It was the name of this girl I thought was beautiful when I was still in denial and trying to be a straight man.

Then I realized that I actually want to be her. 

I had several names I liked, picked from baby name websites.  I then researched which ones were used when I was born, thought the SSI name index.  Ultimately, I decided on a feminized version of my current legal middle name.  My family has had several variations of Al's and I wanted to keep that up, but I prefer the Ah-Lawn-a pronunciation.  Alana, isn't a common name, but it's use in my birth year was on the increase and is in the top 400 names. 

Likewise, I have an aunt Jane and think it goes well with my new first name, and reversing my initials from JA to AJ. 

-Alana

About three months before I realised I was trans, I was talking with some fellow classmates of mine and we were jokingly discussing what our names would be in the opposite gender (based on closeness to our existing names). I couldn't really think of any names close to mine aside from Aaron, which I didn't think suited me, but then one of my closer friends suggested Andrew and I loved it. Little did I know that six months later, it'd be my legal name! So now my first & middle names are Andrew Michael, both very similar names to my birth name. After already deciding on Andrew, I looked it up, and it turns out it means "man" or "warrior," from Greek origins. Guess I sure know how to pick 'em!

As a boy (especially) and later as an adult I have been uncomfortable with my middle name and have avoided letting people, except wife and immediate family, know it as it is typically viewed as a girl's name (Allison). However, if I could transition I might actually like it as my name.

When I had long hair as a teenager my grandfather would jokingly refer to me as "Collina" (Col-een-a) and my girlfriend's name around that time was Nicole.  Naturally, my middle name being Cole made things very easy; Nicole.  I'm not sure if I could play around with my first name as that would just be way too easy.

I took the name my older sister gave me at age 3 and then teased me about forever.  She was not amused to have 8 brothers and, somehow  , identified me as the one most likely to be a girl.  I have almost no recall of those early years and, when I came out, I called her and talked about repressing those memories.  After therapy i was able to recall a few times we had played together and told her so.  She replied 'Oh Jimmy we played like that for years.' 

I have my former first name as a middle name to honor all of my long life and honestly, because being transgender is the truth about me.  I have been nicely accepted as Tessa James in our community and, as I transition, find i use the middle name less often.  My five sisters inducted me into the family sisterhood when I returned home for our annual gathering.  I just cried it felt so good.

Quote from: Tessa James on February 01, 2015, 12:44:19 PM
I took the name my older sister gave me at age 3 and then teased me about forever.  She was not amused to have 8 brothers and, somehow  , identified me as the one most likely to be a girl.  I have almost no recall of those early years and, when I came out, I called her and talked about repressing those memories.  After therapy i was able to recall a few times we had played together and told her so.  She replied 'Oh Jimmy we played like that for years.' 

I have my former first name as a middle name to honor all of my long life and honestly, because being transgender is the truth about me.  I have been nicely accepted as Tessa James in our community and, as I transition, find i use the middle name less often.  My five sisters inducted me into the family sisterhood when I returned home for our annual gathering.  I just cried it felt so good.

I really like that you kept your middle name.  I've often thought about doing the same but with my first name.  Romin Nicole.  It really isn't that bad and I use my first name for business, middle name for social/friends/family.  Keeps things simple.

For me it wasn't much different than picking a baby name. I did try to choose a male version of one of my female names (I had a few nicknames derived from my old first and middle names), but I had too much shame associated with them so I had to go with different letters and sounds. I made lists and settled on something that just felt good. I kinda wish I had picked something more common, but my main problem is the last name I chose for my daughter when I was a teenager, and I feel it would be disingenuous to change that part now.

Do what feels right and just plow through the reactions until you own it.

The joy of gender-neutral first names!

Alaric comes from a book and TV series I've been watching for some time, called the Vampire Diaries.

Alaric is one of my favourite characters, and that helped with the naming process ... but in the story, he's had a rough ride. He had his problems and he soldiered through them, more recently being forced to live and behave like something he didn't want to be. That he cares deeply for his friends despite all that and remains strong for the sake of others is what draws me to him. To me, the name is more like a vow or a promise. I can be strong, and I will be strong, both for myself and for my friends.

That's the story of my name, anyway.

Cheers!
Alaric

Well, when I came out to my internet friends, one over in the UK almost immediately called me "Julia Francis". I liked Julia, but Francis was my ex's mom's name  I chose Marie for a new middle name...not even sure where it came from. Found out after the fact that it's my fiancee's mom's middle name too    but by that point it had already stuck.

I picked Marissa because it was the name of a character  in a short story, plus its a name I always liked. I picked Grace as a middle name because my birthday is close to Thanksgiving, and it was the first Thanksgiving related name I  thought of.

This was very simple for me. Growing up my whole life I've always liked the name "Sam". I had a crush on 3 girls, all named Sam. So Naturally once I started thinking I was a trans, this was the first name that popped into my head. So Samantha is my future name to be. Simply cannot wait for people to call Sammi, Sam or Samantha. I just feel all tingly when I think about it. Soon.

i chose a name that was quite similar to my birth name, so that it wouldn't be that hard for others (or me) to switch when i come out. i've also always liked the name, so it was a win-win, i guess. plus i think it suits me well.

Quote from: QuestioningEverything on August 21, 2014, 05:43:02 PM
I'm trying to figure out what my female name should be and I'm just drawing a blank no one name is really sticking out to me. I keep thinking of names i like but none of them really feel like a good fit.  I kind of feel like i should have a name before I start hrt.  How did you guys and gals pick your new name?

I chose Serenity Faith because it spoke to me. The Serenity prayer has always given me strength and well, faith. Choose a title for yourself that speaks to your heart!! not what you feel others will perceive you best with how you feel inside will shine out. Thats what ppl truly see. <3

At  17 I knew I didn't fit the female mold like most of my friends but I didn't think yet of myself as trans*. I just knew I was sick of my old name, partly because several people got it wrong early in high school. I don't think I was searching for a substitute but I liked several dramas in which John Does would appear requently. Having typical teenage low self-esteem that seemed perfect for me, a nobody. When I considered the female version, Jane Doe, that felt quite wrong. I thought the male name would be too much hassle but I kept the initials and my gender-neutral name was found even before I knew I was agender.

I went through a list of about 50 first names, that I narrowed down by things like "Is shortened to ____", "is associated with ____", and "Can be misspelled frequently as _____" until I finally came to Taius, and something clicked. I love Tai, and I love Taius, it's the perfect name for me and I can't even explain why. It just...is.

As for my last name, I've always been obsessed with the name Quinn. Something in it just...sounds so fitting for me, and I have no idea what.  But I knew I did not want to keep my family name, since there's been some horrific history involved with it.

I can't wait to legally change my name, but for now I go by Tai with all of my friends and acquaintances.

Where i grew up in L.A. long time ago there was a female news reporter with this name.  I had both a man/girl crush on her.


And added the sofia as omg it is about the most feminine sounding name ever to me, just had to!

And here I am


Tawni

I was trying to think of a first name I liked, woke up one morning and glanced at my bookshelf, and saw a Dean Koontz book there, immediately fell in love with the name. Julian, my new middle name, just has this charm to it that I like

I always liked the name Mariah and I'm not really sure why other than it felt like it fit and it does like a glove. My middle name was a result of my reading a book and then finding out about that name. I hadn't given much consideration to it tell that point.
Mariah