My first name, Christopher, is a male version of my unisex given name. I chose it mostly because it was close enough for comfort, and far enough not to make me gag like my given name does. (My mom always fusses because she says I should be okay with my given name, since it's not just for girls... despite only girls having it in my town XD)

I was going to try keeping my initials (CLB), but the middle name "Louis" never seemed to really fit. It was the only "L" name I could find that I liked, really. I don't remember where Silas came from, I think maybe from this conversation:

My friend: "Hey, Uncle! This is my friend, [given name]."
Uncle: "Oh, really? Neat! I have a brother named [My given name] Silas. "
Me: "That name is awesome. 8D"
My friend: "Uhm... you know she's a girl, right?"
Uncle & Me: "O.o What?"

I kinda just adopted it a few months later. XD And my other middle name, Ian, came from typing my given name and my last name in computer class, and the bar would only show "ian.[last name]". I hate it, but it fits.

Fitting is important. You can look through all the name books you want, try on every name you can, ask your parents and friends and other assorted loved ones, but if you don't feel like the name *fits*, I'd say don't use it. Something you're comfortable with and feels like you. 

I went through quite a few before I decided on mine. I picked based on names that I liked but that I also could shorten if need be. Ash is a pretty gender neutral short form so Ashlyn worked good for me.

I brainstormed alone and only thought of some names that didn't stick for a long time.

So then I brainstormed again with my girlfriend and just stopped when we hit one that just sounded and felt right for me

I chose Annah because it was the name of the girl I created in my mind that I always wanted to be. Gosh, I've had that gal in my thoughts since I was 4!

Most people I have known usually choose a name that closer resembles their birth given name. For some very odd reason, my enitre life, I Hated my
real name with a passion. When I bought all my girls clothes and dressed up someone asked me what is your girl name going to be
and I said, "sh** I haven't thought about it!!" I had a Myspace name which was a play on words of my real name but it was for example
the 'opposite' of my name. The example is my name was like a term that sounded like "No" so I had the name sounding like the word
"Yeah". Suddenly I decided that is what is going to be my name- and dammit I never liked that one after all anyways.

Ended up legally changing my name permanently before ever realizing I would rather have something cuter. Luckily made it my middle name
and at the time made my 1st name an androgynous name that worked at the time when I switched I had gone back into boy mode for a while.
Now I have somewhat of a boy name and although it is cute, I would rather have something more feminine than what it is which is Skyler Kay
but my whole family would kick my ass for changing it again because they were a bit annoyed when I changed it the 1st time. Probably one day I will do it anyways for now I am stuck as this ;P o well

I just picked mine because it's pretty

my grandmother agrees! 

Quote from: EmilyElizabeth on June 22, 2011, 01:11:53 AM
I just picked mine because it's pretty

my grandmother agrees! 

I agree too!   Actually, I've agreed for 17 years.  My last year of high school and all through college, I dated a girl whose younger sister was named Emily Elizabeth.  Even back then I thought it was a beautiful name.

I didn't like feminine versions of my male name. Joan Davina did not sit well with me since Davina was a name bullies used when I was growing up.
I used to go by Ariel Michelle, 2 names I still love.  But my SO kept saying it reminded her of the Little Mermaid.
After looking though countless baby names I came across a little-used one which just really spoke to me. Keaira.  Its Gaelic which honors my father for his support. And Elisabeth, which is for my mother who is also very supportive.  It's the German version of Elizabeth, since my mum is German. And my Dad is Scottish.
But, Keaira also means ' little dark one', which I think was perfect since I am kind of the black sheep in the family

Hello everybody

I use Alex which is the shortened version of my name. It is a name that can be used by a male or female which i like.

I sort of always liked "Kimberly" as a name, and it sounds good with my last name. I wanted to be a little more unique  than that without being too oddball, so I chose "Kimber" which is a somewhat common variation. Luckily, my middle name's "Lee", which is pretty gender-neutral itself. I could use "Kimber Lee" or "Kimber" if I wanted, but I tend to shorten it to "Kim" or even "Kimmie"

My advice is to play with the language a little bit without being too conspicuous. Not a lot of people have to chance to choose their name. Might as well have a little fun with it, I suppose.

I chose Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and any and all interpretations of it since.  There are so many hidden messages and meanings that anybody could tweak and make true to themselves.  A few of my favorites are:

"We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."

"I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then."

"If everybody minded their own business, the world would go around a great deal faster than it does."

and this one speaks to me a little differently,

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?". 

There was no answer to this riddle, just like there are no answers to life.

That is why I chose the name Alice.  It has meaning to me.

I'm lucky, my name works for both male and female.

I think I have the name I want, though there is a tiny bit of doubt there as one other name is really nice too, but it was the name of one of my characters from a story I wrote.

note, the name isn't Hikari, though that is a fine name too, which means "light" in Japanese. I am not Asian though so I am only looking at traditionally western names.

If it is able to do without much work I intend to changing my last name too, to gain a bit of distance between me and my family, I have never been close to them. The last name I picked is also a normal last name and starts with the same letter as my current one, just in case I can't change it in my state easily, I won't throw the initials off.