I would like very much to change my very female name to a male one. My first thought for a name was Jaden and I quickly learned that's a pretty typical FTM name to choose so I dropped it. I wanted something that sounded like any other guy. The names I'm throwing around now in my head are Adrian, Alistair, Silas and Benjamin.

My favorite of them all is definitely Adrian but I'm afraid it's relation to names like Aiden make it another obvious name choice. What do you guys think? Are there a lot of trans Adrians?

Pick what YOU like. The only thing that might possibly call attention to a name is if it's something that isn't typical of the generation you were born. For example, I was born in the 80's. In the 80's names like James, Matthew, Michael, Jonathan, etc were popular. You really didn't encounter Ethan, Aiden, Jackson, Gabriel, or other names that are popular for boys being born in the last decade or so. Just take whatever name you're comfortable with though, since you're the one who has to live with it.

Aiden seems to be a really popular name in general which I suspect is why guys are inclined to adopt it when they transition. I haven't heard of many FTM Adrians but the name is usually pretty gender neutral. If you want something that sounds like any other guy's name, Benjamin is the most common out of all of those. Alistair and Silas certainly aren't very common names.

Quote from: Contravene on December 15, 2013, 04:09:08 PM
Alistair and Silas certainly aren't very common names.

Those are both very old names. I'm kinda partial to Silas.

Gotta go with Simon, pick something you can live with. I understand why you are asking this question, though. I can tell you, it's a little embarrassing having a stereotypical "ftm" name - I picked mine before it became really popular amongst trans men, but I'm honestly mortified when I see the bastardized spellings of my name popping up everywhere. I hate when people comment on my name because I feel like it might, in time, lead to people "spotting" me (which may be unfounded). But, as I see it, this is my name now and to pick a new one would be such a big hassle that I'm just going to suck it up.

I've heard of a few trans guys named Silas and Benjamin, actually - never met a cis guy named Silas, but I know enough Bens. I also second the other piece of advice from Simon, which is be aware of name trends in your generation and choose ones that guys your age would have.

Thanks for the fast replies guys. I'm not sure how accurate BehindTheName is, but according to it I was born midway up an incline in the use of Adrian. It's in the top 100 names for my birth year. I'm torn between wanting a name that just sounds cool and a name that's something my mother would have plausibly given me.

Quote from: caleb. on December 15, 2013, 04:34:36 PM
never met a cis guy named Silas

...and that's a fact Jack!

Quote from: Simon on December 15, 2013, 04:46:44 PM
...and that's a fact Jack!

LOL, touche my good man. I haven't met one IRL and in my age group. I know they exist though.

lol I only have a loose understanding of that show, but wow. I might end up going in another direction like Nathaniel or Joshua. Maybe make the 'cool' name the middle name so it doesn't come up much or something. I've got too many ideas and I realize my need to slow down and THINK.

I'm guilty of being an Aiden, but I didn't choose my name so I don't care if its overly typical.

I'd say make a list and then try (I did this too) signing your name. Sounds goofy but I've heard of a few guys doing that. A lot of guys change their names after a while if it doesn't click or so I've heard. You can try just going by one name a day and see which is comfortable.

I know a Kaden and Haydon, so although a lot of trans men seem to have those names, there are cis people out there with them too. We're only a small percentage of the population after all, so I doubt that even if we were all named one of those names that we'd be outed by it.
I definitely agree with picking something fairly common for your generation. A twenty year old "-ayden" isn't going to raise eyebrows, but a forty year old one might. It doesn't have to be in the top 3, but one that's heard of. That's if you just want to blend in of course.

Well Alex is pretty common trans name here, but I don't think it mind if it common or not. its not like cisguys never share name together? or people say "so Alex wow you must be trans then?"

Considering the vast number of male names available I'm surprised there's even one name that might be considered a stereotypical trans man name. That said, since joining this forum I've noticed a few female names being shared amongst the ladies. I didn't think of them as being stereotypical trans woman names, although I guess that exists too and I guess I have started thinking "wow, another xxxxxx?"

I totally am an alex because it is my dead cats name, and I wanted something of both genders, and there were several in my class with that name of cis boys.

No. Common trans names are: Aiden, Jayden, Kaden, Kade, Jace. I wouldn't pick those.

Are there any transguys that are just named Bob? That's always the first and most random name when I'm thinking about names to pop into my head. >.<

Too many Bobs in my life. I like the name I have, it found me.

My friends cousins name is Silas. He was born after 1990. Though there is no typical name is there? Choose what you like best! You have to live with it. Does it really matter how many people have the name? It's not like your friends/family and peers are going to take some sort of poll and be like HAH ! You know what I mean? Happy name hunting!!

In my city, I've known at least two trans Adrians IRL--and I'm not sure whether I've run into any here on Susan's. In my own mind, I tend to place that name in the same camp as Aiden, Jaden, Caiden, and...well, you get the picture. The thing is, some trans names seem very trans to a lot of us because we have seen young trans guys adopt them, but what if those names are popular, period? Among younger people, I mean. We older guys don't tend to spend much time with younger cis guys, I think, so we might not be aware of the more popular names in the most recent generation of kids.

With that said, I am a college prof at two different schools, and I have never run into any Jadens or Caidens. I might have had one Aiden, but I don't think so. I don't remember whether I've had a student named Adrian.

I figure that if you like a name and it doesn't have any weird connotations (for example, I wouldn't recommend Othello or Launcelot, ), then go for it.

I think that when you spend a lot of time in trans communities and talking to trans people it's easy to notice trends, but out in the general public I really don't think anyone will hear any name and think 'Oh that's a trans name''. I've seen estimates that there are anywhere from 1 in 25,000 to 1 in 100,000 FTMs in the general population so for most cis people you meet you may be the only trans person they have met.

I think that you have to go with what you want because it's mostly you who has to live with the name. Whatever name you pick you can be pretty sure that there will be more cis guys with that name than trans guys.

My (current) chosen name, Nikolai, wasn't common at all when I was born but it seems like the kind of thing my parent's would have chosen anyway. I mean, they were pretty close to naming my brother Zigmund and call our dog Chauncey.