The background and history of your name can be fun, telling and just nice to know.

Mine was a combination of wanting a name starting with a 'V', which my male name started with aswell. It felt more intrinsic choosing a new name with a V, the other side of the coin if you will. Vivien ended up being a unisex name that had becoming more of a female name in use as time passed which I found ironically fitting

Enjoying storytelling I found the history of the name fun to read about aswell:

~Vivian, Lady of the Lake~
http://www.thaliatook.com/AMGG/vivian.php

What got you to choose your (fictional) name?

Vivien

I liked the way mine sounded, but I didn't want to spell like the Eric Clapton song Layla, so I opted for Leila.

It turned out after I picked it, Leila means to be dark haired and born during the night. Both of which are true of me.

I actually decided on my new name when I was two. It almost makes me wonder if I had dysphoria even then, I just new my male name wasn't me.

I'll be keeping my name, it's androgynous. Contemplating changing the spelling to a more feminine one, though.

I created the name 'Gennee' because of the many Genevieves on some of the forums I subscribe to. I've always liked Genevieve because there's a regal sound to it.

Decided on Marcellow because my preferred name is Marcel and it's going to be my pseudonym everywhere. Even rapper name, maybe.

My chosen name is Karen; the name resonated with me, and just seems to fit. 

I would try on different names in my head from time to time... This one made me feel like a celtic warrior or something, but without sounding too crazy and like something my parents would never have named me.  It just sort of clicked. 

My birth name is really complicated for many people to pronounce properly as well as remember, so some of my friends just called me by the first letter: J. It stuck, and somewhere along the line I started using it in lieu of my birth name when introducing myself. It's kind of odd to just write 'J' as my name though, so I write it out as 'Jay'. I don't know if I'll legally change it to Jay though, since I do like my birth name (despite it lacking androgyny).

Names carry a deep significance for all of us, but especially those of us who get to choose!  I'm actually on my second chosen name (Sasha); I suspect I might get tired of it at some point too.  My identity is constantly evolving, and as time goes on, new names and titles keep on moving into my field of vision seeming ever and ever more desirable.  But I suppose that's just how we evolve!  I know the first time I choose, I wasn't ready to make any of the commitments I was making, and even now I have my doubts. 

I choose Sasha because it's a very androgynous name, not very common, and I think it suits a fashion/costume designer well, and that's my aspiration.  I didn't want to pick something that felt clunky, or overly feminine, and "aesthetically" I think it just feels very chic.  It suits who I am right now.  Although I know that's bound to change at some point!  It's a difficult thing, choosing a name, because it suddenly becomes the most visible part of your identity...and as your identity changes, the name stays the same.  So choosing is a very tricky task.  But for now, I think I make a good Sasha.  As for why...Oddly enough, it was from a song I heard when I was young, Games Without Frontiers by Peter Gabriel, it's an allegory for war...and he uses the name "Sasha" to represent Russia; I just always liked the way he said it, and given my Russian heritage it makes sense.  Besides, I share my name with a porn star, figure skater, and raunchy comedian.  If that's not fitting, I don't know what is!