What kind of person do these names make you think of, or, I am changing my name

General Name Discussion
1

I am 27-years-old, and I have never liked my name. It simply does not fit me. People seem (unconciously) to go out of their way to avoid using it. You know how you causally use a person’s name in conversation? The only time most people use mine is if they don’t know who I am and are calling me for an appointment, or if I have done something to upset them, and they want to make a point. They simply don’t refer to me by a name at all to my face, most of the time. I often miss a beat when responding to my name, because, again, it simply doesn’t seem right. So, I have decided to change it, for better or worse. Naturally, I only plan to go through this once, so this decision has to be final. I want this to be a name I not only like but that fits me.

Here are some names that I am considering. Please just tell me what you think of, what kind of person or feelings they suggest to you. I am not going to try to fit my whole personality into this box, unless someone wants more information

[name]Darcey[/name]
[name]Gwendolen[/name] ([name]Gwen[/name] is what I would go by)
[name]Katherine[/name] ([name]Kate[/name])
[name]Robin[/name]
[name]India[/name]
[name]Hester[/name]

I am a female. I am average height, with very short dark hair, dark eyes and clear, pale skin. I range in weight from being slender to being somewhat overweight and back again. I tend to be on the book-worm, day-dreamer end of the scale, with a preferance for animals and nature over a heavy-duty social life and lots of technology. I am generally friendly, and pretty good-natured. I am inclined to avoid conflict, even when it means I have to pretend to feel things I don’t.

Again, if you could just tell me what you think of some of the names I offered, what kind of person they conjure up in your mind, I would be obliged. Suggestions are always welcome, and alternate spellings are fine.

2

[name]Darcey[/name] - the only girl I’ve known with this name was super sporty and outgoing. Since it’s a bit unisex that’s the image I always have
[name]Katherine[/name] ([name]Kate[/name]) - nice basic name, lots of them out there
[name]Gwendolen[/name] ([name]Gwen[/name] is what I would go by) - of these choices, this is the one I’d pick for you based on your description. It’s a pleasant name with a bit of a literary/nature feel, but not too out there.
[name]Robin[/name] - I really like this name. Everyone I’ve ever met with it has been kind and I think it’s a pretty name. Again, a bit unisex and sometimes [name]Robyn[/name] is used for females.
[name]India[/name] - not something I would use.
[name]Hester[/name] - this is really not something I’d use. It’s very unpleasant to me.

If it were me, I’d choose something that bore some resemblance to your current name–maybe same first letter or rhyming or some derivation of it or your middle name…it’s rather hard to explain to people why your name is completely different, especially in an office environment and for legal reasons.

3

I read your description of yourself before I read your name list, and immediately [name]Katherine[/name] popped in my head, though I was going to spell it [name]Catherine[/name]. I think it fits well and it’s a beautiful name. I like [name]Robin[/name] as well. I see [name]Darcy[/name] as more of a social butterfly type of girl. I’m not sure why but associate [name]Hester[/name] with a shut-in type of person. [name]India[/name] and [name]Gwendolen[/name] are nice, but I think i’ll stick with my vote for [name]Katherine[/name].

4

[name]Darcey[/name] - The only [name]Darcey[/name] I know is kind of a snob, so I don’t think this suits your personality (what I know from your description) at all.
[name]Gwendolen[/name] ([name]Gwen[/name]) - I absolutely love this name, I think of a really friendly person, kind of bookish
[name]Katherine[/name] ([name]Kate[/name]) - [name]Happy[/name] go lucky type of gal. The [name]Katherine[/name] I know is also extremely clever and hardworking
[name]Robin[/name] - I know a wonderful girl named [name]Robin[/name], she is such a sweetheart. This name is very pretty and not very commonly used, this is probably my favorite from your list
[name]India[/name] - outgoing
[name]Hester[/name] - I really want to like this name but I picture an old lady, which bugs me because the name looks very pretty

Good luck on choosing a new name for yourself!

5

Based on your description (which was really great and easy to picture, by the way!), these are the ones I would choose:

(1) [name]Gwendolyn[/name] (I prefer this spelling) – It’s the one that jumped out at me, which I almost dismissed when I read that you had dark hair and pale skin, but when you mentioned being bookish and nature-inclined, I came right back to it. [name]Gwen[/name] seems perfect and for some reason the fact that your hair is short made it fit better than if your dark hair were long.
(2) [name]Katherine[/name] ([name]Kate[/name]) – This is really tied for first with [name]Gwendolyn[/name], I guess. Smart, laid-back, nature-y, animal lover, bookish. And dark hair fits this name better. (Note: these opinions are obviously just mine and what’s in my head; I don’t mean them to be the be all end all even if I’m phrasing it that way.)
(3) [name]Robin[/name] – this one is [name]WAY[/name] [name]WAY[/name] behind the other two, but something about bookish and dark hair seems to fit this one to me. But I much prefer [name]Kate[/name] and [name]Gwendolyn[/name].

The others don’t seem to fit your description at all. I know a [name]Darcy[/name] who I can’t stand, so I couldn’t get past that; [name]India[/name] just seems exotic, different, adventurous, and opinionated; [name]Hester[/name] just makes me think of the [name]Scarlet[/name] Letter or an old lady and seems too harsh on someone nice and sweet like you. :slight_smile: Good luck!

6

[name]Darcey[/name] - This could work but it doesn’t sound grown up to me.
[name]Gwendolen[/name] ([name]Gwen[/name] is what I would go by) - a pretty, magical name for a dreamer, your appearance sounds Welsh - so could be fitting!
[name]Katherine[/name] ([name]Kate[/name]) - this is such a beautiful flexible classic, with lots of room for nicknames it feels feminine but not saccharine. It’s a strong name.
[name]Robin[/name] - [name]Ever[/name] since [name]Winnie[/name] the Pooh this has been a boys name for me.
[name]India[/name] - I’ve never liked place names, [name]India[/name] feels a bit snobby to me.
[name]Hester[/name] - Sweet and shy the vintage [name]Hester[/name] may be a bit too unusual.

7

Based on your description, [name]Gwendolyn[/name]/[name]Gwen[/name] sounds like a great fit!! I love the name, too.

8

I skipped your description of yourself so that it wouldn’t influence my perceptions of your name choices. I hope that’s okay!

[name]Darcey[/name] - my immediate association is Mr. [name]Darcy[/name] from Pride and Prejudice, so it’s harder for me to picture a girl with this name. I can see a gentleman with top hat and coattails, elegant handwriting and a courtly bow. On a woman, it skews more Deep South middle-aged ex-pageant-girl salon owner with ultra-blonde hair, ten pounds of hairspray, and some intense french tips. She’s an absolute riot, but probably not the image you’re going for.

[name]Gwendolen[/name] / [name]Gwen[/name] - an intriguing blend of elegant, mysterious, romantic and mischievously cute. I see long dark curling hair and soft dark eyes, those flowing white dresses and delicate wrists. Earthy and aristocratic at once. I love this name, it’s so evocative.

[name]Katherine[/name] / [name]Kate[/name] - I have many mixed associations with this name, the first two being [name]Katherine[/name] [name]Pierce[/name]/[name]Katerina[/name] [name]Petrova[/name] from the Vampire Diaries, the edgy femme fatale vampiress who is the main character’s perfect lookalike and uses this to her full advantage, and [name]Kate[/name] from The Taming of the Shrew whose witty arguments with erstwhile lover Petruchio are some of my favorite Shakespearean scenes ever. Between these two ladies, the name gives me this sense of a fiery, independent, unconventional woman who knows how to take care of herself, capable of a beautiful imperious scorn. [name]Long[/name] hair, possibly burnished gold, and dark flashing eyes with long seductive lashes.

[name]Robin[/name] - three people come to mind, all of them male: the dashing subversive folk hero [name]Robin[/name] Hood, Batman’s sidekick and leader of the Teen Titans, and adorable wide-eyed tow-headed [name]Christopher[/name] [name]Robin[/name] whose stuffed animals are the stuff of storybook legend. On a girl I see someone bookish and introverted with round shell-rimmed glasses.

[name]India[/name] - exotic, gypsy-esque, someone in flowing bohemian skirts and scarves and a profusion of chunky mismatched jewelry and dangling earrings. Very new-age (which in my estimation is awesome, but some people apparently think it’s a bad thing)

[name]Hester[/name] - faded and vintage, and not really in a good way. pointed glasses, mousy hair pulled back in a severe bun, clunky faux pearls and pursed lips. needless to say, I do not find this name attractive.

So after writing these, I went back up and read your description to compare. I think [name]Gwendolen[/name] would be absolutely perfect for you, and [name]India[/name] could be a good fit as well, depending on how daring you want to be. Good luck with your decision!!

9

From your description I would suggest [name]Katherine[/name] but with the spelling [name]Catherine[/name], or [name]Gwendolen[/name] with the spelling [name]Gwendolyn[/name].

10

Thank you everyone for your contributions so far. I so appreciate it. So, the general opinion so far seems to be [name]Gwendolyn[/name], with possibilities for [name]Robyn[/name] (I think that’s how I would spell it, now that I am thinking about it), and [name]Katherine[/name] (possibly with a ‘C’). I really feel excited about this whole thing, and am definately leaning in the [name]Gwendolyn[/name] or [name]Robyn[/name] direction. I still have an interest in [name]Darcey[/name], but you guys might be right, it might be too sporty (something I am definately not) and it might not age well for me.

It’s funny that you said that aruncible, I am quite welsh, at least on my mother’s side. I had somehow forgotten that [name]Gwen[/name] was Welsh, even though I knew that.

If anyone as any thoughts outside of the list or questions to help with the process, they are welcome to express them. This is just…such a big deal for me. I even plan to have a naming ceremony. I know I will still be myself when I have a new name, my life and my mistakes and my baggage will still be there, but… I will just be me better expressed, as it were. “Thrice happy he whose name has been well spelt” [name]Lord[/name] [name]Byron[/name]