How long did it take you to figure out your new name?

[Guest Kayla Grace]

Mostly the reason I'm glad I'm waiting for my bankruptcy discharge is because I want nothing standing in my way of my new name, but I've found a secondary benefit as well.

I'm so conflicted by my potential names. There's just so many good female names that I like! I know names are just names, but I want my name to mean something. As an aspiring police officer, I want my name to imply "Strong, loving, and beautiful". I've narrowed it down to these, and why I like them:

Lucina:

The person who will make you laugh no matter what mood your in. talkative and lovable, she loves helping others and doesnt care what people think. She's very dependable, never lets her friends down, loves meeting new people, beautiful in a sexy way, can be very manipulative, so watch out. She is always around her friends never alone.

- My favourite female from a game I've played. She's loving, caring, selfless, beautiful, and a force to be reckoned with.

Natalya:

beautiful girl who is fun, caring, and intelligent. very spontaneous, and knows how to have a good time.

- although pronouced "Natalia", it has a certain originality to it. It's a beautiful name and just seems to bring that "strong and beautiful" to the table. I heard it on CSI: Miami, and have loved it ever since.

Grace:

simple elegance or refinement of movement

- I'm a very simple girl. Optimistic, but sometimes simple things are the most effective means. Also, if I were to meet a female officer by the name of Grace, I would definitely watch myself to not agitate her. This one came from a friend actually. She said "to be graceful means you have elegance and simplicity. It would suit you for sure." And when I look back, the life every trans has lived, I think all of us should be defined as graceful

Jessica:

Just a particular name I like that I haven't seen many named.

I'm so conflicted! I can obviously use them all in my first and middle names, and in terms of my affection to the names, it would go Grace, Lucina, Natalya, Jessica - with Lucina and Natalya being tied for second place. Heck, I'm still thinking beyond compare as I'm writing this, and "Grace Natalya" really has a ring to it. I know I'll incorperate all of these names into my life at some point in time.

What do you all think?

God Bless

???

[Guest Kaylee]

I was pretty quick to choose my name, bacause there were only 2 that I always just loved and didn't see often. Kaylee... and Kira. I chose Kaylee from a character on a tv show that had a natural gift for mechanics... Just like I did growing up.

For your name choices, it's always going to be what you relate to on a personal level. Grace is simply a lovely name. I know a Grace (my banker) one of the most friendly people I know. I also very much like Jessica, and may take that as a middle name

Good luck dear.

Kaylee

[Guest AllisonRae]

All very interesting choices but from my perspective you will find your true name in your heart. When I chose my name my initial thoughts were to stay near my birth name or at least initials, 15 years ago when I first considered transition I used Jamie, obviously a ripoff of my birth name of James. I never really got the warm and fuzzy from it though. When I finally admitted the truth to myself last year, the name Allison popped into my head. Not sure why but I liked it. The Rae seemed to work with it and R is my current middle initial. It just felt like me, if that makes any sense. Meditate about it and see where your feelings take you.

Hugs,

Allison

[Guest]

I pretty much choosed it at 5 years old and nobody in the family was named like that afterward so...

I agree that it's in your heart, I think you "feel" it's the right name

[Guest Lizzie McTrucker]

I don't know, a few months? I always thought I was going to go with my first online girl name, Allison. In fact I think the first time I registered here was with the name AllisonY2K, so that's what I thought I'd always go with.

..until I had the name change paperwork in my hand and it said new/desired name and I thought "uh, wait, do I really want to be Allison for the rest of my life?" and a little voice said "no you don't" and I said "no I don't!" So then began the painstaking search for what would be my new permanent name, combing over baby name lists and looking around and asking friends. I mean, this is going to be my name for life now! I'm about to pay the courts $400 to have this name so it better be a name I really like, is pretty, and something age appropriate.

Time was ticking because I wanted to get this name change submitted the next time I was home so I was torn between two names and finally settled on Elizabeth, which I think I probably wanted all along, I was just too scared to make the actual commitment.

[tracy_j]

To me its a personal thing.

I always liked Tracy for some reason I cannot define (although it is a fairly unisex name so that may well be part of it). My middle name, Jennifer, I like because it feels feminine (I have liked it since before I remember).

Of your names I like Natalya and Jessica but as I say - it's a personal thing so not my choice. Just for reference (I'm not really suggesting it but no reason why not) I have known women who have four names. It is unusual but they do exist!

Tracy

[Guest Taralahara]

Hey hun,

I choose my name to match my current initials, so as to allow me to go through the transition process while at my work and just go by my initials or a nickname. Though I do also think it helped that I always knew that my first name should have been Tara. Honestly though for my middle name I just tried out a few different middle names to go along with Tara. This allowed me to choose the name I felt best represented me overall. In this regard, maybe you should try different combinations of first and middle names, such as Lucina Natalya, Lucina Grace, Natalya Grace, Grace Jessica, and etc. Hope this ramblings was somewhat helpful.

Sincerely,

Tara

[Guest Kayla Grace]

I was pretty quick to choose my name, bacause there were only 2 that I always just loved and didn't see often. Kaylee... and Kira. I chose Kaylee from a character on a tv show that had a natural gift for mechanics... Just like I did growing up.

For your name choices, it's always going to be what you relate to on a personal level. Grace is simply a lovely name. I know a Grace (my banker) one of the most friendly people I know. I also very much like Jessica, and may take that as a middle name

Good luck dear.

Kaylee

Oh bother. Now I remember one that I had forgotten. Kayla. Kayla is such a beautiful name. You actually reminded me of when I used to play online gaming going by Kayla.

Thanks, Kaylee

All very interesting choices but from my perspective you will find your true name in your heart. When I chose my name my initial thoughts were to stay near my birth name or at least initials, 15 years ago when I first considered transition I used Jamie, obviously a ripoff of my birth name of James. I never really got the warm and fuzzy from it though. When I finally admitted the truth to myself last year, the name Allison popped into my head. Not sure why but I liked it. The Rae seemed to work with it and R is my current middle initial. It just felt like me, if that makes any sense. Meditate about it and see where your feelings take you.

Hugs,

Allison

I pretty much choosed it at 5 years old and nobody in the family was named like that afterward so...

I agree that it's in your heart, I think you "feel" it's the right name

I know and agree with both of you that it has to come from the heart and "feel" right. I just can't decide.

I don't know, a few months? I always thought I was going to go with my first online girl name, Allison. In fact I think the first time I registered here was with the name AllisonY2K, so that's what I thought I'd always go with.

..until I had the name change paperwork in my hand and it said new/desired name and I thought "uh, wait, do I really want to be Allison for the rest of my life?" and a little voice said "no you don't" and I said "no I don't!" So then began the painstaking search for what would be my new permanent name, combing over baby name lists and looking around and asking friends. I mean, this is going to be my name for life now! I'm about to pay the courts $400 to have this name so it better be a name I really like, is pretty, and something age appropriate.

Time was ticking because I wanted to get this name change submitted the next time I was home so I was torn between two names and finally settled on Elizabeth, which I think I probably wanted all along, I was just too scared to make the actual commitment.

That's basically what I've been doing too. I have all of the papers filled out, and I'm hoping that the government isn't going to penalize me for putting correction Fluid on it. I have it on the name change as Natalya Jessica. Do I want to be Natalya Jessica for the rest of my life? Yes. And no. I do like your name though. It seems to suit you

To me its a personal thing.

I always liked Tracy for some reason I cannot define (although it is a fairly unisex name so that may well be part of it). My middle name, Jennifer, I like because it feels feminine (I have liked it since before I remember).

Of your names I like Natalya and Jessica but as I say - it's a personal thing so not my choice. Just for reference (I'm not really suggesting it but no reason why not) I have known women who have four names. It is unusual but they do exist!

Tracy

I might. I mean, it's not like I'm going to signature my name with 5 things. I think that if I could legally sign my name one time as Natalya, then Kayla (yes, I really did forget about that one!) another day, then Grace ... you get the picture. I filed last December and the discharge is 9 months - so September - to figure it out. But hey, 2014 flew by pretty quickly, so I have to get a move on because constantly changing my preferred name could clock me, or give too much unneeded attention.

Thank you all. I know I need to do some heavy thinking on this and I'll hopefully be able to figure it out soon. I think that I'll just have to experiment and time will tell. Knowing me, I'll likely call the registrar office and see if I can have all of the names legally if I can't decide which to drop.

here goes,

God Bless

Kayla Grace <3

[Guest]

Well I haven't officially decided but I imagine I'll stick with Kira-it's rare and quirky enough for me. My only main reason for deciding on it was that's what my parents would have called me. And it seems to me that since generally people don't get to choose their birth name that my new name as long as it wasn't terrible should be something I didn't really decide either. But who knows maybe I'll change my mind.

[Guest Jamie61]

I agree that it's in your heart. I'm sure you'll find the right one. I love my name against the advice of several counsellors to go with an obviously female name, but I just love it so much that it will have to be part of my name. I think you pick the one that has that kinda of connection and don't deny yourself a name you've always wanted. Good idea to try them out. I think girl names are so beautiful it's sad you have to pick only two!

I think I'll also have an alias or two!

Jamie

Ps - think nicknames also

[Guest Lynnette Rae]

hi Natalya, I think that the name is you, I chose Lynnette for very personal reasons the first being that my moms middle name was Lynn but that is also my nieces middle name and I raised her and did not want to offend her but wanted to remember my mom at the same time and so I chose Lynnette and for my middle name when asked is Rae as it is my middle name but spelled differently and is also my dads first name. It is spelled Ray my two boys also have the same middle name so Rae has a lot of personal connection to me along with Lynnette. But as everyone has said it is a personal quest you are on. if you ask me though you seem to have already chosen the name of Natalya. Good luck to you and let us know how the quest ends. Hugs

[Guest noeleena]

Hi.

Done this so many times and im well known going back 67 years .

noel, Edward, mannfried Von Reutchthos .Loch-head.

and slighty changed to .

noeleena, edwina, Loch-head .

is all im using and my background reflects my history in two names of Prussian and German .

I did not wont to change my names so no-el or noel'e' could have stayed the same as its both male and female again what I am and reflects that part of who I am .

so no-el to noeleena , Jos and I thought noeleen , Just...... one of our RN,s said no it had to be noeleen'a' so that's how it is . the help I had from so many people and even to my names others had a say in that as well .

just to confuse you, in German its noeleen'e' the e is stressed as an a,

...noeleena...

[Charlize]

I was meant to be Sarah but unfortunately a cousin of mine got that name and i got named after a grandfather rather than a grandmother. My wife came up with the name Charlize which i really like.

I do like the name Jessica as i have a dear friend named that and it has nice nicknames as well. i like calling her Jess.

I think that perhaps you should ask either Carolyn Marie or Mary Ellen to change your name here when you've made your decision. Then you can live it for a bit before sending the papers in.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest Kayla Grace]

Well I haven't officially decided but I imagine I'll stick with Kira-it's rare and quirky enough for me. My only main reason for deciding on it was that's what my parents would have called me. And it seems to me that since generally people don't get to choose their birth name that my new name as long as it wasn't terrible should be something I didn't really decide either. But who knows maybe I'll change my mind.

I like the name Kira, but the only problem it may pose you, is that others may not have heard of it. I of course understand that a rare name stands out, but if nobody has ever heard of it, it can give you a bit of unwanted attention if you know what I mean.

I agree that it's in your heart. I'm sure you'll find the right one. I love my name against the advice of several counsellors to go with an obviously female name, but I just love it so much that it will have to be part of my name. I think you pick the one that has that kinda of connection and don't deny yourself a name you've always wanted. Good idea to try them out. I think girl names are so beautiful it's sad you have to pick only two!

I think I'll also have an alias or two!

Jamie

Ps - think nicknames also

It is. Your name defines who you are, and should be as original as we are

I like that you actually look like a Jamie too!

hi Natalya, I think that the name is you, I chose Lynnette for very personal reasons the first being that my moms middle name was Lynn but that is also my nieces middle name and I raised her and did not want to offend her but wanted to remember my mom at the same time and so I chose Lynnette and for my middle name when asked is Rae as it is my middle name but spelled differently and is also my dads first name. It is spelled Ray my two boys also have the same middle name so Rae has a lot of personal connection to me along with Lynnette. But as everyone has said it is a personal quest you are on. if you ask me though you seem to have already chosen the name of Natalya. Good luck to you and let us know how the quest ends. Hugs

I like Lynnette. It's very original and has an elegant ring to it. My original name here consisted of Natalya actually, and it's kind of stuck with me ever since. I think that part - and I mean very part - of the reason I was rethinking it is to appease my mother and sister. Perhaps if my name has been changed to something other then "too close to my sister's name", they might begin to accept it. But I guarantee that I'm rethinking my name because of genuine reasons and not to appease everyone else.

Hi.

Done this so many times and im well known going back 67 years .

noel, Edward, mannfried Von Reutchthos .Loch-head.

and slighty changed to .

noeleena, edwina, Loch-head .

is all im using and my background reflects my history in two names of Prussian and German .

I did not wont to change my names so no-el or noel'e' could have stayed the same as its both male and female again what I am and reflects that part of who I am .

so no-el to noeleena , Jos and I thought noeleen , Just...... one of our RN,s said no it had to be noeleen'a' so that's how it is . the help I had from so many people and even to my names others had a say in that as well .

just to confuse you, in German its noeleen'e' the e is stressed as an a,

...noeleena...

I mainly chose Natalya because I've been asked many times if I'm a Russian or German history. I'm not, but wish wish wish I was! They seem like very beautiful countries and I would love to visit them one day.

I was meant to be Sarah but unfortunately a cousin of mine got that name and i got named after a grandfather rather than a grandmother. My wife came up with the name Charlize which i really like.

I do like the name Jessica as i have a dear friend named that and it has nice nicknames as well. i like calling her Jess.

I think that perhaps you should ask either Carolyn Marie or Mary Ellen to change your name here when you've made your decision. Then you can live it for a bit before sending the papers in.

Hugs,

Charlize

I've found Sarah to be a beautiful name as well but I don't want to take it for myself; I know too many of them!

I usually sign my preferred name at the bottom of each post anyway, so others know what to refer to me as - and obviously for God to bless - so I'll only change it when I've made a more permanent decision.

Thank you all for your continued chats, suggestions and opinions

God Bless

Kayla Grace <3

[Guest Lynnette Rae]

I didn't know we could get our name changed on here I would love to change it to Lynnette Rae as The 5 does have significance but it seems out of place if you know what I mean. How do I get a hold of the two you mentioned Charlize.

Hugs and Kisses

[gennee]

My name here is one I created. It's a short version of Genevieve. It's a name I've always like long before I knew that I was trans. There's a regality to it in my opinion. I was going to use Genevieve as my name with another forum I signed up with but there a number of girls with the name. Thus I create the name 'Gennee'.

[StephanieVikingGirl]

Yeah, it took me a long time and yet no time to choose my name. Back when I was quite young, I met a girl named Stephanie, and I thought it was a beautiful, feminine name, and I chose it to be my secret girl name. Not long after, I asked my mom what she would have named me as a girl. She said that she had at the time chosen "Gay" since it would go well with my sisters Melody, and Joy. By the time that I had asked her though, she no longer liked the name Gay. So I privately still saw myself as Stephanie. Then I got into Marvel comics, and liked Janet after Janet Pimm aka Wasp Woman. Then my favorite Dungeons and Dragons character was Nalissa. After folks started nicknaming me "Viking" I started to look at Norse derived names like Kari, and Gudrun. I also toyed with the name Elise since I love the Lotus so named. And yet when I finally selected a name, I went right back to my original choice, and for the same reasons: it is pretty, feminine, and matches my true character.

hugs,

Stephanie

[Guest Mickey]

It didn't take me very long at all really. I was named after my moms dad, so I wanted to keep that tribute to him and just feminized my first name, Carl became Carla. I did the same with my middle name, so Michael became Michelle. Then I wanted to see what they meant and looked the meaning up. "Manly woman of God" was what I found. And I knew, at that moment that it was the right name for me. All my friends just call me Mickey, it was my nickname when I was a kid and I stopped using it because it was seen as as feminine name and I was trying really hard to be the boy everybody was telling me I was. Some of my friends call me Carla though. One told me she does it cause "it's who I really am"

[Guest Melissa~]

I played with many names over many years, when I actually set out to transition, October 2011? I had a name picked in a month or so. So no it's not like I had a long term bond with my name Melissa prior to adopting it. I did take my mothers maiden name as my new middle name, I always adored it. I kept my last name, keeping it was up for debate, I dunno if I'll change it in marriage or not either. My SO intends to keep her name if/when we marry.

[Guest VioletDharma]

I wish there was a secret to this because I want to know too! Given the D&D reference above, I imagined writing a list and just rolling a twenty-sided die. My screen name, Violet, I love. But I'm not sure that I want to be a Violet when I'm at work, giving a presentation, or doing a host of other things.

But it really bothers me when I'm out meeting people and I don't really feeel committed to a name. And then the next time I see them, I have to review the list of names I've used and where. This has helped elimate a few names though!

[Guest LizMarie]

My name choice was driven entirely by family history.

Had I been assigned female at birth, I would have been named Kathryn Elizabeth, after my maternal grandmother. Instead I was named David (Beloved) because my mother told me I was her beloved first child. Growing up I wished I had been named Kathryn Elizabeth, but then my sister was born and got that name so that went out the window. After I graduated I mostly suppressed things but still tended to think of myself as Elizabeth internally, particularly when deeply depressed.

Once I began transition, I gravitated towards Elizabeth Marie (hence my forum handle here) and that would have been my legal name except my sister suggested that I see if I could find a name in our heritage (English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Dutch, and a tiny bit of German/Polish) that was female yet meant "Beloved". I liked that idea, preserving my mother's intent in naming me and my search was on. Eventually I discovered Cara, Irish Gaelic for "Beloved Friend". It wasn't a perfect match but I loved the sound of Cara Elizabeth so that was what went on my court ordered name change when the time came to do that. I received further confirmation when my sister said she loved the name and that it honored our mother's original intent in naming me.

[Charlize]

I didn't know we could get our name changed on here I would love to change it to Lynnette Rae as The 5 does have significance but it seems out of place if you know what I mean. How do I get a hold of the two you mentioned Charlize.

Hugs and Kisses

Just use your PM function. You will see a send message box if you look at their profile.

Hope that helps.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest Jamie61]

"It is. Your name defines who you are, and should be as original as we are

I like that you actually look like a Jamie too!"

Thanks sweetie! That strikes me as one of the nicest things ever said to me. ?. I feel like Jamie, I alway have.

Love,

Jamie

[Guest Kayla Grace]

I really do like your name Jamie, because it fits you. You actually look like a friend of mine in some of your photos, so if you had picked Amanda, it would have fit as well

I think I've settled with Kayla Grace. Although there's still an attachment to Natalya (and that introducing myself as Kayla Grace might seem a bit off to others), perhaps I'll opt to be called either and or both Kayla and Grace. Maybe I'll introduce myself as Kayla to some, and Grace to others; just to mess with their heads a bit . To be Kayla is to be a name I've been in love with for over a decade, but to be Grace is to be Graceful, and to be Graceful is to be elegant. https://www.google.ca/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=define+graceful&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=YGT3VMzlLMmy8wfZxILQBQ#channel=fs&q=define+elegant

Maybe I'm blowing my own horn, but I think I've proven that I'm said things

God Bless

Kayla <3

[Guest Sasseya_Isobel]

Hi all.

For me it was really simple, in my own mind and heart I have always been Sass. Because my grandad used to call me it, short for my little sassinach. He was Scottish and my mum is Yorkshire born and bred.

Sasseya means "gift of Isis" in ancient egyptian, when my mum was pregnant a psychic told her that she was having a girl. So she picked the name sarah isobel. I kept isobel because it means "beautiful Isis". I have always loved ancient Egypt. There was never going to be a choice really. It was decided years ago.

Love and peace

Sass