Well, the girls have a topic like this, we should have one too! ;D
I chose Robin and that was name for more than a year.
One day, a canadian friend told me that he wanted to call me Drik
so I should change my name to Fredrik instead, and like two months later.. I got a legal name change.
If I could choose a new name now, I would probably pick something russian, like
Dmitri, Aleksej, Varja or romani. ^_^
it took awhile... oh yeah J.T. isn't my name. That was a transitional title i used when i had no clue...
I went through the most popular names from my birth year (social security site) and narrowed it down. Then i was watching a movie one day and an actors name popped up and i went "hmm, i like that." Lo and behold i take out my list and it was in my top five. It runs on both sides of my family and works with my heritage.
Mine was chosen because I didn't really like my transitional name (matt) and a close friend who supported me through those early days when I first came out told me I should take his name. After laughing a bit about I told him no. A few months later he died and it just seemed right. I got my middle name from a guy who was my best friend through the hell of school, family, friends and others. Both men taught me about the sort of man and person I wanted to be. So when it came time to pick I chose it as a tribute to them and a reminder of who I am and where I came from. Plus I didn't want a name that was like my birth name in anyway.
->-bleeped-<-boy
at first i picked Jonas bacause it was similar to my old name and i liked it. but it wasnt really me, so i picked Chett because its extremely similar and sounds almost the same as my childhood "boy" name (jet) but no one would take me seriously if i went by Jet.
I chose mine, which is Parker. Because to me my family is really important. I figured since my mom named me when i was born, it would mean a lot for me to be able to have her pick my male name, and i like the name Parker, so i didnt mind the choice.
I'm still a bit unsure right now... but Monty is close to my female name and theres a funny story on how I got that nickname. Other ones I've considered are Beau or Quentin.
The Russian names do sound pretty cool too. :)
One of my high school teachers had a kid named Jett.
I picked the name of a Egyptian god, Osiris as a screen name. This god had been killed and cut up into pieces. He was then reassembled and resurrected by his wife Isis, except she couldn't get his penis back so she had to use a prosthetic.
Being a ftm I thought it was fitting, and a bit tongue in cheek. :P
This name helped me pick the one I finally settled on, Cyrus, which is similar to my female name.
I'm older and more resistant to change, and to make things easier on myself, I chose my name because it is close to my birth name and similar in meaning for the most part, and would honor my parents who chose my female name. Also I wanted to pick a name that was consistent with the decade I was born in.
The name I chose is Jonathan Ellis. I also like the name Nathan or Nathaniel so this is fairly close while keeping my initials the same. Hard to make me sign with different initials.
I go by Jay because Jon is so taken in my dad's step-family, and my son goes by his initial already, and we jokingly have called my daughter by her initial.
Later I can always go by Nate if I want, when I'm solo living in my RV traveling the country working odd jobs (my early retirement dream).
Jay
Quote from: Chett on July 12, 2008, 08:04:29 PM
at first i picked Jonas bacause it was similar to my old name and i liked it. but it wasnt really me, so i picked Chett because its extremely similar and sounds almost the same as my childhood "boy" name (jet) but no one would take me seriously if i went by Jet.
Didn't John Travolta name his son Jett? If you like it better, forget what anyone else thinks and go for it.
(Meanwhile I'll try to stop associating Chett with the Hardy Boys' chubby friend in his yellow jalopy. ;))
I chose mine (Jamison) because it starts with the same first letter as my natal name, and because my last name is only 1 syllable, so I wanted to have a name with a bit of presence behind it to make it roll off the tongue more easily. The coward in me also liked the fact that it shortens to the androgynous "Jamie", which could be used easily enough until I fully pass.
I've been toying with "Joshua", but I think "Jamison" sounds better with my last name.
Chris or Christopher's the dude's version of my birth name ;) :laugh: easier 4 me. my mom & everybody that knows me. ;)
Quote from: Jamie-o on July 13, 2008, 06:40:38 AM
I've been toying with "Joshua", but I think "Jamison" sounds better with my last name.
Jamison goes great with my last name and kind of reminds me of a famous person. Hmmmm....
(Jay steals Jamie's name...) LOL
OK.
NOT!
Jay, who could have chosen James Elliott but has a dog with an eerily similar name...
I've been going by "Johnny" since eighth grade. It came from a song ("Johnny" by System of a Down) and at first it was a joke--all the "girls" in my circle went by male names. In high school, I changed it to "Johnna" and joked that Johnny had gotten a "sex change" (before I really knew what it meant). By then it was all I went by on the internet. When I started crossdressing then (eventually) realized I'm trans, I began going by John.
My middle name is Adrian. I had a best (male) friend with the name in eighth grade (a rather important year for me). I'd used it online as a "girl" and a "guy". I've always loved it (but only the common male spelling--"Adrienne" or the like never appealed to me).
My last name (Emonds) came from when I was called "Johnny Emo". I just lengthened it.
If/When I go for a name change, I'm going to keep my mother's Italian last name. I'll be JAS rather than JAE (but when I become a famous author it'll be John Adrian Emonds on all my books.) =]
As a kid, I pretended to be a boy named Timothy. My tastes have changed somewhat since I was 7, though, and at 23, at the beginning of this whole transition bit, I decided on Rafe, since the name from which it came, Rafael, was only a couple letters off of my birth name. I met my wife soon after, though, and my life became absolutely nothing like it had been before. I told her I loved the name Dean, for my idol James Dean and for Neal Cassady's character Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac's On the Road, and she thought it fit me. I finally settled on Sebastien Dean, which will be my legal name if I ever get the money to make it official... I vary on which I feel like being called.
I love the fact that I was able to pick my own name. That's gotta be tops on the benefits of being a ->-bleeped-<-.
SD
I was going by "Ray" at first (actually, I still am mostly) because it's a short version of my birthname and was easy to get people to use. It also helped that it was gender neutral, though I kind of hated that part of the name. Now I pass pretty consistently, so when I go by Ray I get taken as male, but I don't really like the name a ton, even though it did grow on me a lot over the last 9 months or so. So I'm actually using it as my middle name, and next month my name should legally be Kevin Ray C****. I just like the name Kevin a lot, and a two-syllable name goes better with my one-syllable last name. I tried to get my mom involved with the name change thing, but when I asked if she had any suggestions she just looked at me like wtf and said no, haha.
My parents were gonna name me Michael if things would have worked out right at birth. So I pretended to be Michael a few times as a kid and set up an e-mail account or two with that name in the past, but I don't really like the idea of taking my dad's name. Plus there would be 3 Michaels living in the house, haha.
I'm probably jumping ahead a few steps since I haven't even begun crossdressing yet (I will by the end of August at the latest) but I am already thinking about different names. At first I liked the name Jack, but it just didn't seem to suit me and didn't go with my last name at all. When I was in Kindergarten I used to sign all my papers as (birthname) Max (lastname), pretending that Max was my name as well I suppose. I don't know why I liked the name so much back then, but I don't think it suits me now.
I've always had a unique name and have yet to meet anyone with the same name as me so I wanted to keep with that idea. Then I pulled forth my lifetime love of greek mythology and combined it with my desire for a unique name. I saw a skate vid of this kid named Odin once (I know, norse) and thought it was the coolest thing ever so I'm going to have to say Eros is my current fav for a name right now. I'm not going to be corny enough to be Zeus, and I really like the name Eros anyway. I feel like Eros really fits me, so I might go with that if things pan out.
I go by so many different names to different people. I haven't decided on one but i have a list: Jack, Luka, Brody...
I'm still deciding.
I am having major conflict with the name Daniel. I'm quite partial to it. I like how it can be Daniel, Dan, or Danny. It's really a sweet name and is flexible. It's a strong Christian name (I'm not Christian, by the way, but I do like traditional-sounding names) and it's meaning really caught my attention. "God is my judge." That's what it means. But why can't I have the name?
Well, of course I can have it. But see, I had a big fight with my mom before I moved to Northern California. She said, "You're not transitioning into a boy, you're transitioning into a little Dan Aykroyd."
At first I laughed. But then suddenly I was worried. What would people think if I chose the name Daniel? Daniel Edward Aykroyd already took it 56 years ago. For many months I've been trying to decide whether or not it would be appropriate to use the name. A lot of transguys name themselves after people they are influenced by, so naming myself Daniel really wouldn't be much different. I was even more attached to the name when I found that many people of many different sorts have it (it isn't really a racial name nor is it really a largely cultural name). My current legal name, Sara, means "Princess." I don't really have a major problem with this, but I'd like a name that really helps me live full time.
Having my best friend Laura call me Dan would be weird. As every time we used the name Dan, we were somehow making fun of Dan Aykroyd. Everyone that knows me would jump to the first assumption they could find-- that I must have named myself after him. But really, I don't intend that at all, which is why I'm hesitating. Dan is was a cool guy for a long time. Now he's quite the has-been. I just don't see why I'd want to name myself after him. I really don't feel like I am.
I also like the name John, which belongs to my father, step-father, cousin, and a long list of famous people starting with John Belushi, John Goodman, John Cleese, John Connor, John-117, and of course the anonymous title John Doe. I just don't like John enough to be the 4th or 5th John in my family, not to mention the fact my parents would assume I'm naming myself after John Belushi.
So the guys had good, strong names! It's not my fault their mommies decided to give them nice names!
It just bothers me. I really like Daniel. I tried to go for something similar, like Gabriel or Nathaniel, but it just didn't work out for me.
Then I thought of Elliott. But you know, it just again doesn't have the cadence I want. I want my name to be flexible, classic, and well, have a certain rhythm to it. I like Daniel so much that I've been practicing calling myself that, trying it on to see how well it fits. I'd use it as a preferred name at school, but eventually the teacher will say to my parents, "Danny's a great student. She's one of the top in the class." Then they'll be like, "Danny?" Yeah...
Oddly enough, my past names from when I was a little kid don't appeal to me anymore. I had the names Justin and Jason for a while, but no one would call me these. These were private aliases I had for myself, but they just don't seem to work anymore.
What's the other name I'm close to? Yeah, Daniel's not the only one. I also like Raymond (everybody loves him!). But the problem? Dan Aykroyd played a character named Raymond Stantz in 1984. Can you guess what film that is...? Bing bing bing! It's the well known ghostly comedy Ghostbusters. Everyone knows this, so I run into the same brick wall again; Mr. Aykroyd has a way of wearing all the names I like.
So I'm exploring... I'm looking down a list of filmographies. Tom Hank's and Dan Aykroyd's. Filmography is a great place to look up typical names. Tom's played various names including Charlie, Robert, Forrest, Viktor, Paul, Daniel, Carl, Michael, Chuck, Joe, Jim, Andrew... the list goes on. Same with any other actor. I brought Aykroyd's up as well. A bunch of the same names, and others like Pete, Chris, Ray, Elwood (origin of my username, haha), John, Ben, Joe... again, list goes on. Why do I mention this? Well, I look at these lists of names and they're just names to me. They mean nothing. This is why baby name books don't help me. I'm like, "That sounds nice. That too. That too." But none of them really stab me in the chest, twist, and say, "Oui! This is moi!"
It's really tough. I'm really irritated by this predicament. Let's try another. Ben Stiller. What kind of names has he played (besides Derek Zoolander?). Alex, Larry, Tony, David, Tim, Reuben, Thomas, Gaylord "Greg" Focker, Jake, Lawrence...
See what I'm going through?
Unlike most transmen, I have a bit of shame in naming myself after someone. Either I have to make that feeling go away, or pick a name at total random.
Part of me says to screw it. Dan's really living in my goddamn dream boat. He's got everything I want, no joke. He's a good person for me to look up to (besides the fact that he hung out with druggies in his 20's, is a lush now, and is out of work because he thinks he's "too old"). Then again, he had the figurative balls to stand next to his best friend's coffin without crying. Too bad he didn't help carry it. Pics, it did happen: ]Link (http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/penguin_furuba/People/a2931d80.jpg)]
The fact of the matter is, I just don't know what to do. I'll probably end up choosing Daniel eventually but I sure as hell better have a reason before my parents outcast me for life. Do I really want to name myself after that schmuck from Pearl Harbor?
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi5.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy168%2Fpenguin_furuba%2FPeople%2Fpearlfxxxingharbor.png&hash=233baf0c1a70e6fb6e88e26b4d1c9fe866e1eb4e)
You be the judge. :icon_blah:
(Btw, he wasn't always a fatass :-X)
Quote from: Chett on July 12, 2008, 08:04:29 PM
at first i picked Jonas bacause it was similar to my old name and i liked it. but it wasnt really me, so i picked Chett because its extremely similar and sounds almost the same as my childhood "boy" name (jet) but no one would take me seriously if i went by Jet.
I love the name Jonas. Since I read The Giver, it reminds me of a difficult, complex scenario, and I like that. Although, for now, It'd be weird because The Jonas Brothers are so popular right now.
Quote from: Elwood on July 15, 2008, 10:12:02 PM
I am having major conflict with the name Daniel. I'm quite partial to it. I like how it can be Daniel, Dan, or Danny. It's really a sweet name and is flexible. It's a strong Christian name (I'm not Christian, by the way, but I do like traditional-sounding names) and it's meaning really caught my attention. "God is my judge." That's what it means. But why can't I have the name?
I also like the name Danny. But I already have a cousin Daniel, and that would be odd if he ever found out. And plus, I don't really like 'Dan', so I don't think I'd like that too much.
I originally liked the name Will, and I still do. So I'm trying to decide between Will and Jonas. But I guess I still have a long time to think about it. I don't want to pick a name too far out there, otherwise it's suspicious. But I don't want an extremely common name either. Although, I do like the name Joe for some reason.
Elwood - I understand what you mean about not wanting to take someone else's name. I have to admit that I'm a little uncomfortable with the fact that there is a very famous FtM already named Jamison (Jamison Green). But I haven't found any other names I liked that fit my criteria (as outlined above).
It's true that people who know you, may very well jump to the conclusion that you named yourself after Dan Aykroyd (and what's really so wrong with that?), but I think if you usually go by "Daniel" or "Danny" instead of "Dan", that would minimize the perception.
I was Joe for a long time. I'll probably end up as Nick after my grand uncle. That's who I was supposed to be anyhow. Though it would be fun to be Nero in real life cause I really get off on all the pyromania jokes I get.
Quote from: The_Unforgiven on July 16, 2008, 12:58:54 AMQuote from: Elwood on July 15, 2008, 10:12:02 PMI am having major conflict with the name Daniel. I'm quite partial to it. I like how it can be Daniel, Dan, or Danny. It's really a sweet name and is flexible. It's a strong Christian name (I'm not Christian, by the way, but I do like traditional-sounding names) and it's meaning really caught my attention. "God is my judge." That's what it means. But why can't I have the name?
I also like the name Danny. But I already have a cousin Daniel, and that would be odd if he ever found out. And plus, I don't really like 'Dan', so I don't think I'd like that too much.
Even if my brother was named Daniel I'd want the name Daniel. That's how much I really like this name...
Quote from: Jamie-o on July 16, 2008, 06:03:04 AMElwood - I understand what you mean about not wanting to take someone else's name. I have to admit that I'm a little uncomfortable with the fact that there is a very famous FtM already named Jamison (Jamison Green). But I haven't found any other names I liked that fit my criteria (as outlined above).
It's true that people who know you, may very well jump to the conclusion that you named yourself after Dan Aykroyd (and what's really so wrong with that?), but I think if you usually go by "Daniel" or "Danny" instead of "Dan", that would minimize the perception.
Yeah. See, this name really works. I'm thinking I should stick with it, finally tell my parents, "It just felt right, and that's all I should really have to say."
Well, for many years of Aykroyd's young live, he went as "Danny." Dan just happens to be his "stage name," the name he's chosen to be recognized by on film. And of course his family would sometimes call him Daniel. So he really interchanged all three names depending on who he was with and what he was doing. I'm sure people still call him "Danny." I know I would, lol.
There's really nothing wrong with my naming myself after an actor. I realize that. My step-dad was named after an actor. But seriously, I don't want my family to get any funny ideas. They think I want to become him. I love blues, I'm an actor, I love motorcycles and old cars, science fiction and cop shows. So they think I'm just taking 3 steps closer to being more like him by transitioning. They don't get it. I was always me, and when I found out about how much I had in common with him, I really became a fan. Not the other way around... Srsly who would want to grow up to be a fat lard has-been like Danny? D:< Lol... Though I will admit he was absolutely
amazing when he was young.
My full name is Kestin Sarah Stewart, I was so thrilled when I found a some guys around the world had the same first name as me! So I don't feel any reason to change it... have never met another person IRL with my name either. People always think my name is Kerstin, even though it's pronounced as its spelt 'keh-stin', 'kes-tin'... it's reeeeally simple ^^ So I wonder how people might interpret my name once I pass as a bio-guy? Christian? lol. And I'll be all "Nah, I'm an atheist."
Will definitely change my middle name though XD I want to change it to my stepfathers name, Philip. Cause he really was the first good male role model I had in my life.
My dad is a d*ckhead :D
I've been tossing up names recently for if I ever start T (unlikely, but you never know...), and I found this thread and didn't really want to start a new one, so hope that's alright... :-\
Anyhoo, yes, I've been thinking about names, and I've had a couple of favourites for *ages*, but it'd be hard explaining them to the external world.
Firstly, I've always liked the name Remus. It has nothing to do with HP, or with my user name Lutin having a typo. (Lutin is French for "elf", as in "an androgynous being" :)). I've always loved Classical mythology, and I grew up on Song of the South. ^-^ Used to badger Mum to tell me Uncle Remus's Br'er Rabbit stories all the time when I was a baby goat ;D. And I don't know how to explain it, but it just seems to 'fit'. I can *see* me being a Remus, if that makes sense.
Also love the name William. My brother and I were talking a few years ago about names, and what we would have wanted to have been called if we'd been the opposite sex and whatever, and I said I'd always liked the name William, and immediately Mike (le bro) said "What, as in, William Turner from Pirates?" - "*No*, William, as in, Blake, Butler Yeats, Byrd, Dufay, Shakespeare, the Conqueror, Wordsworth....." Hmmm.... :icon_neutral: At least it gave me some idea of what I'm up against. :P
Mais oui. (I'd been wondering how people came up with/decided on names for a while, actually. This has really helped :)).
And, for the record, Kestin's a lovely name. Never heard of it before, but it's really nice. Sort of reminds me of a kestrel. ^-^
kellan is my legal first and middle name smashed together. i wanted to respect my mother's decision to name me, at least for the time being. long after i figured the name out, i asked her if she wanted to help me pick something else and she told me that she already picked a name for me. kelly is unisex name so i don't really hate it for being read as female, i've just never associated myself with it :]
when i go on t and my physical appearance changes and/or i relocate, i might decide to change my name again. until then, it's kellan. kellan also goes better with the last name i want. i wanted to change my last name before i wanted to change my first name. ultimately, i've found a really good sounding name that's respectful to my mother. sometimes i don't quite feel like my chosen name, it's mostly cos i'm still in the town i grew up in and i'm just not very fond of names sometimes. i hardly ever refer to anyone by their name, without any effort.
I'm very much undecided about my male name. I like Vincent, but I also like taking the name my parents would have given me, which is Michiel (the Dutch version of Michael). However... I don't really like the name Michiel, so that would mean using a variant of it for daily use. Mike, Mick, Mitch...
Or... I could take a name which starts with Mar, as my female name starts that way. Mark, Martijn, Martin (but a friend of me is called Martin, and I don't want to 'steal' his name), Marten...
Oh, I don't know. I would like to keep my initials though, so that means Vincent is off the list. If anyone knows of a nice name starting with an M, let me know. :D
I wanted to be called Luke for a long time, but ended up chosing the name Alex.
I like Alex for alot of reasons, its a gender-neutral name, it reminds me of Alex Kidd and it suits me.
Polarbear, I like Mark, Marcus, Max all sound very cool
Quote from: alexkidd on August 18, 2008, 08:52:39 AM
I wanted to be called Luke for a long time, but ended up chosing the name Alex.
I like Alex for alot of reasons, its a gender-neutral name, it reminds me of Alex Kidd and it suits me.
Polarbear, I like Mark, Marcus, Max all sound very cool
I love the name Brady. Every Brady I've ever known is GORGEOUS too lol. My bio-name is Alex though, which I don't mind going by and will respond to. I just like Brady. However, my family still calls me Alex and my boyfriend usually just says "Hey B, can you come here for a sec?" or "See ya later, B" lol that caught on with friends so I guess I'll have to get my name legally changed to the letter B.
Quote from: trapthavok on July 15, 2008, 07:41:33 PM
I'm probably jumping ahead a few steps since I haven't even begun crossdressing yet (I will by the end of August at the latest) but I am already thinking about different names. At first I liked the name Jack, but it just didn't seem to suit me and didn't go with my last name at all. When I was in Kindergarten I used to sign all my papers as (birthname) Max (lastname), pretending that Max was my name as well I suppose. I don't know why I liked the name so much back then, but I don't think it suits me now.
I've always had a unique name and have yet to meet anyone with the same name as me so I wanted to keep with that idea. Then I pulled forth my lifetime love of greek mythology and combined it with my desire for a unique name. I saw a skate vid of this kid named Odin once (I know, norse) and thought it was the coolest thing ever so I'm going to have to say Eros is my current fav for a name right now. I'm not going to be corny enough to be Zeus, and I really like the name Eros anyway. I feel like Eros really fits me, so I might go with that if things pan out.
This is gonna be really funny since I already posted in here while I was still in my "can't make up my mind about my name" stage.
I really did like Eros for a while, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I couldn't go around telling people my name was "Eros" in the business world, among other things....It just doesn't sound like an adult's name. It sounds like one of those names you pick for yourself as a kid (almost like my "Max" thing above). After a while I really didn't like it and it really sounded corny.
I was still bent on trying to get a unique name though so I kept flipping through different name websites and I found one that ranked names on a chart by popularity. I was getting agitated by this point, scrolling through the chart when I came across Nathaniel and stopped. It's a nice name, I don't have any "I admire this person" reasons for it...I was hell bent on picking a name that couldn't be mocked, but stopped caring once I found Nathaniel (which still gets mocked with the Nathaniel Hawthorne thing) but it really fits me and I don't care. I like the abbreviations too, Nathan, Nate...All my (GLBT) friends call me Nate cause they're lazy I guess (haha) but I love Nathaniel above all, and it goes great with my last name, etc. I still get called "Tai" by my family and some of my other friends, but I can deal with that for a little while longer since it's an abbreviation of my real name and it sounds andro enough to keep me happy for a while.
End process.
Quote from: trapthavok on August 18, 2008, 10:13:19 AM
Quote from: trapthavok on July 15, 2008, 07:41:33 PM
I'm probably jumping ahead a few steps since I haven't even begun crossdressing yet (I will by the end of August at the latest) but I am already thinking about different names. At first I liked the name Jack, but it just didn't seem to suit me and didn't go with my last name at all. When I was in Kindergarten I used to sign all my papers as (birthname) Max (lastname), pretending that Max was my name as well I suppose. I don't know why I liked the name so much back then, but I don't think it suits me now.
I've always had a unique name and have yet to meet anyone with the same name as me so I wanted to keep with that idea. Then I pulled forth my lifetime love of greek mythology and combined it with my desire for a unique name. I saw a skate vid of this kid named Odin once (I know, norse) and thought it was the coolest thing ever so I'm going to have to say Eros is my current fav for a name right now. I'm not going to be corny enough to be Zeus, and I really like the name Eros anyway. I feel like Eros really fits me, so I might go with that if things pan out.
This is gonna be really funny since I already posted in here while I was still in my "can't make up my mind about my name" stage.
I really did like Eros for a while, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I couldn't go around telling people my name was "Eros" in the business world, among other things....It just doesn't sound like an adult's name. It sounds like one of those names you pick for yourself as a kid (almost like my "Max" thing above). After a while I really didn't like it and it really sounded corny.
I was still bent on trying to get a unique name though so I kept flipping through different name websites and I found one that ranked names on a chart by popularity. I was getting agitated by this point, scrolling through the chart when I came across Nathaniel and stopped. It's a nice name, I don't have any "I admire this person" reasons for it...I was hell bent on picking a name that couldn't be mocked, but stopped caring once I found Nathaniel (which still gets mocked with the Nathaniel Hawthorne thing) but it really fits me and I don't care. I like the abbreviations too, Nathan, Nate...All my (GLBT) friends call me Nate cause they're lazy I guess (haha) but I love Nathaniel above all, and it goes great with my last name, etc. I still get called "Tai" by my family and some of my other friends, but I can deal with that for a little while longer since it's an abbreviation of my real name and it sounds andro enough to keep me happy for a while.
End process.
Actually, there is nothing wrong with the name Eros. You just have to be suitably Mediterranian in looks and with a proper last name to go with it like something Italian, Greek, or even Spanish. In that area, a name like Eros will not get a second glance. I am Thanatos and nobody bats an eye at that when I introduce myself.
Originally, I chose Milo because my birth name also begins with M. Also, because Milo is the old English transliteration of the Roman name Miles, "soldier". I chose it because I dream of being a Marine but can't join the military but also because it sounds.. "cute", or quirky or whatever. People tell me that it really suits me but I'm kind of.. over it.
Gah. You guys are making me re-think all of my decisions about transition and it's making me unhappy. lol
I choose Jack Sarin because Jack Daniels is copyrighted. J/k >:D Well Sarin is a nerve agent(which means if it gets in you, you wll die a painful death, right after you vomit,drool,urinate,and fecate all over yourself), So... Its a suiting name for me, I just hope my music will have such an effect on people and the best thing about the name is most people dont know what it means. :angel:
Yeah, good point, but I feel like Nate fits me a whole lot better than Eros. I never got the same connect with Eros as I do with Nathaniel. It just feels right for me somehow.
i asked my mom what she thought of the name chester the other day. haha she was like "it sounds kindof dorky..." and i was like "well, incase you havnt noticed, i am kindof dorky" she says she likes the name joshua. so ive been thinking about that for a middle name, or maybe a first name with chester/chet as my middle. idk.
You look like a Joshua to me. Middle name or first name. :)
I've been entertaining what to use for my actual full name as Monty is more of a nickname. I'm thinking maybe Montague. Theres a lot of French people where I am and the meaning relates very nicely to my last name too.
Quote from: Chet on August 18, 2008, 03:59:08 PMi asked my mom what she thought of the name chester the other day. haha she was like "it sounds kindof dorky..." and i was like "well, incase you havnt noticed, i am kindof dorky" she says she likes the name joshua. so ive been thinking about that for a middle name, or maybe a first name with chester/chet as my middle. idk.
My friend has a dog named Chester. :(
Was wondering, are you guys keeping your last names? Since nobody's seemed to mention last names...
I definitely intend to change both my first and last.
Free, I'm undecided about my last name. It's pretty common, so it's unlikely to out me after I change my first name. I think it'll depend on how my family reacts once I start transition.
Also, thoughts about religious names?
Cause I reallyreally like the name Asher, it's the first name I felt any real connection with. But it's a Jewish name, and I am neither Jewish nor look Jewish. :-\ It fits so nicely with Daquan as a last name too.
I'm keeping my last name because I like it a lot.
I wouldn't worry about ethnic names or religious names. People name their kids whatever they like nowadays. :)
Quote from: freespeechz on August 18, 2008, 05:17:13 PM
Was wondering, are you guys keeping your last names? Since nobody's seemed to mention last names...
I definitely intend to change both my first and last.
Keeping mine. At first the idea of changing it was tempting as it is unusual and unpronounceable. But I won't. Means too much to me.
As for how I chose my name, it was a sore spot for awhile, in that it reminded me of how my story is slightly atypical. My first name came from a character I had on a roleplaying website. I really identified with him, and then started talking to people as him...it really helped me make sense of my feelings, and I've gotten close to the name. My middle name, Elliot (a name that seems to have come up a couple times already), came from looking through a list of names in the appendix of a dictionary from the 70s, waiting for one to speak to me. I'm still unsure about how I'm going to spell it, because it reminds me of both the musician Elliott Smith, and the writer TS Eliot, both of whom I look up to. Two l's and one t is a nice compromise for now. I think Michael Elliot sounds nice...and it fits me. Also, the initials are ME. Unintentional, but it makes me smile. I'm finally me.
Quote from: freespeechz on August 18, 2008, 05:17:13 PMWas wondering, are you guys keeping your last names? Since nobody's seemed to mention last names...
I definitely intend to change both my first and last.
I am sure I am keeping my last. It is, however, the American spelling. I might change it back to the German spelling.
Kept my last name, and i chose my first name because if i was born how i should of been. It would of been Marc, second name was because i like the name Andrew and it seems to fit lol.
Other wise my first name would of been Andrew but it didnt suit as much as Marc does.
Well I was kinda looking for some names to keep my Initials at first, I looked through some baby naming and meaning sites online, and came across Aiden, which is Celtic meaning fire. I thought it fitting because of my pride in the bit of celtic heritage I have and well I can have a rather firey temper lol.
After that I looked for names starting with D for my middle name but couldn't find one that was happy with and didn't come off as some science fiction character's name. So ended up going with an old favorite Jonos which is actually my own alternate spelling of Jonas (still wondering if should go with Jonas instead though) But as for last name, keeping it. I tend to be someone raised to hold strong to family ties. Plus it's a part of my heritage
I'm keeping my last name too, just gives that connection back to my family again and makes me feel like someone, not just a name.
I chose sammy cause i think its a sexy name lol
>:D
i want to change my last name. i dont like my dads family and i dont want to be associated with them. plus itd be better for if/when i decide to go stealth.
Quote from: Chet on August 18, 2008, 08:45:35 PM
i want to change my last name. i dont like my dads family and i dont want to be associated with them. plus itd be better for if/when i decide to go stealth.
If I wasnt close to my family and didnt like them, I would change it too.
Keeping mine and changing my first name gives me that "i'm my fathers son" attitude though, and since I love my Dad, I really like that idea. Hope he sees it that way too :-\
Okay, so this is a really stupid question. I was registering for another website and had to come up with a user name. The one that popped into my head that was perfect was Jim Elliott. Which got me thinking maybe I should legally become James Elliott F****** instead of Jonathan Ellis...
My only hangup over the name is that I kinda sorta gave it to my dog a while back only in the reverse (elliott james).
Should I name myself after my dog???
Or is that so lame? I guess I really liked the name when I used it on the dog, not knowing that (at the time) that I surely COULD use it on myself.
Dopey Jay with a cockamamie idea...
My last name has nothing to do with what my family members do... I don't see why I shouldn't keep it. I don't like a lot of my family members, but it's no reason to disown my name. I like it at any rate.
Jay, do whatever makes you happiest :D Don't overtthink it, especially not if James Elliot is a name you REALLY like and could see yourself answering to.
James Elliot sounds nice, and as Nate said, go with it if you like it. Why not? And how many people are going to know you had a dog with a similar name? You don't *necessarily* have to introduce yourself as "Hi, my name's James Elliot F******, I'm named after my dog." ;)
No, as Nate said, do what you want and forget what other people think, it's not their name. :) (And it really isn't a silly idea at all, either).
Well I picked a name first that had the same first letter as my birth name (which was Kaden) but realized that kaden didn't suit me, so I changed to what is actually my most favorite male name, James. James-Allen C.
Quote from: sneakersjay on August 18, 2008, 08:52:46 PM
Okay, so this is a really stupid question. I was registering for another website and had to come up with a user name. The one that popped into my head that was perfect was Jim Elliott. Which got me thinking maybe I should legally become James Elliott F****** instead of Jonathan Ellis...
My only hangup over the name is that I kinda sorta gave it to my dog a while back only in the reverse (elliott james).
Should I name myself after my dog???
Or is that so lame? I guess I really liked the name when I used it on the dog, not knowing that (at the time) that I surely COULD use it on myself.
Dopey Jay with a cockamamie idea...
Don't worry about it. Most people won't know that. And besides, Indiana Jones made his alias from his dog's name too, and look where it got him!
Arch is a pseudonym. I took my real name from my high-school alter ego, who was a character in a novel I was writing. We have different middle names, and he is known by the diminutive version of our first name (you know, shortened and with a -y ending), but the last name is exactly the same.
I tried out all sorts of different names. I wanted to keep my original last name at first, but it's so uncommon that it wasn't practical for someone who wanted to cut all ties with his family. For a little while, I wanted to return it to its original German version--slightly different spelling, with an umlaut (sounds a bit like what Elwood said). Then, I wanted to keep my initials, but the more I thought about it, the more I disliked the idea of retaining anything at all that my parents had given me. So I changed everything and took my old teenage name. It seemed the only reasonable choice. That name and that persona got me through high school and helped me to stay strong when my parents were making life difficult for me. Sometimes I would repeat it like a mantra.
The one thing I sorta forgot about is that the fictional character is so real to me that I could never change his name!
Wow, just realized I hadn't replied to this, finally, after reading it god knows how many times. I picked the male version of my female name and kept my last name. All of that was out of respect for my parents, who chose that name for me and I was always close to my dad (who died 6 years ago) and remain close to my mum.
I can see how people who are not as close to their parents would do something different, but that's why I chose it. And I chose my grandfather's name as my middle name.
Dennis
Quote from: sneakersjay on August 18, 2008, 08:52:46 PM
Okay, so this is a really stupid question. I was registering for another website and had to come up with a user name. The one that popped into my head that was perfect was Jim Elliott. Which got me thinking maybe I should legally become James Elliott F****** instead of Jonathan Ellis...
My only hangup over the name is that I kinda sorta gave it to my dog a while back only in the reverse (elliott james).
Should I name myself after my dog???
Or is that so lame? I guess I really liked the name when I used it on the dog, not knowing that (at the time) that I surely COULD use it on myself.
Dopey Jay with a cockamamie idea...
Depends how much you love your dog.
Posted on: August 20, 2008, 12:26:18 AM
I grabbed a baby book and started crossing out names I hated that started with the same letter as my birth name. Gradually, the list became shorter and shorter. When it got down to five, my girlfriend started using them to refer to me. I chose the only one I actually responded to involuntarily.
I picked my name which went closest to my birth name. I went from Laura Elizabeth to Lee Euan..
My dad is scottish and I wanted a scottish middle name so I chose Euan. Which I do really like!
I was hard to change the first name as I couldn't find one to suit me!
I have kept my last name!
I chose a more masculine version of my birth name out of respect to my mom. (It's Steffan. My screen name is from my father's name Leo)
The thought of choosing whichever name I like would be fun, but I dunno, maybe it's because I'm older now plus related family issues, but I feel like I have to show respect for not just my mom but for my living siblings as well.
Quote from: Lee on August 20, 2008, 11:05:39 PM
I chose a more masculine version of my birth name out of respect to my mom. (It's Steffan. My screen name is from my father's name Leo)
The thought of choosing whichever name I like would be fun, but I dunno, maybe it's because I'm older now plus related family issues, but I feel like I have to show respect for not just my mom but for my living siblings as well.
Yeah, that's why I'm going with Joseph Evan. Basically a masculination of my given name. Just don't call me Joe!!!
Jay
A lot of my friends have said I should be Elwood. But I already know that Dan's going far enough. I think my mom would completely (instead of just mostly) disown me if I named myself after a fictional character.
That's why my name is going to be Leland Joseph "Apollo" Adama. :P
Don't Google it. You'll regret it. :icon_shakefist:
You know, I feel bad that my first name was chosen just for me by my mom and my middle name by my grandmother...Even though I don't like either name, I felt like I should do something to honor that. I asked my mom what she would have named me had I been a boy and....it's my same name without the "a" at the end -.- It sounds almost exactly the same when you say it aloud. Pass.
My middle name is my grandma's name. I might keep it, sort of. Daniel J [Last Name].
My mom was all sobby and said, "I did that for my mom." I don't want to take that away from them. Maybe I'll name my daughter after her. I don't know. But seriously. I don't mean to take away a tribute or tradition. I feel kind of bad but a man can't be named "Jeanne."
Umm Jean Roddenbery was male
Ehh guess that was Gene but is close
Actually, Jean is a French male name. The difference is in the way you say it. Just food for thought.
Like Jean-Luc Picard! Of the USS Enterprise! There are four lights! ..-cough- [/nerdattack]
Quote from: gravitysrainbow on August 21, 2008, 01:53:03 AM
Like Jean-Luc Picard! Of the USS Enterprise! There are four lights! ..-cough- [/nerdattack]
If you say there are five lights I will let you go... ;D
But...truth is the guiding principle on which Starfleet is based! (I could do this all day.) But back on topic...today I had an awesome reaffirmation that my name is right for me. I haven't been hanging around a lot of people who use my name, and my parents have been using my birth name more than usual, to spite me. But I was feeling a little silly, and randomly started singing a song in my head, in the third person, and referred to myself as Michael without even thinking about it. It was something I really needed, because not being able to bind as much lately had gotten me down.
Yeh for me, it's that I haven't been going by this name real long but I automatically respond to it. Here was thinking probably have times where someone couldn't get my atention with my male name and have to go to my female, but it's been the opposit. They sometimes have trouble getting my attention using my female name and have to switch to my male one lol. Even in waking me up.
Quote from: Elwood on August 20, 2008, 11:17:40 PM
That's why my name is going to be Leland Joseph "Apollo" Adama. :P
Don't Google it. You'll regret it. :icon_shakefist:
Squee.
Quote from: Aiden on August 20, 2008, 11:46:44 PM
Umm Jean Roddenbery was male
Ehh guess that was Gene but is close
Right. But I'd have to change the spelling. Not to mention I just plain don't like it as a middle name... :/
Quote from: Aiden on August 21, 2008, 05:49:05 AM
Yeh for me, it's that I haven't been going by this name real long but I automatically respond to it. Here was thinking probably have times where someone couldn't get my atention with my male name and have to go to my female, but it's been the opposit. They sometimes have trouble getting my attention using my female name and have to switch to my male one lol. Even in waking me up.
Hah I thought I wouldn't be able to answer to my male name either! The first time I ever used it was a couple of weeks after I came out to myself and went to a GLBT support group.... I introduced myself as Nathan, and eventually later on they were asking how the new people heard about group... I'd totally spaced out when the question went to someone else and not me and my friend goes "oh, well Nathan brought me" and it brought me back to attention just as if she'd called me by my old name.
Sometimes it still feels weird that my friends are calling me Nate now but it makes me really happy so I'm not going to tell them to stop.
I went through a phase where I wanted to drop off the face of the earth so my first name change was so out of the norm. I felt it would have no reflection on my family which I felt would not ever accept me, so I could indeed disappear. Years later I found out that was wrong when my mom told me she knew and and asked me about it. I don't know if that was true because she only brought it up when she was trying to deposit money into an account and the teller said something to her.
Anyway, that was a short lived thing and luckly I lived in a state did not limit you to one name change like my birth state did. I have always been very proud of my heritage and done research on where my linage came from so I felt I was short changing myself and betrayed the family name by trying to loose my idenity. I sat down and researched some names and luckly I found a suitable name that adds one letter to my birth name (first name) and turns it male, but still is completely passable as a female name as its more common for females to have but if you google it, every instance of my spelling is 100% male. So first name solved. My middle name is male and changed completely from my birth name because I hated my middle name since the start. My middle name was picked because it was Gaelic and my whole family is from the UK on both sides and I have never known anybody with the name who was male, only females with the alt. spelling and I always liked the name. So I picked it and figured in my normal life (as a man) I am going to use my middle name and in my current job since I have not transitioned yet I will use my first name since it works for my situation. My last name is back to the family name again so I am happy.
Hope I did not confuse anybody, but I don't want to give much detail since I have not transitioned and right now I can't or even hint about it. Plus these forums can be read by anybody who pulls up the website and I don't need to draw any extra attention to myself or situation (cause we all know there are people out there that would take pleasure in making others lives bad). In a few years I plan to be more open about things because the situation changes drastically and I am finally free.
When I first started searching for a name I didn't really have any set criteria. I had decided to just find a name I liked even if it might seem a bit unusual given my heritage, though I did mainly look at Irish names at first. It took me quite some time to find it (I actually got it from a random name generator) and before I decided on it I'd been trying out some other names, though they just didn't feel right like the one I use now.
However, the name I'm going by now with family is very uncommon, so I've been considering choosing another name to use legally. I really like it and all, but perhaps it would be better for anonymity and safety reasons. I won't be changing my surname, though.
Quote from: trapthavok on August 21, 2008, 10:33:14 PM
Hah I thought I wouldn't be able to answer to my male name either! The first time I ever used it was a couple of weeks after I came out to myself and went to a GLBT support group.... I introduced myself as Nathan, and eventually later on they were asking how the new people heard about group... I'd totally spaced out when the question went to someone else and not me and my friend goes "oh, well Nathan brought me" and it brought me back to attention just as if she'd called me by my old name.
Sometimes it still feels weird that my friends are calling me Nate now but it makes me really happy so I'm not going to tell them to stop.
I haven't been going by my chosen name for very long but am already very accustomed to it and actually answer more readily when someone says it than I ever did with my old one.
I was joking around with my cousin last night, saying that I should name myself 'Jareth' after a movie character. And then we realized that it would probably fit me well... not that I'm like the character, but it seemed to fit with me I guess.
I don't know for sure. Jareth sounds like a cool name but my other choices sound pretty cool as well.
My friend told me something interesting in P.E. today. I haven't told anyone (but some teachers) that I'm transgendered yet, but still I have gotten many times from friends, and sometimes even people I don't know that I look like a guy. I've gotten 'mistaken' for a guy MANY times, I was surprised. But anyway, she told me that if I was a guy, my name should be Shane. It is a cool name, not my absolute favorite, but good. I think I'll add it to my list. If nothing else, I could use it as a middle name. (Also at some point she suggested [jokingly] that I should get a sex change because I look so much like a guy. If only she knew the half of it...)
Anyway, what do you guys think of the name Shane? (As middle or first name.)
Posted on: August 22, 2008, 11:13:20 PM
Quote from: Monty on August 22, 2008, 08:22:35 PM
I don't know for sure. Jareth sounds like a cool name but my other choices sound pretty cool as well.
If all else fails, you could name yourself Jared, it's similar, and a bit more common.
Am I the exception to the rule, here? I have had absolutely no conflict over my name. I feel no reason to change it if I go through transition.
My name is Lindsey. Lindsey is technically a unisex name (I know of a male senator called Lindsey, but I cannot for the life of me remember his last name), but by association it's largely a female name. But I don't care. Whether I'm a man or a woman, Lindsey is my name. It fits me like a glove, and I'm 100% totally comfortable with it.
Now, my middle name is Anne. I may have to do something about that. But my mom gave me her mother's middle name, and she passed away this spring. I miss her like hell and I would feel really bad about ditching her middle name. I could just keep my whole name and sign everything Lindsey A Surname. Besides, if I changed my middle name to be male, it'd be Alan, and there's already my dad and my brother with that middle name.
My last name can stay the same as well. It's a little awkward, pretty Germanic, and I always have to spell it for people. But once again.. it's my name.
Quote from: MontyI was joking around with my cousin last night, saying that I should name myself 'Jareth' after a movie character.
Dance, magic, dance!
Quote from: The_UnforgivenBut anyway, she told me that if I was a guy, my name should be Shane.
I love love love the name Shane. My favorite cousin's name is Shane. You sound like you could be a Shane, too. Even if just as a middle name.
My middle-name is the only one I want to change due to it being the only obviously 'female' one.
Sarah.
Never did like it.
I was going to change it to Philip, after my step-dad... but since their reaction wasn't very positive to my going on in my transition, I don't really want to anymore >_>
So I thought "What other people have been a big influence in my life?" and I settled on my fav tutors from my animation school. My first year tutor was Alanna, 2nd year was Brian and Amy, and 3rd year was Joseph.
I'm pretty keen to get my name changed to Kestin Alan Abrian Joseph Stewart. Abrian would be pronounced like Adrian.
Whaddya reckon? Okay yes, slightly epic having three middle-names... but I'd only ever use them all on official forms and such. Other places I'd just have it shortened to Kestin A.A.J Stewart or Kestin Stewart.
That's pretty cool, Kes. As long as you're sure you really and truly like those names enough for them to be yours. I have a fantastic English teacher, and in a fit of love I could change my name to Lindsey Michael Taylor Surname to commemorate him, but I might look back in a few years and think "what the hell?"
I'm very deliberate and wary about big decisions like legal names. I love the idea of having two or three middle names. But I wouldn't be too sure about naming myself after tutors or teachers. If you love the names for what they are, then definitely do it. It's your name, after all.
Slightly? :o Hahah. That's a loooooong name. But then again my wonderfulwonderful father gave me five names too. Can't wait to get rid of them all. Not such a fan of Kestin, I always read it Kirsten, but anyways, if you like them all, and can deal with having a million names, go for it!
Quote from: freespeechz on August 23, 2008, 02:03:43 AM
Not such a fan of Kestin, I always read it Kirsten....
>_>
I HATE when people call me Kirstin! Seriously, really, really do. It's pronounced Kes-tin., no R. Yet people in RL always assume I'm pronouncing my own name wrong!
GARGH! Bah humbug.
OK, I'm better now :)
RE: my middle-names, yeah I realize that it seems a bit odd to want to name myself after my teachers but they've all been a big part of my life and have been my only adult support during my transition when my own family hasn't. Not to mention its a speciality school and has only got limited places for students (bout 200) It feels more like a family to me than the one I grew up with.
Plus I like those names too, especially Abrian since its a little unusual.