What Was You Process For Picking Your Name?

[Guest Ryan]

I'm having trouble finding my name I only put Ryan for my user name because it was the first name that I thought of but I'm not really feeling it. I write a lot of stories and have always been able to come up with good names that really fit the characters and their personality but I can't seem to find one for me. So can some people tell me what their process was; maybe it will help by allowing me to look at things from a new angle.

[Guest Carden]

The name I chose is Isaac.

I chose it because that was the name my mother was going to name me if I popped out male. I like it because it allows people to still call me 'Izzy' as a nickname, which makes things easier for the people around me and for myself to get used to it. Plus, it is more personal and natural because it was inspired by my family.

My chosen name reflects my female name too.

Isabelle Chelsi

Isaac Clayton/Carden (still debating the middle name)

I believe Isaac is a simple but strong name. I have always liked it.

You will figure your name out too. Time can help.

[Guest Cowboy]

Hey bro.

I went by 'DJ' for like 6 months and ended up coming up with a name that i liked that shared the same initials as DJ (Dewayne James) so i just used that. I liked the name Channing a lot so i used that as my 1st name, and Dewayne-James as my middle initials. It was something i got used to, and liked it a lot. I went by it for a year. then, just recently i was walkin down the road and thinkin about how hot it was when it struck me. Hit me like a mack truck dude no lie. lol. My name literally chose me. So i played with it for a few minutes, writin it, sayin it, and i even researched what Colton meant. End of it all, i like it a lot and i feel its the right one. Ive heard others on the site also say that their name "chose them". So only thing i can suggest is think of names you really like, or might like, then play around with em. Write em, say em, look into spellings and meanings, and see what you really like. If ya think ya found somethin go for it. Other thing you might wanna do is check out baby name sites. or like parenting sites that suggest names for kids. See if there are any you really like. If not, it may give u some ideas of names you may like. Other thing you could do is look into your interests and personality and then research names that kinda reflect who you are. Then again bro, it may just choose you.

Cowboy

[Carolyn Marie]

My middle name was my grandmother's. My first name is just a name I always liked as it sounds feminine, starts with the same letter as my birth name, fits together well with Marie, and just seemed to fit.

Think about family members, or names you've seen in stories or real life, people you admire whether real or fictional, or just names that seem to fit you and your personality. Take your time, because its important and its something you will be stuck with forever.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Liam]

Well, what do you know, the first name I picked was Ryan, too. It was actually my username for a few months back in '07/'08. And I picked that name mostly because I just kind of liked the name. But when it came time to start thinking about coming out and changing my name for real, I decided that I wanted to keep my initials the same. I also wanted to be able to use an androgynous nickname that would work for both my old name and my new name, at least for the time that I was out to some people but not everyone. So I picked the nickname Lee, but it didn't suit me very well. So I thought of names that started with something that sounded like Lee, and I came across Liam. I tried it out online for a couple months, found that it suited me really well, and it's been my name ever since.

[Guest Wolfy19]

I picked mine because since my twin sister could talk shes called me 'ri' (short for ria which is short for maria- my original name) and so from that so has all my family and my girlfriend, my friends and my niece especially who is only two, so i picked 'rhys' because it was close to ri and ri is what i mostly recognize as my name because iv heard it from so young so rhys felt really comfortable from that. i think to trust your instincts because it took me a few different tries with different names until i came to rhys and i knew that was right for me in my gut.

[Guest Sameus]

I choose the name Sameus because that would've been my name if I was born male.

Simple, really. Plus I like the name.

[Guest MemoryAlpha]

I've just ended my quest for a name, finally settling on Keegan.

It took me forever to find a name that wasn't really popular, but not obscure and that I liked. Plus, I seem to know a lot of people, and I didn't want my name to be the same as theirs.

It's good to experiment.

[Guest Ryan]

Thanks everyone you've all been really helpful. I envy the ones that were able to use an alturnative name their parents picked I wish I could do that. My mother says that she would have named me Erik after one of my uncles as it is she named me Erika which I have always despised. I have started a list of names that I like and hopefully I will be able to find right one for me.

[Guest Soran Vs]

I actually don't know how I came up with mine. I guess I just liked the way it sounded, and it stuck with me.

As for my middle name, however, I simply masculinized it.

Middle name : Nicole --> Nikolai.

[Guest Shawn9]

If you do a lot of fiction writing, is there a character you've ever created that you feel is the best representation of you or most like you (whether it is an idealized character or a deliberately troubled one). Which of your characters are you? That might be the name you're looking for. Just a thought.

[Guest ShortyT]

I tried asking my mother if they had a boy name ready for when I was born, but no. When I told her why I asked (yep, that was how I came out), she offered some suggestions.. Let's just say she had too much fun with that.

I looked for something matching the initials of the name given to me by my parents, so that limited the selection for me. I also wanted something fairly common for men in my age group. Ended up with something I felt sounded nice and suited me just fine.

[Guest My_Genesis]

I guess my approach was a bit unusual in that I went with my first and middle initials which happen to be RJ... which just happens to be a common male name. It can be a female name as well but it is usually male. So that's how I chose my name, then I decided I want it to stand for Robert James and that people can call me Robbie J, Rob J, or just Rob (first one sounds a little hillbilly lol but that's ok) if they'd like as well.

[Guest Larson]

Well, what do you know, the first name I picked was Ryan, too. It was actually my username for a few months back in '07/'08. And I picked that name mostly because I just kind of liked the name. But when it came time to start thinking about coming out and changing my name for real, I decided that I wanted to keep my initials the same. I also wanted to be able to use an androgynous nickname that would work for both my old name and my new name, at least for the time that I was out to some people but not everyone. So I picked the nickname Lee, but it didn't suit me very well. So I thought of names that started with something that sounded like Lee, and I came across Liam. I tried it out online for a couple months, found that it suited me really well, and it's been my name ever since.

I'm thinking of sticking to the same initials as well (first name L). I've been hovering towards Lee lately. What other L names did you consider? Trying to brainstorm.

[Guest Kevin Bryan]

I went to a baby name site and came up with this list I hope it helps.

Lance

Landon

Larry

Lawrence

Leif

Leland

Lennox

Lenny

Leon

Leonardo

Leopold

Leron

Levant

Levi

Lewis

Lincoln

Link

Linus

Lionel

Liron

Livingston

Lloyd

Logan

Loman

Lonnie

Lonzo

Lorenzo

Lorne

Louis

Lowell

Lucan

Lucas

Lucian

Ludwig

Luther

Lydell

Lyle

Lyric

[Guest Shawn9]

I'm thinking of sticking to the same initials as well (first name L). I've been hovering towards Lee lately. What other L names did you consider? Trying to brainstorm.

I like the name Logan, because I'm short, hairy, am often mistaken for a Canadian, and can have a bit of a competitive/jerkass attitude sometimes.

But it's so far from what people are used to calling me, that I didn't want to be called something like "Sh-Logan" as people adjusted.

[Guest Sam_P]

But it's so far from what people are used to calling me, that I didn't want to be called something like "Sh-Logan" as people adjusted.

That does sound hilariously annoying.

[Guest OneSmallStep]

When I first came to terms with being trans, when I was 21, I wasn't quite ready to come out to others, so I merely started going by Dani (said Danny) since my middle name was Danielle and when people said my name it sounded like Danny so it at least sounded male, and that made me happy. There was no variation of my old first name that could easily sound male (or so I thought.)

Flashforward to when I started transitioning at 26, I finally was able to go by Danny for the spelling. Unfortunately my mom passed away right before I transitioned, so I never got the chance to fully ask her what she would have named me (I like that idea,) but I believe she had once said she would have named me what my brother was named so that was out of the question.

Long story short, I ended up going with the male version of my mom's name (ironically her middle name, as both my parents go by their middle name) for my first name. And just continued going by my middle name, Alex Daniel became me

I find it interesting that since having my name legally changed, I have ran into more and more ftm-Alex's. Can't help but wonder if it isn't some sort of common name for ftm's, or just the age-range I'm meeting LOL.

The only thing I sometimes wish I had done is go with Alexander instead of Alex, because it wasn't until literally right after the judge said "granted," that I realized how very androgynous(sp?) Alex is and that most guys would be Alexander, though I have since met a guy, who wasn't born with a birth defect, named Alex . The reason I went with just Alex was because my old first name had started with an A and had four letters, and my mom was the one who had picked the first name and I figured in some way to honor her to go with four letters. Of course my girlfriend (and our friends) just tell me I'm obsessing...

[Guest My_Genesis]

I tried asking my mother if they had a boy name ready for when I was born, but no. When I told her why I asked (yep, that was how I came out), she offered some suggestions.. Let's just say she had too much fun with that.

I looked for something matching the initials of the name given to me by my parents, so that limited the selection for me. I also wanted something fairly common for men in my age group. Ended up with something I felt sounded nice and suited me just fine.

Oh, I forgot to mention that two of the male names my parents looked into were Robert and James, so that also helped me figure out what RJ should stand for, lol.

[Guest BrandonIThink]

I came across a person in the media one day named Brandon, and just kind of instantly liked it. It was only after getting attached to it and claiming it as my own did I remember I have a distant relative named Brandon and also, that's what my parents were going to call me if I had been born male

I like the name Logan, because I'm short, hairy, am often mistaken for a Canadian, and can have a bit of a competitive/jerkass attitude sometimes.

But it's so far from what people are used to calling me, that I didn't want to be called something like "Sh-Logan" as people adjusted.

I don't have a lot of experience with Americans vs Canadians, but....why do people mistake you for a Canadian? lol just wondering

[Guest Shawn9]

I don't have a lot of experience with Americans vs Canadians, but....why do people mistake you for a Canadian? lol just wondering

I play ice hockey, my accent has some Minnesotan in it (which is not anywhere near the extreme of the movie "Fargo" - which does NOT take place in MN), and I watch Hockey Night In Canada religiously. Also, when traveling abroad (e.g., London), I'm not as rude or loud as some people expect from Americans. Not that all travelers are "Ugly Americans," just that the reputation came from somewhere.

And to add something to Will - I don't want to influence what name you choose if you're happy with what you've got. I think that Will is a great name. However, please be aware that anyone who grew up with Buffy the Vampire Slayer will think of Willow as purely a girl's name. So I'd think about that before putting it on legal documents - like driver's license - or other official records - to make sure you're ready to hear about why you have a "girl's name."

[Guest Michael Heather]

I'm not sure what my male name will be either. I just put Michael Heather as my username because I liked the sound of it (and as a sort of tribute to Heather Alexander).

I'm considering using the male version of the girls name my mum would've called me if dad hadn't said no; Lucia. So that's be Lucien or Lucian. I also want to use my current first name for a new middle name.

However, I'm not sure if Lucien would suit me. I'll just try it out for a bit, and I'll see how it feels in a while.

[Guest Sam_P]

I'm not sure what my male name will be either. I just put Michael Heather as my username because I liked the sound of it (and as a sort of tribute to Heather Alexander).

I'm considering using the male version of the girls name my mum would've called me if dad hadn't said no; Lucia. So that's be Lucien or Lucian. I also want to use my current first name for a new middle name.

However, I'm not sure if Lucien would suit me. I'll just try it out for a bit, and I'll see how it feels in a while.

Could also go with Luca or Luke in the same vein otherwise?

[Guest Zig]

As someone who has never liked my name, I've gone by many in the past. Interestingly enough, the one that I seem to have ended up with is the only one I did not choose for myself. I, too, deal quite a bit with fanfiction and also with gaming, so coming up with names is one of those things I tend to be good at.

My current incarnation began as one of my World of Warcraft characters which, through a series of not-so-unfortunate-but-rather-random events wound up as my custom license plate for a short time. While I didn't keep the custom plate (waste of money), I did keep the name. It is now my pen name and often my username since it is quite uncommon--and that suits me just fine.

There have been times that I've doubted my decision (as with many, many things in my life), but I am always comforted in the knowledge that it must be right, since it is the name I was "given" and not one that I chose myself.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is: Sometimes it's best to just let the answer come to you. ^.^ Put it to the back of your mind for a little while and something's bound to make itself known.

'Course, I'm kinda crazy like that. You might have better luck just picking something out that feels right. XD

[Guest miss kindheart]

I feminized my male name

This is a good site for names:

(baby names) http://www.parents.com/baby-names/?ordersrc=yahoo2babynames_tool&cobrandId=ww5&s_kwcid=TC-3019-58844869022-S-35900757022

I would look at the meaning of the name too

vanna