I have a little girl who is about to turn 2 in a month. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband and I named her [name_f]Miley[/name_f] with no middle name and it’s not after [name_f]Miley[/name_f] [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m], I had a friend named [name_f]Miley[/name_f] and fell in love with the name. But ever since [name_f]Miley[/name_f] [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] has turned into a different person I am scared/afraid that my daughter will be called after the celebrity in the future. We have been thinking to change her name 6 months ago but we, deep down, feel bad to do that to our daughter but than again I feel like i regret it naming my daughter [name_f]Miley[/name_f] even though i think its a unique name. We always loved the name Ronela or [name_f]Viola[/name_f] for a girl so if we do change her name, we might go with Ronela or [name_f]Viola[/name_f]. I just don’t know what to do. If i change her name legally, i know she will get used to her new name but will it affect her in the future like if she travels out the state or apply for a job, etc… [name_m]Will[/name_m] the name disappear completely from the computer or will it still stay on the birth certificate. What are your suggestions? Please no negative comments.
[name_m]Don[/name_m]'t change her name. She already recognizes her name as [name_f]Miley[/name_f]. if she has no middle, just give her a new middle name, and gradually start calling her by her middle name. Call her [name_f]Miley[/name_f] [name_f]Viola[/name_f] for a while, and gradually just start calling her [name_f]Viola[/name_f]. At her age it wouldn’t be fair to change her name completely.
And for the record, [name_f]Miley[/name_f] is a made up name, for the celebrity. Her real name is [name_f]Destiny[/name_f].
Go ahead and change it. She’ll be fine. Kids adjust really well. They’re used to being called many things, it’s really not going to confuse her. I don’t know much about the details of the process but I doubt it would cause her problems down the line. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you live in the US?
I just wanted to mention that because a fair number of people on here believe it confuses the child and it might be an adjustment and an older child whith her own opinion might object but these are not things that can’t be overcome. There’s no developmental reason why it can’t be done. It doesn’t harm the child psychologically if handled well. But that’s more of an issue with older children.
I like [name_f]Viola[/name_f]. A middle name is good to have too, if just for identification purposes. Something simple like [name_f]Rose[/name_f] or [name_f]Marie[/name_f] could work, or maybe [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f], [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]? I also like the idea of using Miley as a middle.
Personally, I would change her name. I dislike [name_f]Miley[/name_f] [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] and her current antics – I’m appalled and disgusted by her behavior. I would be very uncomfortable with everyone thinking I named my child after [name_f]Miley[/name_f] [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] (even if I did not, everyone is likely to assume I did).
[name_f]Viola[/name_f] is a beautiful and respectable name. Perhaps [name_f]Viola[/name_f] [name_f]Miley[/name_f] instead.
I agree with xredd. If she’s already two, changing her name at this point might just be confusing and chaotic - she already recognizes [name_f]Miley[/name_f] as her name, and it might be difficult for relatives and friends to adjust as well.
I honestly don’t think that ties to [name_f]Miley[/name_f] [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] will persist - if I met a little girl named [name_f]Miley[/name_f], I would probably comment on the pretty, unique name, not the celebrity. It’s like the name [name_m]Justin[/name_m] - do you immediately think of [name_m]Justin[/name_m] Bieber? I personally don’t.
If you like the name [name_f]Miley[/name_f], stick with it! You could add a middle name, as xredd mentioned, and gradually call her by it, but I would save [name_f]Viola[/name_f] and Ronela for a future child.
Re: The legal aspects - depending on the policies of the state she was born in, one of three things can happen with regards to her birth certificate. Some states will issue a new birth certificate without mentioning the legal name change, some will add or attach a note mentioning the legal name change but the amendment would be visible, and a few won’t amend the birth certificate and she’d have to carry the papers with her if she has to show her BC. (If you post or PM me what state she was born in I may be able to answer that question for you - I know a bit on this issue from experience.) Travel shouldn’t be a problem whatsoever, since even obtaining a passport isn’t a problem if you have proof that said name is her legal name. A name change done on someone her age would not need to be mentioned on (most - security clearances are a possible exception; as are doctors like a member who is one once mentioned - although I don’t know if that would apply to a name change done at her age since her reply was based on an adult wanting to change his name) job applications, etc.; what they’re interested in if they ask for other names you’ve used are other names your work/educational/criminal/etc. records are under (and of course a two-year-old wouldn’t have any of that; it would be like if she was adopted at said age, and someone asked about that here - question #6). (There is one member on here who disagrees with me on the last point - but she’s trying to dispute facts rather than opinions.)
For now I’ll remain silent on whether you should change her name or not - I just wanted to let you know how the legal/paperwork aspects work (I’m not a lawyer though - what I said is from personal experience, websites, and contacts made with several states’ VS personnel and some employers).
I can’t comment on how difficult it would be or not legally, but I don’t feel as though it would be difficult her to adjust to. People are given, or choose, different nicknames all throughout life. Personally I have always gone by a nickname among my family members but at school went by my full name and never thought much of the transition. Plus, I think it helps that [name_f]Miley[/name_f] and [name_f]Viola[/name_f] (if that’s what you decide instead) have similar sounds.
It is sort of a coincidence that [name_f]Miley[/name_f]'s real name is [name_f]Destiny[/name_f]. She was called Smiley as a child, later shortened to [name_f]Miley[/name_f]. Hate that I know that! I was going to say that she turned out fine having her name changed, but then I realized that probably wasn’t the best argument…
[name_f]My[/name_f] daughter was born in [name_f]Missouri[/name_f] and i don’t know anything how the paper process really works here. I am actually not afraid if i change my daughters name since she’s two and will not remember later on what happened at 2. Im more afraid if it will affect her going places, etc…paper-wise. I am really not sure at this point. If you know more info please let me know…Thanks
[name_f]My[/name_f] daughter was born in [name_f]Missouri[/name_f] and i don’t know anything how the paper process really works here. I am actually not afraid if i change my daughters name since she’s two and will not remember later on what happened at 2. Im more afraid if it will affect her going places, etc…paper-wise. I am really not sure at this point. If you know more info please let me know…Thanks
Perhaps you could choose something similar to [name_f]Miley[/name_f] in sound such as:
[name_f]Milena[/name_f]
[name_f]Millay[/name_f]
[name_f]Milly[/name_f]
[name_f]Mila[/name_f]
I see it like this: If I found out one day that for two years I had a different name that would be very weird in a not good way. Must be an odd feeling, like somebody took something from you. And if I found out the only reason for that was some stupid celebrity that was famous around that time, it would make me very upset. I mean you basically want to change your daughters name because of a person far away that you’ll never even meet. Why would you let her influence such a big part of your daughters identity?
I do understand what your saying but i will not take her name away from her. I wanted to add another first name and apply [name_f]Miley[/name_f] as her middle name that way she can choose any name she likes more later on. Than we can still call her both names that way she will understand that she has two names. When i see her, i see her as a [name_f]Viola[/name_f] instead of [name_f]Miley[/name_f]…I was thinking [name_f]Viola[/name_f] [name_f]Miley[/name_f]. I am not sure yet at this point.
I agree. I have some friends with little children and they seem to recognize their names since like 6-8 months. I think your daughter may feel uncomfortable or awkward if you change her name all of sudden.
Making [name_f]Miley[/name_f] her middle name and calling her by the full name seems like a good idea. [name_f]Viola[/name_f] [name_f]Miley[/name_f] is nice enough and you definitely like it, so go ahed and good luck with the change!
Her real first name IS now “[name_f]Miley[/name_f]” - it was legally changed in 2008 (since a good part of my knowledge on this process comes from transgender people I find it inconsiderate to consider a person’s legal name “not real”). It would be more appropriate to say that her “original” or “birth” name was [name_f]Destiny[/name_f] - just as easily demonstrates that her name was once something else. I’m not trying to disagree with you, but rather that you could turn some people the wrong direction with the language you used.
(The line I draw is that “real name” is okay when the chosen name is purely a stage name or other pseudonym chosen for professional purposes, but not when the person uses the new name in all aspects of their life - which is what Wikipedia uses to sort out what are “stage names” and what aren’t. [name_f]Miley[/name_f] is a nickname that originated in her family and not on the stage, and she goes by that name in personal aspects of her life - so I think it’s appropriate to consider that her “real” name. Otherwise you’d consider Linda Rosenkrantz’s “real name” to be Ruth - which she’d likely object to you saying so. Also, a married woman’s married surname wouldn’t be “real” either, nor would the name chosen by an adoptee’s new parents if changed.)
Namefan, I actually didn’t know she legally changed her name to [name_f]Miley[/name_f]. I thought it was her nickname turned stage name. I totally get what you’re saying about the word “real” though, I’ve always just heard it used informally to mean someone’s legal name rather than their nickname. I don’t mean to call anyone’s name invalid!
No worries - I just thought you did know her name was legally changed (since you did say “she turned out fine having her name changed”). Unlike a lot of celebrities with assumed names in which knowing such facts requires looking it up (and I’d be more likely to forgive someone for getting it wrong), I remember when [name_f]Miley[/name_f]'s case was abuzz in the news.
If you are worried about confusing her, what if you named her something similar to [name_f]Miley[/name_f] but also something you like? What about [name_f]Ivy[/name_f]? Is the same pattern as [name_f]Miley[/name_f] but has similar sounds to [name_f]Viola[/name_f].
