I think almost everyone has wondered at some point what it would have been like to grow up with a different name.
When I was 7, I went through a (short-lived) period where I requested to be referred to as [name_f]Leila[/name_f] henceforth. I signed [name_f]Leila[/name_f] Pereira on all my homework sheets and I doodled the signature wherever I got the chance. I still have no idea why I loved [name_f]Leila[/name_f] so much or why I even wanted it as my own name.
Now that Iām older, my wishful thinking has gone into other naming territory, especially after having learned what I was almost named as a baby. Today, the three names I honestly would love to have as my own are [name_f]Lydia[/name_f], [name_f]Justine[/name_f], and [name_f]Edith[/name_f].
The first two were names I almost had as a baby; [name_f]Edith[/name_f] is just a name I feel a strong connection to.
I was almost named [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], [name_f]Salome[/name_f], [name_f]Anna[/name_f] or [name_f]Angelica[/name_f]
While I only really like [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] from those names, literally any of them would have been much better than the name I was actually given which I have hated since I was 6 years old
If I could choose to change my name today I would probably change it to [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] [name_u]Shay[/name_u]-
[name_u]Elliot[/name_u] is a name I think fits me, and [name_u]Shay[/name_u] is a nickname from my name I have recently started to use and enjoy much more than any other nickname Iāve ever had
As a kid, I wanted to be named [name_f]Brittany[/name_f] (after my childhood best friend, and also [name_f]Britney[/name_f] Spears), or [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], after my favourite cousin. [name_f]Brittany[/name_f] isnāt a name I feel connected to anymore, and [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] has lost some of its charm after meeting so many girls over the years that have it as a first or even more commonly, their middle.
Names on the table when I was born were [name_f]Lilianna[/name_f] and Analyssa. Iām happy my mom went with neither of those and picked something far less frilly; I think my name suits me well, but if I had to pick a new name right now, Iād probably go with something more unisex/tomboy-ish, like [name_u]Rain[/name_u] or [name_u]Rowan[/name_u].
Interesting that I find this wonderful thread right after I changed my signature to reflect my current choices in life (decision to change my name legally eventually, probably when I get married.)
Anyway, for me my mother and father wanted to honour a family member, either my aunt [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] or my maternal grandfather [name_m]Charles[/name_m] ā[name_m]Chuck[/name_m]ā They HATED the name [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] (apparently, I didnāt get the story as to why they refused to name me it, just that they didnāt want to) so were left with my aunt. I got named [name_f]Alisa[/name_f]. I wish that theyād just gone with [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] because I just adore that name! Watching my motherās face fall when we were having this discussion (I off-handedly remarked that I liked that name and she was just despondent with a flash of regret on her face)
My motherās friend who my mother was close to (named [name_f]Belle[/name_f]) died a few days/on the day I was born and another regret my mother had was not incorporating part of that name into my name and Iām inclined to agree. I donāt even think I would have had the courage to hate my name if she had done so.
Iāve felt a strong connection to the name Arsinoe (R-sin-o-weh) since the age of 14. Itās always felt right to me. Iāve wanted to change my name to it since I was maybe 15-16-ish and close friends as well as my SO have given me the nn [name_u]Ari[/name_u]. Iāve strongly considered changing my name to it before and just the other day talked to my mother about it. She canāt even pronounce it correctly, but Arsinoe [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] [name_f]Belle[/name_f] is what I wish Iād been named.
When I was younger I wanted be [name_f]Zoe[/name_f]-[name_f]Yasmine[/name_f] because I loved both the names. Currently I prefer my nickname to my full name since my full name has some unfavourable stereotypes attached to it in some parts of the world
Iāve always been satisfied with my birth name, [name_f]Cynthia[/name_f]. The one and only downside of it is that I know quite a lot of namesakes. The full name itself, howeverā¦ I technically donāt have a middle name and I have zero attachment with my surname. My mom thought of [name_f]Angelina[/name_f] for my middle name, but that was much later. Not when I was born, so it didnāt make it to my birth certificate. I still use it as my middle name unofficially and plan to add it legally one day, maybe together with a last name change.
Now about the name on my signatureā¦ [name_f]Luna[/name_f] was originally a pseudo, but it sticks and now I answer automatically both to it and [name_f]Cyn[/name_f]. It just suits me a lot and if for some reason Iāll ever have to change my first name (not planning it so far) too, itāll definitely be to [name_f]Luna[/name_f]. [name_f]Luna[/name_f] [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], for a combo. I love that itās super lovely and actually related to my real name.
Oh, just to add to this reading the previous replies, I also dont have a middle name
If I did, maybe I wouldnt have to deal with going by a name I hate
It is common for kids not to have middle names in Greece but Iām going to be leaving the country soon, so it doesnt really matter
I hated my name growing up and wanted to be named something more feminine, like [name_f]Claire[/name_f], [name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u], or [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]. I know my parentsā second choice for me was [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Nicole[/name_f], but my mum was set on [name_u]Haley[/name_u] [name_f]Alannah[/name_f]. They never ended up using [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], but my sisterās middle name is [name_f]Nicole[/name_f].
I actually like my name now, it does suit me, I just hate having to correct the spelling all the time, but Iāve kind of gotten used to the corrections now.
Honestly I appreciate the thought and love that went into my parents naming me. I personally feel neutral about my name but it obviously meant something to my parents and my parents adored it. That makes my name special to me. I have never wished for a different name.
I was almost [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] [name_f]Eileen[/name_f], [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] [name_f]Danae[/name_f], or my actual nameā[name_u]Ashley[/name_u]. To an extent, I like my name, and probably wonāt change it, but I dislike the unisex factor of it (my uncleās brother is named [name_u]Ashley[/name_u], so [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] feels much more unisex/masculine to me than to most, I suppose!), and wish I had something both less trendy and more feminine. (Also less mean girl/spoiled cheerleader. Most people seem to expect an [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] to be either one of those, and Iām honestly nothing like those stereotypes!) I might be happy as an [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f]āthere are a wide variety of nns, and I think a couple might suit meābut I sort of wish Iād been named [name_f]Aurora[/name_f] or [name_f]Annabel[/name_f] instead. Maybe [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]/[name_f]Lena[/name_f], [name_f]Lillian[/name_f]/[name_f]Lily[/name_f], [name_f]Lydia[/name_f], [name_f]Emilia[/name_f]/[name_f]Amelia[/name_f], [name_f]Grace[/name_f], or [name_f]Claire[/name_f]. [name_f]Grace[/name_f] and [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] are two family names I adore, and I just recently thought of [name_f]Claire[/name_f], but I could easily see myself being one. At this point, I feel [name_f]Aurora[/name_f] suits me best, followed by [name_f]Annabel[/name_f] and [name_f]Lily[/name_f]. I donāt necessarily āfeelā like a [name_f]Lena[/name_f], but my boss used to call me [name_u]Ash[/name_u]-a-lina (not sure how youād spell it, lol), so I could easily see me transitioning from [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] to [name_f]Lena[/name_f], and I like [name_f]Lena[/name_f] quite a lot.
Iām a [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] and despite it being so popular, I love it! I wouldnāt change it, especially since I was named after a relative who passed away tragically at a young age. Itās always fit me anyway - feminine without being frilly.
Iāve always like my name. [name_m]Just[/name_m] [name_f]Kate[/name_f], no formal name. I like the same-but-different thing it has going with other women my age, because so many other women share it as a nickname but have a longer formal name. And itās (sort of) a family name, and I really like that connection as well.
My parents originally wanted to name me either [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] ([name_f]Liz[/name_f]) or [name_f]Victoria[/name_f] ([name_f]Tori[/name_f]), but our last name was sort of long and my dad talked my mom out of it. While I like both of these names, I think [name_f]Kate[/name_f] suits me much better.
My middle name on the other hand, Iāve always hated. It was my grandmotherās first name, and she had passed away a few years before I was born, so it was important to my mom. And while I really like that connection, [name_f]Phyllis[/name_f] is certainly not a favorite. For a long time as a child I was dead-set on changing it to [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] like all my friends, or [name_f]Lynne[/name_f] (all the people calling me [name_f]Kaitlyn[/name_f] would no longer be wrong. [name_f]Lynne[/name_f] is also my momās nickname and I liked that connection as well). But when I got married and actually had an opportunity to change my name, I decided against it. I like the connection to my grandmother and I just use the initial if Iām required to use it at all. I didnāt want my maiden name in the middle, and there was no other name that I felt as strongly connected to. And as much as Iām not a fan of the name by itself, [name_f]Kate[/name_f] [name_f]Phyllis[/name_f] has a certain ring to it, especially with either of my last names added.
I love my name, yet I still find that I identify strongly with several others. [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] is probably the biggest one, but also [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f], [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] and [name_f]Gwen[/name_f]. I could easily see myself having any of these names.
I wish my first name, [name_f]Michelle[/name_f], had been my first name, but with the spelling [name_u]Michele[/name_u]. I might have used [name_u]Shelley[/name_u]. I didnāt go by it because my mum told me I couldnāt, after my aunt called my cousin [name_f]Michelle[/name_f]. I love names like [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] and [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], which are classic with many nickname options. [name_f]Paula[/name_f] is not a good name for nicknames, and I donāt like it much. The problem with [name_f]Michelle[/name_f] is that it was super popular for my generation, but I still prefer it. I love names like [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], but donāt feel that I am a [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]. I used to pretend that my name was [name_f]Annabella[/name_f], at one point, and even got my brother to call me [name_f]Bella[/name_f]. I still love [name_f]Bella[/name_f], but I donāt think I am a [name_f]Bella[/name_f] myself. Itās weird. I love [name_f]Tara[/name_f] and [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], even though they donāt really have nicknames, and they fit somewhat.
I think my parents did a great job naming me. I have a popular but classic name with two equally classic middles, but thereās a bit of alliteration in there which makes the combo a touch more exciting. Itās not a bold or quirky name, but itās a solid and respectable one which suits me and will do throughout my life, whatever I decide to do.
My mum loved the name [name_f]Helena[/name_f] when she was expecting me, which I adore, but it didnāt work with our surname and itās perhaps a bit elaborate for me anyway. She loves [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] now, and wishes sheād thought of it when I was born. [name_f]Eliza[/name_f] would have really suited me!
I donāt really like my name ([name_f]Emilie[/name_f]) so I go by [name_f]Mila[/name_f], which is a bit of a stretch but the only sort of nickname for my name that I liked. My parents were considering [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f] or [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] for me, which I love, and also [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], which I also love. My mom also liked [name_f]Louisa[/name_f], which was a family name and I like it too, and my dad wanted [name_f]Hayley[/name_f], but iām not a huge fan of that lol.
I really like my middle name - [name_f]Julia[/name_f] and I think it suits me too. My name is [name_f]Anna[/name_f] but names that stem from it are so pretty like [name_f]Annaliese[/name_f], [name_f]Eliana[/name_f], [name_f]Anna[/name_f]-[name_f]May[/name_f], [name_f]Annabeth[/name_f]. My friend said Iād suit [name_f]Cecelia[/name_f] too which is fine with me because it sounds beautiful.
I was almost [name_u]Piper[/name_u] or [name_f]Jasmine[/name_f], but got the much more common [name_f]Brittany[/name_f] instead. For a while I wanted to go by my middle name, [name_f]Erin[/name_f], but there was another [name_f]Erin[/name_f] in my class and it didnāt work for me. Now, I pretty much exclusively go by [name_f]Britta[/name_f], which I feel fits me better. Iāve considered changing my name permanently to [name_f]Britta[/name_f].
The one and only downside of it is that I know quite a lot of namesakes. The full name itself, howeverā¦ I technically donāt have a middle name and I have zero attachment with my surname. My mom thought of [name_f]Angelina[/name_f] for my middle name, but that was 
I still use it as my middle name unofficially and plan to add it legally one day, maybe together with a last name change.