Changing Given Name? (Rachelle Mireille)

Writers' Corner
1

I’m not certain this is the correct place to post this; however, I figure you’re a good group to get opinions from.

My name is [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f] [name_f]Mireille[/name_f] Unusual-three-syllable-[name_m]French[/name_m]-surname-beginning-with-G. I’m 28. My birth father is [name_m]French[/name_m] (a Quebecois), but I do not speak [name_m]French[/name_m]. I may eventually add my partner’s surname to my name. It sounds similar to [name_f]Emily[/name_f] but is stronger-sounding and more androgynous.

I’m not sure how I feel about my first name. [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f] (pronounced [name_m]Ra[/name_m]-[name_u]SHELL[/name_u] [the first part is something between a “rah” and “ruh” sound]) has always been the name I’ve gone by, so it feels “right” in that way, but I’m not certain it suits me. It may just be that I simply don’t like it anymore because it’s outdated, time-bound, and not altogether uncommon in the area to which I’ve relocated. Moreover, I love names with history and depth. My partner is [name_u]James[/name_u] [name_m]Andrew[/name_m] (he goes by [name_m]Andrew[/name_m]) and our daughter is [name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f]. In a sense I feel my '70s/'80s “[name_f]Rachelle[/name_f]” is out of place with [name_m]Andrew[/name_m] and [name_f]Alice[/name_f]. There is a sort of gentleness about these three names that unites them, though.

I’ve always been [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f]. My mother is proud of my name, so that pride rubbed off on me for most my life. I continue to have a mild appreciation for the “pure/ewe” meaning of [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f]. I haven’t had any well-established or broadly-used nicknames. I’ve gone by “[name_f]Ella[/name_f] Minnow Pea” on the Internet, but only one person has called me [name_f]Ella[/name_f], and it’s not a name I’m too fond of, particularly due to its recent surge in, and fading, popularity. I’m not sure how I feel about [name_f]Elle[/name_f], which is an intuitive nickname for [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f]. I do not care for [name_f]Chelle[/name_f] or [name_u]Shelly[/name_u]. My partner sometimes calls me [name_f]Roxy[/name_f], but this isn’t something I’m attached to or would like to be called by everyone.

I haven’t flirted with the idea of using [name_f]Mireille[/name_f] as my first name until recently. I’ve always considered my middle name to be special and unique (although it isn’t as rare in the nearby [name_m]French[/name_m] community where I live now). I like its history and literary associations. As a first name, I worry about its ease of use, approachability, and pronunciation. (I feel [name_f]Elle[/name_f] is more friendly-sounding, approachable and down-to-earth than [name_f]Mireille[/name_f], for example.) The initial pronunciation of [name_f]Mireille[/name_f] has been brutalized by the English speakers I’ve encountered. Perhaps [name_f]Mireille[/name_f] [name_m]Enos[/name_m]’ popularity will promote its correct pronunciation? Besides the rolling R [name_m]French[/name_m] pronunciation, it’s generally pronounced mee-[name_u]RAY[/name_u] or meer-AY. I like the more subtle meer-AY. To be honest, I’m not sure I’m brave enough to use this name. It feels a bit “showy” or pretentious, if that makes sense. I’d likely feel embarrassed to introduce myself as [name_f]Mireille[/name_f], but that may simply be because I’ve been [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f] for 28 years.

In any case, I’m not looking to make a legal name change. I just want to go by a name that has a good fit, you know?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the thoughts I’ve spilled here. What do you think of my name(s), nickname possibilities, the whole business of name changing, et cetera?

I look forward to your feedback!

2

Well, this isn’t the proper place to post this, but you have so much good content that I’m not going to complain too much :wink:

I can see what you mean by [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f] not fitting you, especially with your partner’s/daughter’s name. I’m tempted to say that you should find a [name_m]French[/name_m] name that begins with A, because if you’re going to have a conscious choice in your name you might as well make it match. [name_f]Anabelle[/name_f]/[name_f]Anabella[/name_f], maybe? You still get [name_f]Elle[/name_f]/[name_f]Ella[/name_f], but a softer name that fits better with your family.

Personally, I love [name_f]Roxanne[/name_f]/[name_f]Roxanna[/name_f] as a name. I think it’s beautiful and fascinating, and in your case it’s close enough to [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f] for those around you to make the switch. If you don’t want anyone but your partner to call you [name_f]Roxy[/name_f], you simply tell them that it’s [name_f]Roxanne[/name_f]. I know a [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] who never goes by [name_m]Jake[/name_m], and corrects everyone who calls him that. It’s not nearly as big of a deal as people make it out to be.

As far as [name_f]Mireille[/name_f] goes, I think it’s an awesome name, and it would only be weird the first few weeks of introducing yourself as it.

I’m not sure if this was helpful or what you’re looking for, but I tried. :slight_smile:

3

Admittedly, I didn’t know how to pronounce the name [name_f]Mireille[/name_f] the first time I saw it - that was on a nameberry blog some time ago. Then I googled it. And that was that. So yeah, you might have to explain the pronunciation to people, but once you do, they’ll get it. No big deal. And I personally think it’s a great name :slight_smile:

Oter than that, celianne pretty much took the words of my mouth, haha. Sorry if this was no help.

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Thank you kindly for your responses, even though I’ve clearly posted in the wrong place!

I haven’t really thought about my feelings on the name [name_f]Roxanne[/name_f] before. I’ll read up on the name, but I don’t think it’s a handle I’d wear well. I have non-blood relatives named [name_f]Roxanne[/name_f] and [name_f]Annabelle[/name_f], so these names are not really appropriate for me.

Since you’re writers, what kind of character is an [name_f]Elle[/name_f]?

5

My feeling is that a name change at this point in your life is a) not going to stick with your family and friends and b) will probably never seem quite right. The only time I feel like name changes work is when you are making a major life change/relocation. I’ve known some people who’ve been able to switch to a new nickname or their middle name when going off to college in a new state or when moving to a new town to start your first job. [name_f]One[/name_f] of my good friends in college was [name_f]Rianna[/name_f], who really didn’t like her name, so when she moved to a new place for her first job after school, she introduced herself as [name_f]Corinne[/name_f] (her middle name). Everybody there calls her [name_f]Corinne[/name_f], and she changed her facebook name to “R. [name_f]Corinne[/name_f]” but I don’t think I’ll every be able to think of her as anything but [name_f]Rianna[/name_f].

You might have some success with switch to [name_f]Rachel[/name_f] or [name_f]Mireille[/name_f], but it will probably be an uphill battle.

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[name_u]True[/name_u]. My aunt’s stepson added a middle name to his name, which he’s calls himself by. But I can’t think of him anything else than his first name, and I’ve never called him [name_m]David[/name_m], as he prefers. So if you want your family to call your for any other name, it’s going to be a battle - a tough one. Especially if your mother loves [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f] - she’s probably not going to call you by anything else than that.

7

Writing doesn’t work that way :wink:

8

So true. Ha.

However, my first thought for the name [name_f]Elle[/name_f] is a young girl, somewhere between the ages of 10 and 25, with long straight hair, a long but pretty face, and a shy but flirty disposition.

Also, you could probably get away with [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] too. I think that this fits you more than [name_f]Elle[/name_f] or [name_f]Ella[/name_f]; [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] has a more vintage feel to me.

9

My aunt is named [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f] (I think she spells it [name_f]Richelle[/name_f], but it’s pronounced the same) and she goes by [name_u]Shelly[/name_u], all the time. [name_m]Lord[/name_m] help the person who calls her [name_f]Richelle[/name_f]. I think you need to go by what you’re comfortable with, and if after 28 years you’re still not fully comfortable with [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f] then searching for something that feels better may be what you need.

I disagree that a name change at this point will neither stick with your family nor seem right. I have a friend who, at age 22-23, changed her name from [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] to [name_f]Nia[/name_f] for personal reasons, and although it took her family and pre-name change friends (which is almost everyone who knows her, since she’s just turning 24 this year) a while they all call her [name_f]Nia[/name_f], even her parents. And she says she feels more like a [name_f]Nia[/name_f] than she ever felt like a [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f].

I agree with your assessment of [name_f]Mireille[/name_f] - if you live in the U.S. most Americans will mangle it. Plus you don’t seem to feel that it’s “you”.

There is the option of going by [name_f]Rachel[/name_f] - you don’t even have to necessarily change the spelling, as many Americans will assume that [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f] is pronounced [name_f]Rachel[/name_f] anyway (although not all). There’s also [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f].

I think [name_f]Elle[/name_f] and [name_f]Ella[/name_f] both go really well with [name_f]Alice[/name_f] and [name_m]Andrew[/name_m], and both have at least a weak connection to both [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f] and [name_f]Mireille[/name_f]. And although [name_f]Ella[/name_f] is popular for small children now, it’s not popular in our age group. It won’t matter if there are a bunch of toddler Ellas running around; there are fewer Ellas in their late 20s and early 30s.

I also just wanted to comment that [name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_f]Cordelia[/name_f] is SO beautiful.

10

Thank you so much for all your feedback. You’ve given me a lot to think about.

I’ll have to ponder [name_f]Ellie[/name_f]. I suppose I’ve always considered this name more youthful than [name_f]Elle[/name_f], and even [name_f]Ella[/name_f]. As a petite, young-looking, playful woman, I’m not too keen on making myself seem even younger…

I’ve considered [name_f]Rachel[/name_f]. I’m lukewarm on this name. I like that it’s classic; however, its “[name_u]Ray[/name_u]” beginning bugs me ever so slightly. I’ve likely been socialized by my mother to be bothered by this name because she always corrected people if they pronounced [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f] “[name_f]Rachel[/name_f]”!