Changing your Name?

[Mean Green Irene]

I started my transition November 12, 2007 and am very happy. I have even had an Orchi to help with the hormone effects, and my body perception.

While my legal name is “Fred” my employer has made a nametag for me as “Irene” and all at work call me “Irene”. As a stopgap I have had a new drivers license picture taken but still with the name “Fred” as my credit cards are labeled. I have had to show id when using my card and no one has commented since the picture matches my presentation and the name on the card matches my driver’s license name.

The main reason to do this is my wife’s insistence that I keep the same name. Since I want her to stay, I need to bend in some ways. I am even considering keeping it this way.

Do others of you follow the same path and keep your original name?
Or do most of you legally change your name?

[CaptLex]

I still have the same name, but I use my middle name (which is more unisex) or use my initials. It's annoying though when people automatically ask for my first name and I have to explain that I go by my middle name. They get this look for a minute. :blink: The DMV was cool enough to let me use my first initial and middle name on my ID (though it took them a while to understand what I wanted), but other places are not as accommodating. :p

[Sharon]

I really hate presenting debit cards, checks, and ID with my former name on it. It's like I'm being fraudulent using that name. This is why I have been trying to get it legally changed now for what must be six months now -- but don't get me started on that. :p

[Stephenie S]

After I started working as Stephenie I felt I HAD to change my name, so I went the whole nine yards. Got everything changed over the space of a few months. It gives me a bit more authority, I think. Whenever I hand over any card, there it is in print, for all to see.

For a while, I used my initials plus my last name. That was a good stop-gap measure to satisfy everyone while I was waiting for the legal wheels to turn. I think that if your wife wants you to keep your name, that she doesn't really want you to transition at all. Maybe you guys need to talk more. That seems like a roadblock to me.

Lovies,
Stephenie

[Lisa Maren]

I am definitely legally changing my name. I have already run the required notice in a local paper and my court date is just a couple of weeks away. At that time, it will be legal and official. I can't wait to get my name changed. I really dislike pulling out a driver's license or any other ID with a picture of me with short hair and a beard shadow that says I'm a gender I'm really not -- and has the wrong name on it. :)

But that's just me ;)

Best,
Lisa

[stacie]

For me I am going to change my name. It will be easy for me because I will just add an "a" to the end of my first name. I do have to ask, Are you planning on having srs. I was going to have an orchi but my doctor told me not to if you plan on having srs done.

[GypsyKaren]

I changed mine last summer, it was the best thing I ever could have done for myself.

Karen Starlene :star:

[Sejd]

Changing your name is fine if it works for you. You got one problem though! Your wife wants to be married to Fred. You have some serious considerations here. You stated that you need to give in some. Maybe this would be a fine place to meet your wife. At the same time, there could maybe be some room for a compromise. Maybe something like Frida or Freda, something you could use when you are out and about, something your better half could live with. Think about it.
Sejd

[RobynM]

No choice here in the UK. You won't get approval for SRS without officially changing your name, a very easy process here. I'm looking forward to an argument on that point, given that Robyn is my real name (and my middle name is equally androgynous), I don't see why I should have to change it. The rules however don't say you should have a female name - which I have - they say you must change to a female name.

[Cathii]

I have legally changed my name in December last year and 'finally' went fulltime, ie working as Cathii, on the 2nd of January. The process to change your name in Australia is pretty simple, but the process of changing *everything* else over is a pain in the butt. I still have my licence in my boy name cause they are only open mon-fri (when I am working), same with my medicare card and credit card....

If I need to show ID I will use my work ID which as I work for the government is fine for most occasions. Otherwise I simply present the change of name cert with the boy ID.... Honestly I am beyond caring what perfect strangers think of me any more.... If I am the biggest conversation topic of the day then it is me that should feel sorry for them...... How boring must their lives truly be???

[kerrianna]

I'm lucky in that I don't have to change my name itself because it's also a female name. In fact I'm used to confusion about it.

But I would have to change the gender prefix sometime. I'll probably try to do that just by writing it in, but at some point I'll have to do it officially (assuming I follow through) and I guess I'll probably have to jump through a few hoops.

But it sure is nice to have one thing I don't have to worry about. I am thankful for that, because it does smooth the way,even to live in never-never land. The only difference is right now I would rather spell it with an "i" at the end instead of a "y" so there is no mistaking gender, but really I could just keep it the same. The middle name I need to change, but it's just the male form of my mom's first name so I would likely do it that way.

I really do wonder if my mom was totally focussed on having a girl when she had me and just went ahead with a slightly more male version of things when she saw that I had a little stick. She denies ever wanting girls, but of course she did.

That's a weird rule Robyn. You do have a name that works. Why should you change it?

Oh, right. You probably have to pay a fee to change it.

$$$ rules. :rolleyes:

[SirTrey]

I legally changed Mine on Nov. 28, 2007.....I went with Trey for the first, as it is similar to the name My mother gave Me, but is a totally masculine name....It also means "Three", and I have three wonderful children....and Aidan for My middle name because My partner liked it a lot and thought it suited Me...and it's meaning is "Fire", which she thought was was appropriate, and some people on the board might tend to agree....:) Best thing I ever did for Myself....I LOVE My "boy name".....**Trey**

[Perrinielle]

Okay, I'm just responding to this 'old' thread...

I put in a request with my manager a month or so ago to use my new name in the company on the phone and to our customers. She didnot respond for a long time and than I requested her again. In the beginning I figured 'well if she doesnot approve at least I gave it a try'.
But still.... I heard nothing.
So as a silent protest I started using my name. That helped. After a week she announced that I was not allowed to do that. Because I felt so comfortable using my new name (hey, it's me!) I told her I couldnot go back now.
So we sat in a meeting with HR and both my manager and the lady of HR told me I couldnot because of the good of the company blah blah blah. We talked it over and although I respected their opinion I told them that I couldnot go back using my male name again, it was just not me anymore.
We left it at that and they promised me to get back to me a week later. So when that meeting came up they said it was okay for me to use my own name Leanne. Yay for me.

Then I decided to have my name changed legally and I am in the process of doing that now. I am not sure if it's gonna work because I have not had my SRS yet. But I got a sponsor, my employer is willing to help me and I have good faith.

And in case you have not noticed (you probably have): there is such a strong power if people call you by your new/own name. I only noticed it myself when my co-workers started calling me Leanne. It was like coming home... That's how important a name can be!

Leanne !!! :love:

[tamarav]

I really didn't have any desire to really change mine but I was styling a client's hair and a state inspector walked in to inspect our salon. She came over to my station to check my license, I have my boy and my girl pictures on the license but the name is the boy name. She told me to simply send in a request to change the name on the license and I could have my femme name and picture.
I did but I also went to the courthouse, obtained the paperwork, went to my court date and legally changed my name. An hour later I walked in the driver's license place, requested a new license, handed them the legal name change and the guy took one look at me, smiled, put a check maek in the Female box on the license and took my picture. I now have everything legally changed and opened a bank account to have checks.
It feels so good!

Tami

[CaptLex]

She told me to simply send in a request to change the name on the license and I could have my femme name and picture.
People keep telling me to change my name legally (doctor's office personnel, for example). I imagine it's 'cause it would make things easier for them. Bah! I don't want to change my name - it's my name and it has special meaning for me. I don't understand why I can't just call myself whatever I want. :rolleyes:

[Nicki B]

People keep telling me to change my name legally (doctor's office personnel, for example). I imagine it's 'cause it would make things easier for them. Bah! I don't want to change my name - it's my name and it has special meaning for me. I don't understand why I can't just call myself whatever I want. :rolleyes:

I don't see why Irene can't use the name 'Fred', if she's comfortable with it - plenty of genetic females use contractions which sound male, quite deliberately, e.g. (among many more) Steve, Charlie, Mick, Lou, Mel, Nick, Pat, Sam, George, even Fred (Frederica)?

There even a few boys out there with 'feminine' names - e.g. Marion Morrison... (aka John Wayne)?

[CaptLex]

That's always my argument too, Nicki, but some people just don't get it. :p

[Anna the Dub]

I changed my name ages ago, eventhough I haven't transitioned yet. Everyone at work calls me Anna, all my friends do too, my tax records, bank account all changed, even got my mortgage under my new name. It's my name now, the other name belongs to the past, I am happy with it, and when I transition (hopefully soon), I won't have the hassle.