I change only my first name.  never had a midle name so no problem there.

Only my first name.  Its a hassle to change last names on this part of the world.  Too expensive and too much of a headache.

Like most of you, I had decided when changing my gender I should take on a totally new name as well. My mother hasn't liked it, and she mocks at me at times by calling me by my full feminine name. I felt like a butterfly coming out and since I was being recreated, I found that a entirely new name was necessary.

She actually tells me that when I die and am standing in front of the pearly gates, that God won't know me because he knew my 'male' name before I was born, and so if I'm appearing before Him as a femiale, he won't know who I am. But then I had to stop and think; what about all the actors that have changed their names?

Gina 

I did, for I grew to detest my male legal name.

I detested the name in general, but specifically the surname, because,

--It represented a [psychological] 'tie to my past'. This could not be tolerated.

--I wanted a fresh start in my new life.

--I was named after my father. Without going into detail, I had a serious problem with this.

--Family has for the most part, rejected me - on the basis of a birth defect - but they did not do so with my younger brother, who was born with epilepsy. Neither have they troubled themselves to learn and understand what I have had to suffer hideously through for most of my life, whereas friends and others, have fully accepted me.
I want [excepting Mom or my one younger brother] nothing to do with them, nor do I wish to be affiliated with them. 

Rhonda Courtney Wallace, A&P, R&E - and proud of it.

I know how you feel Rhonda. The past is best left exactly there. In the past

Quote from: gina_taylor on May 25, 2007, 05:56:35 AM
She actually tells me that when I die and am standing in front of the pearly gates, that God won't know me because he knew my 'male' name before I was born, and so if I'm appearing before Him as a femiale, he won't know who I am. But then I had to stop and think; what about all the actors that have changed their names?

Isaiah 41:9; 43:6-7; 1 Peter 2:9

Quote from: gina_taylor on May 25, 2007, 05:56:35 AM
Like most of you, I had decided when changing my gender I should take on a totally new name as well. My mother hasn't liked it, and she mocks at me at times by calling me by my full feminine name. I felt like a butterfly coming out and since I was being recreated, I found that a entirely new name was necessary.

She actually tells me that when I die and am standing in front of the pearly gates, that God won't know me because he knew my 'male' name before I was born, and so if I'm appearing before Him as a femiale, he won't know who I am. But then I had to stop and think; what about all the actors that have changed their names?

Gina 

I think not. The interpretation is egregiously flawed.

It would imply that God is not omniscient, which is an essential attribute.

Matthew 10:30,31; John 2:25.

"Pearly Gates"? I think not.

Please. 

Quote from: rhonda13000 on May 25, 2007, 06:49:15 AM
I did, for I grew to detest my male legal name.

I detested the name in general, but specifically the surname, because,

--It represented a [psychological] 'tie to my past'. This could not be tolerated.

--I wanted a fresh start in my new life.

Rhonda Courtney Wallace, A&P, R&E - and proud of it.

I agree 100 % with what Rhonda has said here. On a side note, if I go start living full time, I too will be disowned, and it could be detrimental, due to my need for medicine.

Gina 

No

If i would have been given an androgynous name at birth i probably would have left it alone. since Jason isn't the most feminine of names I knew I would have to change it. when I was under the impression hat I was only a cross-dresser (believe that one?) the name I used was Destiny Fairchild. When I was doing my rounds of telling people I am a transsexual and going to live as a woman they asked me about my name. When I told them the name I was using at that time they all gave me the same reaction, "Dude, that sounds like a stripper/hooker/drag queen name." that pretty much made it abundantly clear that Destiny Fairchild was not going to be my new moniker for life.

I went online and did research on the meaning of names. I had a list of names that i was contemplating using. What made me settle for Renae is the meaning behind it. In the spelling of Renae, not Renee, (same sound, different meanings) means to start over or be born again. That is how I ended up being Renae Lupini. yea, I kept the surname. I really saw no need for a new last name and I dropped the middle name. All they are good for is memorialized dead relatives or emphasizing how much trouble a child is in.

I am keeping my surname.  It's been mine for almost five decades now, and I've become rather attached to it. 

Chaunte

My family would have disowned me The answer is no I didn't.

Quote from: Jeannette on May 27, 2007, 12:30:46 AM
My family would have disowned me The answer is no I didn't.

Interesting. Yours made me wonder about an aspect of this that I had not thought of.

In any case, it would have been immaterial to me, but I wonder how [or even if] 'family' would have reacted if I elected to retain my birth surname?

Are they have been grateful for my having elected to change it, or are they insulted for my refusal to retain it?

But in any case I seem to be at a loss for........let me think here.........CONCERN!

Yes, that's it! 

The whole "disowned by the family" thing was definitely on the top of my mind when I decided it wasn't worth changing my surname.

Given some time though, and being able to see that my family would have reacted the way they did no matter what my name was changed to, I have definitely changed my opinion on this. Legally, where I live I can only change my name once every year, so I am definitely considering heading down to the registry on the anniversary of my first name change to have my surname changed as well.

What to change it to, though? I briefly considered changing it to my mother's maiden name, but aside from getting half of my family even more annoyed at me it's not really the most appropriate surname (it's Welsh, and approximately 15 letters in length, going from a six letter surname it's something I am not going to deal with well). And also on my list is my previous middle name, for which it has been tradition on my fathers side of the family for the first born male child to be named for the last 200 years. Which would at least make it clear that I'm not giving the finger towards my family history to the people closest to me, if it does happen.

How did those who have changed their surname decide on what to change it to? I'm interested to hear how you came to your decision, because at the moment I have no idea what my decision will be.

Megan

I chose the last name I have chosen (I hope I can afford to change it by the end of the summer...) because it was the maiden name of my great-grandmother and I wanted to show a respect to her that was never given to her in life.

wow tay, thats kinda what i was gonna say. i am thinking of changing my last name to my grandmother's maiden name...because i really like it, and i have discussed it somewhat with my dad..he is noncommital, but has told me a few times that he doesnt have any attachement to my given names...he sometimes..(rarely) calles me Lyra..but i have a pretty good relationship with him, and i consider myself lucky.

I only changed my first and middle. I have been Deborah for 14 years now.

i don't feel that my surname is representative of my family...i may consider changing both, to completely take control of my own self.

Me?  No..... Beverly is my actual middle name.  As a child and teen, I hated revealing that name, but now, I use it as my first name, and use a feminized version of my first name as a middle name.  Have I strayed sufficiently from the question at hand?  No, I kept my surname.

Beverly Michelle

I don't think I'll change it.

My last name is french, brought over by my great grandfather or his father. However, the pronunciation was americanized (to a degree, most americans pronounce the 'americanization' horribly off) and the family has gone by that for decades.

After an exceptionally grotesque butchering of the pronunciation at my new job, repeated a dozen times by a lady trying to help me after I corrected her 3 times, I've decided to just give that up use the proper pronunciation. Most of my friends have told me I should do that anyway. It sounds classy. It felt very weird when I used it the first time without the stipulation of "Well, it should be x, but we say y", almost like I'd tripped over my tongue.

edit: That is to say, the next time I was asked my name at the job I gave the proper pronunciation and will continue as I meet new people.