I’m not talking about going by your middle name, or calling yourself [name]Liz[/name] if your middle is [name]Elizabeth[/name]. Or even like a [name]Hannah[/name] going by [name]Grace[/name] (which is the meaning its meaning). I know a [name]Michael[/name] [name]Alexander[/name] who goes by [name]Eddy[/name]. His last name also has nothing to do with the nickname [name]Eddy[/name].
I’m a teen and have disliked my name for almost ten years, and my parents won’t let me change it legally. I don’t really like my middle, [name]Rebecca[/name]; I think it is too common for me, as I have friends named that and none of the nicknames really appeal to me. However, my family and I are negotiating on me going by a different name that isn’t my first or middle name when I transfer schools next year.
What are your opinions on going by a name that has nothing to do with any of the names of the person? When is it acceptable to go by a completely unrelated name?
What do you think of going by your last name/nickname of your last name (My uncle’s name is [name]Leslie[/name] and he goes by a more manly diminuitive of his last name)? I have a last name that can easily be deduced into some spunky nicknames.
Yep, this is a very common thing in my mother’s side of the family.
My Grandfather goes by [name]Jim[/name]/[name]James[/name], his birthname has NOTHING to do with [name]James[/name], nor the letter J. Neither does his middle. No meaning connections nothing.
I have a cousin, [name]Grace[/name], her birthname is Annikia. Her sister [name]Tash[/name] is a [name]Joan[/name], her sister [name]Shannon[/name] is something unrelated as well. My great-auntie Vel is a [name]Hyacinth[/name]. I do think it’s a bit odd, but in your case you don’t like your names, so go for it.
I say go for it, the last name thing is cute. I thought of than for myself, my father’s surname is a very well known, short boys name that has a unisex nickname.
I know two people who go by a name that has nothing to do with their given names. [name]Both[/name] are childhood nicknames that stuck. I think people are always surprised to find out what their names actually are, since they’re so different than what they’re known by, but it’s not a big deal.
Go for it. Especially if it’s a play on your last name, but even if it’s not, I say try it. I will warn you about going by names that aren’t yours however. I’m just starting a legal mess because my mother registered me at a new school under a new name when I was very young and the name somehow stuck. All of my legal paperwork except my birth certificate is under that name, and now I have to untangle it and I’m finding that there is no legal document saying my name was changed, just informal stuff that worked fine in my previous state, but does not fly in Alaska. It’s a very long story, but my point is this: either have your name legally changed through the proper channels so there’s a paper trail if you ever want to change it back, or make sure it’s only a name people call you and it doesn’t go on any paperwork.
I actually just met a [name]Marco[/name] who goes by [name]Roberto[/name] . . no reason for it, but it works. I see nothing wrong with it at all. Especially sense that was exactly how he introduced himself. If I had known him as [name]Marco[/name] for years and THEN he changed it to [name]Roberto[/name] that might have been a bit strange. I have a childhood friend who was [name]April[/name] for 15 years and then changed it to [name]Drew[/name] on her adoption day… I NEVER called her [name]Drew[/name] and still call her [name]April[/name]. So it might be stranger for your old friends, but I see nothing wrong about introducing yourself to new people with a different name.
I think you have the right to ask people to call you whatever you want to be called, be it another name or a nickname–I think I saw a blog post on here at one point where the writer’s daughter goes by Bug. I agree with the recommendation to only use your legal name on official documents, but asking teachers and classmates to call you an unrelated name is fine. People that have known you a long time may have a hard time transitioning to calling you something new, but if you’re starting at a new school, it’s a fresh start. You might get some confused looks when they do roll call and you say “call me x” and it’s really unrelated, but if that’s the name people meet you as, it shouldn’t be too difficult. Plus, you’d get to test-drive a name before changing it officially, which you may or may not want to do when that decision is in your hands, legally.
I got by a name that is in no way related to my legal name.
In grade 5, my friend nicknamed me [name]Lucy[/name]. At that point, I had already spent a few years trying out different names because I’ve never identified with my legal name.
[name]Lucy[/name] stuck as a nickname and while it was pretty well-known in middle school, half-way through high school it fizzled out a bit, and then once I graduated, I didn’t really hang out with the people I knew in middle school so while nobody actually called me [name]Lucy[/name] for a while, I’ve considered myself [name]Lucy[/name] since grade 5.
When I was 19, I had the name change forms printed out, but then started dating a guy with an Aunt [name]Lucy[/name] so he wasn’t supportive of me changing my name so I put it off. Then I went to do my undergrad so I didn’t bother changing it for that because of transcripts and doing a year abroad so I had visas and stuff to worry about. I did start telling people that [name]Lucy[/name] was a nickname and that I preferred it, but I never pushed it on anyone. I graduated and went back overseas so I put off the name change again for passport/ bank account/ visa purposes, but now I’m working on my second degree and everyone in my program calls me [name]Lucy[/name].
Of course, now I’m seeing a guy I’ve know since grade 1 so he has a harder time calling me [name]Lucy[/name]… I don’t mind, though. I guess I’ve just adapted to having my name changed in my mind than on paper, but it is nice to go to school with people who call you the name you actually associate yourself with, haha.
I definitely think it’s appropriate to go by a name unrelated to your legal name.
I found that when I changed my name on facebook, that’s when people reacted the most and I got a lot of support then. Actually, because I have my name changed on facebook and I don’t speak up often in class, I think that’s why everyone in my class right now calls me [name]Lucy[/name]. Some of them definitely do not know my legal name even though I’ve said it a bunch of times, it’s just very unmemorable.
I hope you can find some peace in your search for a name!
Or you could go off of your last name or a smush made of sounds from your first & middle like if you’re [name]Danielle[/name] [name]Rebecca[/name] you could do [name]Danica[/name] or Decca or Rielle or [name]Brielle[/name]…ect
The unrelated nickname would be easy enough to enforce if your new school is full of entirely new people so why not
Huh, I thought that I was a needle in the haystack for this situation. My first name is [name]Faye[/name] and I always considered it so Plain like Plain [name]Jane[/name]. When I was a kid I’d complain about it being so plain so my family started calling me [name]Jazzy[/name]. It caught on by my close friends and classmates so my nn has been [name]Jazz[/name] for many years. My last name is a nn for most of my family members and my Dad & borthers go by [name]Coop[/name] mostly. I always wished for a more classy, jazzy “Real” name though.
When I worked at a (corporate) bookstore, there was a girl who went by “[name]Pixie[/name].” It was on her name tag and everything. I think her real name was [name]Jessica[/name] or something, but I only knew her as what she introduced herself as. It’s possible.
I know some teachers wouldn’t go for it, they generally prefer names in some way connected to your given name, but, then again, there are some that wouldn’t even call an [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f], for example, [name_u]Alex[/name_u]. Or [name_u]Lexi[/name_u].
My fn is super popular and doesn’t suit me at all. It’s really feminine, while I prefer unisex names. It also has very few nicknames, only 2 of which a girl could actually go by, and neither of them are really…me. I was thinking of beginning to go by [name_f]Mickee[/name_f] as a nn for my mn. What do you think? I’ve been discussing it with a friend of mine and she thinks it suits me better. What do you think of when you hear the name [name_f]Mickee[/name_f]? (for a female, and don’t say [name_u]Mickey[/name_u] Mouse.)
If it helps, here is a quick description of me: I’m in my teens (just have an account because I’m name obsessed) and I’m kinda a tomboy, but also mildly punk-ish (just a little). I love reading and writing and my family comes to me for their tech advice. I have layered, shoulder length wavy-ish brown hair (but I wish it was ginger). I love replacing y/ie/ey with ee, expecially with names.
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you think [name_f]Mickee[/name_f] fits me, or should I go by an unrelated name?
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you think teachers at my school would call me by an unrelated name?
[name_m]How[/name_m] would I go about telling family about this change (don’t say to just tell them, I am shy about talking to people)?
My mom and I have different taste in names, do you think she’ll let me go through with this? (She at one point agreed to call me by a nn of my fn, but she seemed to think it was a joke)
Any spelling recommendations for [name_f]Mickee[/name_f]? (I love ee, but also want it to be as different as possible.)
If you were to name an unrelated name that you think sounds like me, what would it be and how would you warp the spelling? (I care more about how the name sounds than the actual meaning of the name, but if it means anything my fn and mn meaning don’t seem like me at all)
I’m pretty sure this isn’t a phase, I’ve been thinking about it for years, this is just a good time for me to make the change, I think.