How did you choose your new name? similar to your given name? or totally different?
Jaye
Well my name change was difficult.. I went through a few names before my partner suggested Lee to me which is simular to my birth name Laura. I wanted something simular to my birth name as its easier for people to pick up rather than something completely diffrent. I chose an ordinary name as I didn't want to raise suspisions...
I chose a name similar to my own (well not TOO similar). I wanted something that wouldn't be such a shock for my parents and those around me, but something that was definitely different (and not just my birth name 'changed' to the male counterpart). Of course at the time, the name I chose wasn't as popular as it is now... but at least I chose a very distinct middle name (that I occasionally go by).
Picked the male version of my female name. My parents put a lot of thought into naming me and that showed respect to them, I thought. I chose a middle name that runs among male members of my family.
Dennis
I could shorten my given name and it would be accepted as male and I could slightly alter my middle name to a male version or similar. Keeping my initials the same would be easier than changing them. But then I think if I really do this and make such a life altering decision, shouldn't I go with something that reflects that?? BTW I've never been fond of my given name.
Jaye
my former name was gender neutral, which caused me a lot of pain and confusion over the years. so i couldn't really take the male version since it already worked as one. i decided to start fresh, at first i looked through family names but that 'caused some friction so i went to the SSA and printed out the top 100 names from the year i was born. narrowed that down.
then i was watching a movie one day and saw my name pop up. i said "oh yeah, that's a nice name... i like it." and it stuck. my name happened to be one of my favorites from the list i compiled, so it worked out.
Oh, that's a good idea! Also my initials spell out a guy's name, one that I've always liked, so maybe. Hmmmm.
jaye
yeah, do that too. my uncle's name is his initials. he was given just the letter T as his first name.
I hadn't decided on a name until very recently and I'm not completely sure I will keep it.
At first I wanted a male version of my birth name (Birgit), something similar or at least something that started with the same two letters.
But there are absolutely no in Austria more or less common names like that and I don't want something very uncommon or exotic.
Then I got an idea from some other thread in this forum: Find out what your parents would have called you if you had been born the opposite sex.
But this didn't work out for me too. Because if I had been a boy, my mother would have called me Christoph--my little brother's name. And the only other name she mentioned was Florian--a great name in my opinion, but I know to many Florians to go for it (especially since one is the little son of my mother's friend that is much like a brother to me--my transitioning will be weird enough for him without me stealing his name).
So in the end I just picked the name 'Elias' because I liked this one a lot since I read a great book some years ago with an Elias as protagonist.
I haven't legally changed my name yet, but when i do it will be parker. I decided on parker because my mom loves that name, and I want my parents to have a lot of input in my transition. Your parents pick your name when you are born, so i thought it would be a good idea to let them have say in what my name will be.