This is totally ridiculous, and a bit of a whim, but here it goes.
My name is [name]Nora[/name] [name]Frances[/name].
Cringe.
Two old lady names, one of which is gradually crawling back.
I would love to change my name, and I think that the time to do it, for personal reasons, would be within the next year and a half. I was thinking about what I’d change it to if I did, and I’d love some help picking.
[name]Just[/name] to give you an idea of what kind of a name might suit me, I am a dedicated pianist, cellist and author, and I love music and [name]Shakespeare[/name]. I’m generally a quiet person at first, but once you get to know me I’m completely insane, and I’ve been told I’m very smart.
Because both my first and middle name are family names and my dad in particular is very touchy about me disliking my name because of that, I thought it might be nice to base my name off of another one of my late relative’s names, so these are some relatives of mine that I would love to have as my semi-namesake.
What about [name]Nora[/name] [name]Hazel[/name]? I think [name]Nora[/name] is a sweet name and fitting for how you described yourself, so I’d stick with it. Maybe you could give [name]Frances[/name] the [name]Francesca[/name] twist? [name]Nora[/name] [name]Hazel[/name] [name]Francesca[/name] sounds pretty.
Honestly? I like [name]Nora[/name] [name]Frances[/name] and much prefer it to your other options.
If you are really set on changing it, maybe [name]Nora[/name] [name]Francesca[/name]? That way you still incorporate your original name but could go by [name]Francesca[/name] (or [name]Frankie[/name], or I even know a [name]Francesca[/name] who goes by [name]Chess[/name]) instead if you wanted. Keeping your first name, at least officially, would probably upset your family less too.
I have to say, I do love [name]Nora[/name] [name]Frances[/name] But I can see why you might not like it. I’m going to change my name too, so I feel your pain.
From your description, I really can picture you as a [name]Hazel[/name] [name]Hazel[/name] sounds so lovely, I can picture it on an artistic, musical girl.
If your dad isn’t satisfied with you just using those names, perhaps you can find a way of making your own name a bit nicer. Perhaps:
To the last poster that suggested [name]Elisabeth[/name], [name]Elizabeth[/name] is actually my lil’ sister’s middle name… I don’t think I could really use it.
But some of those ideas are great! Funny story, a family friend of ours was actually really pushing for me to be named [name]Hazel[/name] before I was born, but my mum said she was crazy because she thought I would hate it… it’s actually one of my favourite names now! Go figure…
I changed my name legally in my late 20s. It was a complicated process because, of course, plenty of people still know you as the name you wore for the first few decades.
So what I’d say is focus less on the name you’re choosing and more on a name that you can get to from your current name’s pieces.
Ellanora, [name]Elinor[/name], [name]Eleanora[/name], [name]Eleanor[/name] would pick up the [name]El[/name] from [name]Elwood[/name] but keep your [name]Nora[/name]. If you started calling yourself [name]Elinor[/name], it would seem as if you’d been answering to a nickname for all of those years instead of just changing your name.
If you’re set on a TOTAL change, change your middle name. Outside of your family, few people are likely to recall if you were born [name]Nora[/name] [name]Frances[/name] or [name]Nora[/name] [name]Ivy[/name] or [name]Nora[/name] [name]Nevaeh[/name].
[name]Even[/name] though I’ve never regretted my choice, I do still sometimes find it jarring. Especially when I see family members who are absolutely NOT going to call me something different.
Funny, my middle girl is named [name]Eleonora[/name] [name]Frances[/name]. [name]Do[/name] you like that? What about [name]Eleanor[/name]/[name]Elinor[/name] [name]Frances[/name]?
Huh, maybe my name’s not quite as bad as I think. Everyone on here seems to like it. I do appreciate the encouragement that my name is not quite so horrible as I think it is, because the whole name change thing didn’t exactly go over well with my parents, I believe their exact words were “when you move out and are willing to pay to change it, you can change your name”. Translation, “no”.
So…
Okay, change of pace here. I really, really liked the suggestion someone had of, if I’m a musician and a writer and also, though I didn’t mention that, an actress, making a stage name/pen name instead of changing my legal name. I’m thinking I may do that.
So, Berries, here’s your mission, if you choose to accept it.
Stage name and/or pen name.
This will be much more fun, I think.
I’m thinking I may play around with my german heritage a bit, I’m like, 1/4 [name]German[/name], but I’m very proud of that 1/4, so I would love some help coming up with a first name to go with my mum’s maiden name, Rehkopf. [name]RAY[/name]-cough, of ray-coe-pf, if you feel like pronouncing it in the technically correct way. [name]Both[/name] are actually two syllables, though I wrote the second one like it was three.
So basically, your mission is to help me find a first name for my stage name, please.
I like just about anything, I still like the idea of basing it off of one of those relative’s names, though I must immediately call off [name]Patricia[/name], there is not a chance in the world I could survive with a name like that. The reason I am requesting your help is that I have already kind of used most of my favourite names in a book I’m writing, and my character’s identities are kind of built around their name, so I don’t think I could change them. So, what I’m saying is I need some new ideas here.
Some of my favourites are [name]Alice[/name], [name]Stella[/name], [name]Hazel[/name], [name]Joanna[/name]/[name]Johanna[/name], [name]Anastasia[/name]/[name]Anastasiya[/name], [name]Natalia[/name], [name]Heidi[/name], [name]Anya[/name], [name]Stacey[/name] and [name]Erin[/name]. I’d like a name similar in style to those ones, but not an overused one, so a name that will set me apart from all the [name]Lily[/name]'s and [name]Emily[/name]'s and [name]Hannah[/name]'s and [name]Jennifer[/name]'s out there. Three syllables would be nice, I think, to contrast with this new [name]German[/name] last name, though it’s not necessary.
Thank you so much for bearing with me Berries!! Can’t wait to see what you guys say.
TTFN!
I’m not talented enough to come up with a fantastic name for you, but I will say that I adore the name [name]Nora[/name]!
I think [name]Ellenora[/name] is beautiful and you could go by [name]Elle[/name]/[name]Ella[/name] or continue to go by [name]Nora[/name].
But I can see why you might not like it. I’m going to change my name too, so I feel your pain.