The name I was given from birth (or at least my nickname that derives from it) is unisex, Jessi. If I keep it through my transition I'd change the spelling to Jesse. When I first began questioning if I was trans I'd always thought I would just keep my name. Less hassle, it's a name I'm comfortable being referred to as etc. But I was thinking it through, and it's pretty deeply associated with my life as a girl :-\ I had originally planned on keeping my first name and giving myself the middle name Shane. I always liked that name, I would use it as my username pretending to be a guy online when I was a teen, it's kind of sentimental. I'm starting to think I might want to make that my name now that I'm in transition. I know it would be easier to just keep my birth name, it would be less confusing for all the people around me who already know me as Jessi. But the more I think about it the more it doesn't feel right. It feels like my birth name represents the girl I pretended to be and hated so much. Do most people feel like they want to change their name when they transition, even if their name is unisex. Is it like a psychological thing or something ???
My screen name is unisex as well, and was, in fact, a nick-name when I was very much younger. I really disliked "Jimmy."
My birth name is unisex (Andy could be a boy or girl). But it always referred to me in boy mode, so I'm going to take an entirely new name.
Yes, it is a psychological thing. Maybe a control thing, that I can finally tell the world who I am.
My birth name couldn't be more girly, and there isn't a way to masculinise it, even if I wanted to.
Hi Darkflame (cool name btw),
Just because you were blessed with a unisex name doesn't mean you have to keep it. If it reminds you of who you used to be and not who you will become, that's a good reason to change it. Sounds like you prefer Shane.
This is something I've been thinking on quite a bit lately too. My birth name is unisex as well, and I've always really liked it and thought I would keep, but it is rooted so deeply in the experiences of all of those years of denial and loathing that I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't go by Chloe, a name I've always loved and who I used to address my diary entries to when I was a young girl, in my day-to-day life as well as in the online world. Make a fresh start of things and all of that.
Maybe if you changed your middle name to James? :D
I think it depends on if you like the name itself. I mean, sure, you can keep using a unisex name, but it'll be hard to disassociate it from its old gender meaning. I could keep calling myself "Chris" - but that, to me, is a male name. "Zoe" provides a clean break to my new gender - and I like it better, besides.
In the end, though, remember: Your name is in the mouths of others. Make sure it has teeth.
Yeah, my name is so deeply associated with being female, I need a blank canvas. The control piece I didn't even think of, but it's huge. Nobody can do anything about me changing my name, they pretty much have to call me by it. I feel like it's symbolic too, I'm starting a new life so why don't I start completely fresh
If there is any ambiguity about the way others perceive you, a non-unisex name will lean them in the right direction while a unisex name will leave the question unanswered, if that even matters to you.
Also - changing your name might help your friends and family members fully realize you are indeed transitioning, and they need to deal with it, see the new you, and use the right pronouns.
For me I feel like it is another step to becoming me. My name is unisex but I plan on changing it to something I like even more. I know it will be hard for those who know me by my given name but it's on them to call me by the name I chose. My last name will be harder to change given that I will no longer be carrying the family name but I am keeping the ethnicity intact. It's definitely something I thought on long and hard but have finally settled on a name.
My birth name couldn't be anything farther from unisex :( my parents wanted to give me the two letter DJ name but it wasn't possible to legally leave my name at that so instead they created it by giving me a compound first name so they could call me DJ and i ended up with Dany-John :-X so it is definitely gonna have to go if I'm ever gonna be comfortable with what I'm called though i think even once i change my name one day getting my mothers side of the family to use it is gonna be kinda awkward because they are all french Canadian with little to no ability to speak English so hearing them butcher the word kitten for a time is going to be a less than ideal experience.
Quote from: kitten on February 21, 2013, 10:40:11 PM
my parents wanted to give me the two letter DJ name but it wasn't possible to legally leave my name at that
That's really strange I once knew a guy that was legally named "J". His parents wanted to name him Jay and said this to the hospital but whoever it was that took down the name just put down J.
Quote from: DirtyFox on February 21, 2013, 10:55:53 PM
That's really strange I once knew a guy that was legally named "J". His parents wanted to name him Jay and said this to the hospital but whoever it was that took down the name just put down J.
Could be the difference in area Quebec is a pretty stupid place (No offense to anyone who likes it here i personally cant stand it.) id be a little happier if my name was simply DJ least it wouldn't be a double masculine. I would still change it though because i simply love the idea of being called kitten^^
Quote from: kitten on February 21, 2013, 11:28:34 PM
Could be the difference in area Quebec is a pretty stupid place (No offense to anyone who likes it here i personally cant stand it.) id be a little happier if my name was simply DJ least it wouldn't be a double masculine. I would still change it though because i simply love the idea of being called kitten^^
Sorry I didn't pick up that you were from Canada, I'm from the States so I guess it's legal here for one letter names. Kitten would be such an adorable name to have.