I have always loved the name Heather. It sounds lyrical to me and I love the way it sounds when spoken. No other reason.

Thanks to the responses here and in the other thread, I think I am going to use Artesia Claire, Tessa for short.  It just sounds so good, and has been on the top of my list of names that I would want for a while.

If anyone knows how to change the forum name, please let me know, as I would rather use Tessa or Artesia for my forum name rather than what I am currently using.

That name sounds awesome! I'm a bit jealous  .

Hopefully someone can assist you there. I'd like to know myself.

Congrats on the new name!

I've been trying to figure out names too. I want Hugh as a first name... it started that I 'borrowed' the name from a fiction character of mine to publish a short story under a different pen name. I've really liked it though. And a gender neutral middle name of my current female name. I'd like that in there for historical reasons and for transition. And a third name because otherwise my first initials are H.R. and who wants that?   Thinking the third name will start with C.

Talking through some of this stuff with my therapist, really interesting stuff so far. I was thinking to get people to call me by the neutral R name during transition and then Hugh. My counsellor thinks I should be called what I want be called, across the board, pen names, legal names, etc. So his vote's for Hugh, lol.

I used Lordvalantis, because it was a character I liked in a game I used to play.  Seeing Artesia on the side near my posts is.......relaxing, that's not right....It feels good, I can't explain it.  I like it, it feels more like me now.

Thank you Dena!

My wife picked the name Brenda. she said I look and act like a Brenda, whatever that means! I always liked the name Connie, but Brenda is ok too.

I did think of a name. Unfortunately it's the name of my "in-laws" dog as well as other people. Or was. I heard he just died. I don't have an issue but it'd probably be weird conjuring memories of their dog every time they talk to me.

It's not far off the sound of my original name, so it doesn't feel that weird. I do feel in two minds still as to if I should change name. I think I probably will, just because why not. People who know me don't have to call me it, I've already got several monikers used IRL by people who met me online and then for real, some of them want to keep using online handles because they're just used to it or whatever. Like nicknames. I might just change it because I feel like something needs to mark my change. Don't want to make a big deal really, but something personal to mark it does feel appropriate and a name change is pretty personal.