I want to change my name. Pros/cons? Opinions?

Girl Names
1

[name]Hi[/name] all. I’m [name]April[/name]. This is my first post on nameberry, after discovering this glorious sight, yesterday.

I’m seriously considering changing my name, from [name]April[/name] [name]Marie[/name] Lastname.

I big part of me really dislikes my name. It was chosen because I was born in [name]April[/name] (shock!), and my parents did not have a girl name picked out. [name]April[/name] was the only girl name they could think of. Since my first and last initials were already A & K, she figured on giving me a name starting with M, since I would then have my dad’s initials. [name]Marie[/name] is the first M name that she could think of. It bothers me that my name has no real significance (besides my dad’s initials), since my other siblings are named after beloved friends/family members, or at the very least have names my parents LOVED.

I don’t hate the name [name]April[/name], but I’m not crazy about it. I doesn’t always feel like me. I know that probably sounds a little insane.

I’ve talked to my mom, and she’s completely okay with me changing my name. I didn’t get a chance to ask my dad about it before he died, but I think he would have had mixed feelings. I’d never have asked him to call me anything else, anyways. I was always a nickname to him, anyways: “[name]Little[/name] Girl”, “[name]Baby[/name] Girl”, “Hummingbird” and so on. My siblings have mixed feelings, but most of them expect that I would do something like this. My brother loves coming up with ideas, as do our mutual friends.

I would probably end up keeping the AMK initials, but I’m not 100% certain. Maybe I would just change my middle name? It’s something I feel pretty strongly inclined to do, and I would love to hear thoughts & opinions on the subject.

Some non A or M names I love:
[name]Stella[/name]/[name]Estrella[/name]/[name]Estella[/name] ([name]LOVE[/name] [name]LOVE[/name] [name]LOVE[/name] [name]LOVE[/name] [name]LOVE[/name] [name]LOVE[/name] [name]LOVE[/name])
[name]Lilly[/name]/[name]Lily[/name]/[name]Lilian[/name] (Ditto)
[name]Frederica[/name]
[name]Emma[/name]

A names I love:
[name]Adeline[/name]/Adaliene ([name]Ad[/name] Uh Leen)
[name]Ava[/name]
[name]Ariana[/name]
[name]Aria[/name]
[name]Amelia[/name]
[name]Adalaide[/name]
[name]Artemis[/name] *Doubles as having the first 3 letters of my dad’s name

M names I love:
[name]Morgan[/name]
Melis
[name]Megan[/name]
[name]Mckenzie[/name]
[name]Mckenna[/name]
[name]Mara[/name]
[name]Marlow[/name]
[name]Meadow[/name]

I am open to suggestions on names, the situation, any advice, and anecdotes…

*Although I am curious how it will impact career/education/professionalism, I am in the art/design field, thus it isn’t a huge worry. I would be more concerned about my diploma having a different name, references, etc.

:slight_smile:
Thanks!!

2

I like [name]Adeline[/name], [name]Ava[/name], [name]Ariana[/name], [name]Adalaide[/name], [name]Morgan[/name] and [name]Mara[/name] from your list. Suggestions:
[name]Aveline[/name] (AV-uh-leen)
[name]Ara[/name]
[name]Ada[/name]
[name]Amalia[/name]
[name]Arianne[/name]
[name]Ariella[/name] / [name]Arielle[/name]
[name]Alina[/name]

[name]Maria[/name]
[name]Melanie[/name]
[name]Mariana[/name]
[name]Mariella[/name] / [name]Mariela[/name] / [name]Marielle[/name]
[name]Marilla[/name]
[name]Marley[/name]

3

I [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Aveline[/name] & even Avaline. That’s a great combo of two of my favorites.

I think I like the complexity of Avaline [name]Morgan[/name] with my 1 syllable last name. I also like that it sounds like a complete name on its own.

I’m not a big fan of [name]Maria[/name] names. Too close to [name]Marie[/name] I think.

Thank you!!

4

[name]Hi[/name] [name]April[/name], welcome to Nameberry! [name]Just[/name] curious: if you’re going to change only your middle name, would you call yourself that name instead of [name]April[/name]? If you already have a diploma with your current name on it and you change it, perhaps you can call your alma matter and explain the situation. I don’t know if they’re allowed to or are able to grant you another one with your new name on it but you could look into it. I would just caution you on the spelling and trendiness of some of your names. I wouldn’t want you to choose something you would constantly have to spell and pronounce for people (Adaliene/[name]Adalaide[/name]/Melis) or something so trendy that it no longer sounds fresh ([name]Mckenzie[/name]/[name]Mckenna[/name]). [name]Just[/name] something to think about if you decide to change it. Good luck with your name journey and do let us know what you decide!

AM Name Combos

[name]Amelia[/name] [name]Morgan[/name]
[name]Adeline[/name] [name]Marlow[/name]
[name]Ava[/name] [name]Morgan[/name]
[name]Ava[/name] [name]Meadow[/name]
[name]Adeline[/name] [name]Mara[/name]

[name]Non[/name]-AMK Combo

[name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name] (my fave)
[name]Estella[/name] [name]Morgan[/name] (2nd fave)

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[name]Hi[/name] [name]Mischa[/name],
Thank you for all of that input. I’m not too worried about having to continuously spell out my name, as it happens quite a bit with my last name (although it is a super easily spelled name). I do want my name to sound fresh, though. If I only changed my middle name, I wouldn’t mind going by other. That is to say, I would probably introduce myself as my new middle name, but not force the [name]April[/name] vs new middle name issue with my older relatives who are more set in their ways. I know I cannot erase [name]April[/name], it is just becoming less of who I feel like, if that makes sense. It feels as if its someone else.

Oh my, [name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name] is probably the most beautiful name I’ve ever heard. I do believe I am on love.
Would it be exceptionally odd to have two first names? [name]Artemis[/name]-lily M. K.?

Again, thanks so much!

6

I just want to step in and say that [name]April[/name] as a girls’ name has always been an unexpected delight to me whenever I’ve heard it or seen it. It is a pretty, underused, bright, cheerful, fresh name that makes me feel like smiling. [name]Do[/name] whatever feels right to you, but I vote for keeping [name]April[/name] and just changing your middle name (although, I do think [name]April[/name] [name]Marie[/name] is a perfectly nice name). Best wishes!

7

Thank you for the feedback.

I do like [name]April[/name] as a name, but not necessarily for myself. I dislike that there aren’t more nicknames available, and that it was chosen because my mom couldn’t come up with anything else. I also very much dislike that people try to call me “ape”, and all of the “is that why your parents named you [name]April[/name]?” “Were you born in [name]April[/name]?” comments.

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[name]Artemis[/name]-[name]Lily[/name]/[name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name] would be really pretty! I don’t think it would be weird to have a double first name at all. I think if you want to change your name then you should. :slight_smile:

Other than [name]Artemis[/name] and [name]Lily[/name] I really love [name]Meadow[/name], [name]Ava[/name], and [name]Ariana[/name]!

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Hummingbirdgirl, I see your point. Those things would bother me too.

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:slight_smile:

I really do like [name]April[/name] in general. It just doesn’t feel like me. I think that’s what bothers me most. I think that it’s pretty, but for someone else. I think part of it may be that the only other [name]April[/name] that I have met, I did not like.

I really am digging [name]Artemis[/name] (especially with [name]Lily[/name]). I’m pretty sure that I am going to go with [name]Artemis[/name] as a first name, but I’m unsure of a middle.

[name]Artemis[/name]-[name]Lily[/name] M____ K. (1 syllable last name)
Or
[name]Artemis[/name] M_____ K.

Thoughts?

11

I’ve heard of children with double barrelled names and most people just call them by the first one which kind of defeats the purpose. I like [name]Artemis[/name] for you for a couple of reasons: it sounds artistic and creative and it’s a lovely way to honour your late father. Maybe [name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name] [name]Mara[/name]?

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I really do like [name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name] [name]Mara[/name] (I’m pronouncing it [name]Mare[/name]-uh, is that right?). I wouldn’t mind being called [name]Artemis[/name] or [name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name], and I would definitely use [name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name] professionally. I’m fond of [name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name] Designs or something similar. I definitely don’t want to waste my name, so I would use my second first name, if I had it. I really like the idea of a name that honors my father and feels like me.

13

Oh this is so ironic! I too am changing my name, and was born in [name]April[/name]. [name]One[/name] of the names I’d considered was [name]April[/name] another was [name]Emma[/name], and I’m currently thinking of [name]Aria[/name] and [name]Ava[/name]. :stuck_out_tongue:

I don’t know much about the professional aspect, as those are worries of mine as well. Hopefully other berries can chip in on that.

[name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name] is nice, but I think it’s a waste to have a double barrelled first name, because most people will shorten it, and likely nickname [name]Artemis[/name]. Why not do two middles, or drop [name]Mara[/name]?

14

Mah-ra : )

15

Ooooh. I do quite like that. I think so far, [name]Mara[/name] and [name]Morgan[/name] are mt favorite middle names. Thanks!

16

What a coincidence! I do like [name]Aria[/name] very much, though I am pretty set on [name]Artemis[/name] at this point.

I’d rather have two first names, than a middle so that I could hyphenate the first and keep AMK initials. So, if I did go with the full first name, it would be: [name]Artemis[/name]-[name]Lily[/name] [name]Mara[/name] (?) K—

I think that I am leaning towards a single first name, though.

17

I’d stick with [name]April[/name]! I loved that name for the longest time :). At least you weren’t born in [name]October[/name] :wink:

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i really like [name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name]
i dont, however like [name]Artemis[/name]-[name]Lily[/name] [name]Mara[/name] it just sounds like too much, what about
[name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name]-[name]Marie[/name]
[name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name]-[name]May[/name]/[name]Lily[/name]-[name]Mae[/name]
[name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name]-[name]Mia[/name]
[name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name]-[name]Monique[/name]
[name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name]-[name]Myra[/name]
[name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name]-[name]Mari[/name]

19

I like the idea of [name]Lily[/name] for you because with [name]April[/name] tying to spring and [name]Easter[/name], lilies have an added tie in.

I support you doing whatever you want with this, especially with your mom on board (although it would be OK if not).

I just want to add though there have been a lot of posts on here lately with people “feeling their name doesn’t fit them” and I’ll share my 2c. I felt that way about [name]Jessica[/name] for the longest time - similarly to you I had nothing really against the name, and over time I’ve come to like it more and more as a name, it just didn’t fit. Unlike you though it was chosen with lovely reasoning (although one could argue your parents’ reasoning was sweet in its way), as was my middle name. Anyway, I felt that way about [name]Jessica[/name] through my early 20s, pretty consistently since early childhood. But beyond my early 20s (I’m 30 now) I stopped caring about “fit”. I still don’t really think it “fits”, but it’s my name and I make it my own. My mother went by an alternative first name (with no legal change) from about 20 to about 30 something, but then went back to her birth name - which she had hated - as she matured and her identity changed to include it despite her dislike. She says similar things now, she couldn’t imagine continuing to go by the name she went by for over a decade.

Anyway none of this is to say you shouldn’t do it…just perspectives to share.

There’s an [name]Ashley[/name] (an [name]Ashley[/name] [name]Marie[/name], actually) on here who’s posted about a similar process of wanting to change her name her whole life and then falling back in love with it once she got close to changing it. I think it’d be fun if you could fall more in love with [name]April[/name] [name]Marie[/name], but if it’s not [name]Artemis[/name] [name]Lily[/name] is a powerful awesome name!

20

I’ve never changed my name, so can’t weigh in on the social aspect. I don’t think you should have much trouble with the paperwork, though. Where do you live? In many places, alumni have the right to change the names on their degrees/diplomas and their transcripts retroactively when they change their name.

If you’re worried about it being obvious that you’ve changed your name, don’t go with [name]Artemis[/name]. Sure, it’s become a common name, but I’m guessing you’re over 16… if you’re not Greek, it will stand out as being a name you chose for yourself. However, if you’re fine with people knowing that you changed your name, or at the very least assuming as much when they meet you, then [name]Artemis[/name] is fine if it’s what you want to use.

What year were you born, anyway?

If you want a name that isn’t one you have obviously changed, [name]Stella[/name], [name]Lilly[/name]/[name]Lily[/name]/[name]Lillian[/name], or [name]Emma[/name] would be perfect. All of the A names you have picked out are very this decade; they weren’t nearly as common choices 15-30 years ago. Nevertheless, some of them, like [name]Amelia[/name], [name]Ava[/name], [name]Aria[/name], and [name]Ariana[/name], won’t sound out-of-place. Of the M names, only [name]Megan[/name] would be one that wouldn’t stand out. Now, you may be find with people knowing you’ve changed your name; in that case, can ignore these concerns.