I just changed my name here on the forums from Manyfaces to Rob, to reflect I suppose my more recent certainties about where I'm going with all this as opposed to several weeks ago when I made my first post in the Androgyne section. I've been thinking a lot about the name change thing, even though I'm not yet at a point where I'm ready to change anything legally. I'm in therapy, and after changing how I dress and wear my hair, and with binding, I am passing very well already even without hormones; I've gotten a lot of feedback from people that affirms this, and this is all good. I do plan to start taking T as soon as can, however, because my voice, although androgynous, is not nearly deep enough to pass as an adult male voice, and if anything gives me away, it is that. Top surgery will be sometime down the road.
My question about names is this: My birth name is already a unisex name--in fact it's a derivative of a male name. "Rob" is a diminutive form of it that is unambiguously male and I'm thinking of NOT changing my first name legally but simply switching to the diminutive form of it for everyday use. I like the name Rob--and I don't dislike my birth name, either--and so this certainly seems like the path of least resistance.
However, my MIDDLE name is definitely feminine, and I'm wondering, since it does appear on things like my drivers license and SS card, whether it will be worth the effort to change it legally at some point.
Has anyone done that, a legal name change simply to alter your middle name? Alternatively, I could just leave it as is and use only my middle initial whenever possible--and many forms and things do only request a middle initial rather than the full name--and just be, as to my middle name, kind of like a boy named Sue.
Just wondering whether anyone else here has had this situation, and how you dealt with it.
I changed my middle name and added 1 letter to my first. Luckly adding that 1 letter to the end made it a male latin name but just saying my name it is more female than make which works for my current situation. I normally use my middle name outside of work to keep my lives seperated. Can't wait until I am able to start my transition in a few years then I will use the first initial only.
Is it worth doing? It really is a personal choice. Both my first and middle are now male names, but both when pronounced could be either male or female. So, it works to my advantage all the way around because I don't really have to show my name to people at work, but outside of work for checks, credit cards etc. I do and then it all looks male, so good to go.
Afraid I was not much help, but gives you an idea of what I did and why. It fits my life for all occasions.