuck in the past... mid to late 80s... music heavy metal - film Lost Boys (think Star) - although what's in my mind and what is in front of the mirror are not the same - ha ha ha.

Favourite Letter... hmmm don't really have one but A, E, S, T

For me, Gabrielle just inspired me one day. I was looking at names that started with G. I have always liked that name even though I have never known anybody in person with it. There was Gabrielle from the Xena tv show. I always thought she was hot and tough when she needed to be but sweet most all of the time. What really grabbed me was that Gabrielle means woman of God in Hebrew. I'm not Jewish but the tie into faith really sparked something in me and I have to say I feel strongly about the name now. Something will eventually grab you Nym and you will absolutely know. Just allow her the chance to call to you. Best of luck in your search. Love and faith.

Gabrielle

Quote from: Nym on October 05, 2018, 07:00:54 PM
oooh this sounds dangerous - lol... but I will play along.

Style... casual - I would say I hover depending on what I am doing between outdoorsy practical and hippy/goth. I am comfortable in leggings, tight jeans, and long skirts. Although I've got killer legs... even if I do say so myself :p

Stuck in the past... mid to late 80s... music heavy metal - film Lost Boys (think Star) - although what's in my mind and what is in front of the mirror are not the same - ha ha ha.

Favourite Letter... hmmm don't really have one but A, E, S, T

Adrianne

Quote from: Nym on October 05, 2018, 05:31:24 PM
My parents were convinced I was going to be a girl so had only thought of girl names... I was supposed to be Lucinda (Lucy for short)... but I was born with the wrong bits and a big argument ensued and my grandmother won the day. But then my sister was born 2 years later and although she got a different name, her pet name from my father was Lucy. So I can't really use that name.

Then as a child I thought of myself as Angela (no idea why) but I had a bad experience using that name, so would sooner not use it.

In my 20s and 30s, I used Skye. But that's too close to my daughter's name. My daughter very nearly got Skye. It wouldn't be right to use that name as much as I like it... I am not out to my daughter but she would be upset if I used that name.

So still thinking... I have a few ideas and people have offered some nice suggestions but nothing is shouting out to me yet. My mind keeps going back to Skye and that's part of the problem - lol.

If it helps, how about Sora (pronounced Soar-a)?  It means "sky" in Japanese.

My name was actually given to me by a group of friends.  We had a favorite anime that we were all really into, and one character was so much like me that everyone started calling me by his name. (I'm FTM, btw.)  After so many years of looking for a male name, that one fit me the best.  Its now my legal name. [emoji16]

My middle initial is what's left of my former middle name.  I kept my last name.

Ryuichi

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When I came out to my parents I had a short list of age appropriate names that would pass given the year I was born and I narrowed it down to Nicole, Rachel and Jennifer. I was the most fond of Nicole for some reason just felt right. When I told my parents I asked them if they had ever picked a girl name if I had been born a girl and they had actually chosen Nicole. Seemed like too big of a coincidence to ignore and honestly now I couldn't imagine having any other name.


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Thanks Retro... a nice name but a bit too ultravox for me  :P

It will come to me.

-----

Ryuichi, hajimema->-bleeped-<-e. My wife is Japanese... she used to refer to my female side as 'momo' but that doesn't suit a 184cm tall, long legged, blue eyed gaijin.

It seemed natural to me to want a name that was similar to my boy name.  I wanted to keep the same initials, and I didn't want to have to change my signature too much.  Kind of mundane reasons, I know, but it was what it was.

My boy name was Keith Lawrence.  So Kathy Lauren was a natural choice.  I used that here as my user name when I signed up, and I got used to people calling me that.  So when it came time to "lock in my final answer" (i.e. legal name change), that's what I went with.

I did have to decide if Kathy was going to be short for Katherine or Kathleen.  I went with Kathleen because it is the Irish version.  (I was born in Ireland).  It was also my mother-in-law's middle name, and I am not above trying for brownie points.  ;D

"Kathy" is also age appropriate for my generation.  "Lauren" less so, but Lauren Bacall was a well-known movie star at the time I was born, so it is perfectly plausible as a name my parents might have given me.

Some people just modify their names because they have female analogs. For me that wasn't the option. So I just opened list of female names and start reading it. Those names that felt different I wrote in notepad, and after reading full list I ended up with 4 options. I modify them in short versions, tried to imagine how people would call me with that names, and I decided that one of them fits me better.
It is your name. Choose whatever you like. Though I suggest to avoid weird names.

My female alter chose her own name. She picked it because I didn't know anyone by the name or have preconceived notions about it so she was free to herself.

Quote from: Nym on October 05, 2018, 04:13:34 PM
So I've been thinking about names... because at the moment I don't have a female name.

I've had a few in the past but for one reason or another they've fallen by the wayside.

So I was thinking it might be fun to ask...

how did you come up with your name?

A friend of mine gave me Emily Sophia Letzin and we played with that online for a little but it didn't quite feel right. She then thought of Riley Jordan Letzin and instantly clicked. Played with it for a year then legally changed to it. Months later I find out I might be nonbinary which may explain why two gender neutral names felt better.

I never considered naming myself something close to my real name. I preferred it to be different.

I had made a list of names I liked, and were unique enough.

Alyssa
Mirai (means future in Japanese)
Akina (Aki means autumn in Japanese)

Some liked Alyssa more for how right it sounded, some liked the meaning of Mirai. Akina didn't take much attention...


But... jusging from your background... Maybe... Tanya?

Or maybe, from your past preferences... very similar...

Skyla?
Skyler?

Or maybe try using a name generator! Like this one: https://www.name-generator.org.uk/character/

Quote from: alyssalove2790 on October 06, 2018, 02:50:23 PM
I never considered naming myself something close to my real name. I preferred it to be different.

But... jusging from your background... Maybe... Tanya?

Or maybe, from your past preferences... very similar...

Skyla?
Skyler?

Or maybe try using a name generator! Like this one: https://www.name-generator.org.uk/character/

I am the same... my name has a female version but the shortened version of that is what some of my family already call me. I know that sounds like it is too easy but when they say it, they are referring to the masculine name. AND, I hate my masculine name... so a clean break from that is needed.

I thought about Tanya but it doesn't go with my surname. But I made a list today... I've not had a chance yet to go through them while looking in the mirror but... Skyla/Skyler was on the list.
Alice
Amber
Amelia
Summer
Emma
Ivy
Lydia
Skyla/Skyler
Jenny

Not decided yet...

Ivy sounds lovely! Lydia has a nice ring to it too!

Hopefully you find something that pleases you soon!  :-*

I got teased in school and people called me Vicki, so I own it. I am use to it after so many years.

Quote from: gingerViktorKay on October 06, 2018, 05:04:23 PM
I got teased in school and people called me Vicki, so I own it. I am use to it after so many years.

I love it, no weapon formed against me shall prosper.

Quote from: Nym on October 06, 2018, 03:38:34 PM

I thought about Tanya but it doesn't go with my surname.

It's also spelled wrong.[emoji12]

I had no particular favourite name so
I wanted to keep my initials the same for a somewhat easier legal transition.

Tonya was what I liked best and didn't know anyone with the name.

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Just a quick post to say that I've decided on Alice. It still feels strange because I am still in guy mode but it was either Alice or Jenny that suited me the most and Jenny sounds too close to my mother's name (Jane), so Alice it is.

So as there is already Alice V... I will keep to nym on the forums to make it easier.

Quote from: Nym on October 13, 2018, 04:09:16 AM
Just a quick post to say that I've decided on Alice. It still feels strange because I am still in guy mode but it was either Alice or Jenny that suited me the most and Jenny sounds too close to my mother's name (Jane), so Alice it is.

So as there is already Alice V... I will keep to nym on the forums to make it easier.

I think Alice is a wonderful name. And I feel you on the feels weird choosing a female name while still living as a male; you'd never look at me and think "Cassandra."

Which, truth be told, I chose as my name because of Elvira. Her real name is Cassandra, and I've always loved her and the name, so I just ran with it.

For a while I was considering either Karen or Ivana. I gave up on Ivana cause I didn't want to a name too similar to my birth name. Karen was a nice name but it didnt really click. Then there was the name I chose Vivian

I used to write TG fiction on DeviantArt and I asked someone to write a story for me and use a female name other than Ivana, so the author used the name Vivian and I just fell in love with the name. I have used that name for 10 years now. I hope someday I can legally change my to Vivian.

I haven't fully settled yet, but I arrived at my top choice with the criteria:
1. Definitely female (Ironically, my current name is more female than male).
2. Ordinary - there's a lot of pretty names out there that I like, but I'd rather not stand out.
3. Same initial as now - not essential, but it felt right.

Slightly annoyingly, this is the name I 'jokingly' used when I cross-dressed a couple of times at uni, chosen then purely because it was broadly similar to my name. Those aren't great memories for me, but it was years ago and I'm unlikely to cross paths with any of the people again, so I'm trying not to let that get in the way.

It hasn't been mentioned, but many people choose to change surnames too.
I will, partly because I just don't like mine. Even before making the gender decision, I was planning on changing my full name, and I would love to right now, but I think it would be a bad idea to change now, then in a couple of years as well.
As far as reasoning for surnames goes, I was considering taking my mother's, in a strange 'rejection of the patriarchy' type feeling. But I felt that'd seem negative towards my father, who I do not dislike personally (he's fine with me ditching his surname; even he doesn't like it). I feel that a completely whole-cloth name is equitable for everyone.
Surnames are also a great place to choose a name with a meaning, even more than first names - most names have meanings, albeit often obscured by language and time*, but that's not often important. Surnames can be much closer to actual words, while still being fairly unremarkable.

* My birth name was chosen as being from my father's birthplace. I've just discovered that's the origin for my chosen name too, though completely unrelated!

I might have had a really weird way of doing it but what i did was first look up common names for my age range and picked one from the list that I liked, I knew i didn't want a different version of my name as it needed to be separate for me, then I came up with a new last name by picking a name with the same origin as my original (some of my extended family have very religious views and i wanted to make it as difficult as possible to find me if they should ever find out). my mom asked if i would take her middle name and of course i did its very pretty and help me feel closer to her after coming out to her.

I can say pretty confidently that I disliked doing this now (i've been full time for well over a year) because I feel like I short changed myself, how often does a person get to pick their own name? I still love my name but its just that a name, and thats fine.

If i were to suggest a method I would say look up a list of names from where ever you want and pick out a few that you like or feel a connection with and try them on for a bit and once you find one you like go with that.

GL and best wishes!

Quote from: Nym on October 13, 2018, 04:09:16 AM
Just a quick post to say that I've decided on Alice. It still feels strange because I am still in guy mode but it was either Alice or Jenny that suited me the most and Jenny sounds too close to my mother's name (Jane), so Alice it is.

So as there is already Alice V... I will keep to nym on the forums to make it easier.

Quote from: cassiebythesea on October 13, 2018, 04:32:59 PM
I think Alice is a wonderful name. And I feel you on the feels weird choosing a female name while still living as a male; you'd never look at me and think "Cassandra."

Which, truth be told, I chose as my name because of Elvira. Her real name is Cassandra, and I've always loved her and the name, so I just ran with it.

When I first asked about choosing a name and Devlyn (THANKS!) mentioned 'Faith' I knew right off it was the right one for me. It still took me months of using and hearing to grow accustomed to it. (there's a whole story of why it felt right on the forums here somewhere ...)

Alice/Nym, I highly suggest changing your login to a variation with Alice at the beginning. You just need to see and use it more.

Faith

Thank you Faith. I am not sure how or if I can change my profile name. But I added a little extra and will start signing my posts. Like you said, I need to make my new name my own.

love
Alice

Quote from: Nym on October 14, 2018, 10:30:53 AM
Thank you Faith. I am not sure how or if I can change my profile name. But I added a little extra and will start signing my posts. Like you said, I need to make my new name my own.

love
Alice

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,226877.0.html

Quote from: Nym on October 13, 2018, 04:09:16 AM
Just a quick post to say that I've decided on Alice. It still feels strange because I am still in guy mode but it was either Alice or Jenny that suited me the most and Jenny sounds too close to my mother's name (Jane), so Alice it is.

So as there is already Alice V... I will keep to nym on the forums to make it easier.

Alice,

I just wanted to congratulate you on making this big decision. Choosing a new name is not an easy task. Having it feel right is absolutely amazing. It is truly a pleasure to know you Alice. Love and faith.

Gabrielle

Again, thank you Faith.


Thank you for your kind words Gabrielle

love
Alice

Heey Alice! :D Congratulations with choosing your name ;) Nice to meet another Alice ^_^ Should we start a club?

LOL - absolutely  ;D

Hey, quick question.

Have any of you considered changing your full name: First middle and last?

I'm starting to petition process and am strongly considering changing my full name. Wondering if anyone else is on this page with me.

I like my second and middle. Though it a little patriarchal, it indicates where I've came from, it's name and surname of my father.
Btw, I believe "V" supposed to be short from "Vesh", my nickname, but it also match my middle name lol :D

If I transition then I will change my first and middle names... I would like to change my surname too but as I have a daughter and she won't be changing her surname. So I am stuck with it.

I know I'm hopping in a little tardy to this party, but I was born "John Leo" and I've always sort of liked that name, but it did feel weird to me... Forever. I remember telling my mom 'I don't really like my name' when I was little and she was supportive of a name change... To something more masculine.

I decided on Janna Leah though. Originally I was just going to feminize to Johnna, but it didn't seem to have the right ring to it. The 'on' sound just felt... Odd.

That being said, I know Janna is usually pronounced 'Jan-nuh' but I really like to pronounce it with an 'ah' sound so it sounds more like 'Jah-nuh'. It is just felt like it fit to me. And I have always just like the feminine of Leo, so I simply adopted 'Leah'. I honestly think I might just go by Leah at some point too.

Still experimenting with names, but I just keep coming back to 'Janna Leah'.

Kisses!
-Janna