How did you know your name was you?

Tbh, mine didn't have too much thought into it. When I realized i was trans, I just let a name pop into my head. At first I just went "Vincet sounds good" - but to be sure it was right, I also looked in the mirror and confirmed I was a Vincent. So just let a name pop into your head.. or try to branch it off of your old name.. Like, if your birth name starts with a B, think of male names that start with B too, like Bert, Benjamin, Brian, Barry, ect..

 

Like Vincent said, the name feels right.

It took me several different names but eventuality I settled on Alec. This is a name I would be comfortable introducing myself with and I like the meaning as well.

You can start anywhere, really. From inherited family names to fictional characters to historical figures to original ideas. The important thing is that it matches you. I think you will know it when you find it.

(Dean is a great name too)

 

Well how did your parents know the name was right?

That's correct, they didn't. They just picked one they liked for whatever, sound, meaning, ancestry. And no matter how much mysticism some trans people create around choosing names, it's the same for choosing your own name.

 

The man [or woman, or nb] maketh the name. Sometimes you just pick a name you like and grow into it. I've heard plenty of people name themselves after things or people they like, and it might be weird at first but it grows on you. Kind of like when a new baby is born. First it's name might sound weird but as the baby gets older you get used to that being the babies name.

 

Well I saw Seth on a thread here and thought "hey that's cool. It's like the Egyptian god of chaos, monsters, deserts and storms". It just sort of felt nice. Not right but nicer than olivia. I asked my friend to call me Seth and he switched immediately and I just responded to it. A few moths later I tried Lex and just no. He called me four times then called Seth and I turned around immediately. I also tried Ollie for a bit. I go through phases of thinking it's not right but it's been a year and I'm back to Seth and this time, I just know. Seth grew on me.

 

I got it on the second try, suggested to me as an alternative to another name I'd been considering. I was thinking about River, like River Tam from Firefly, but my friend thought Brooke would be better. I went with it, and it just kinda stuck(I always did love the name, just never thought I'd actually want it for myself), and I've grown into it now, definitely. It's my name.

Victoria is actually just a feminized version of my legal middle name, and Lexa is pulled from the TV show The 100 because I love her. I thought it sounded kinda pretty with my other names, so I tacked it on and I like it. Now that I found out the meaning(defender of mankind), I love it even more.

 

With Alex (my first choice), I loved it a lot as a kid; both with Final Destination and Power Rangers. It stayed that way for six years, and then it just didn't feel right. Maybe for a lack of a better term, it started to feel way too popular to me.

I went back and forth on Aaron and Andros (the latter being my aforementioned love of Power Rangers, and him being one of my favorite red rangers), before feeling something with Adam. I think I unintentionally went with it because of the character from Degrassi, who I grew with as I was becoming comfortable with to come out. Even now, I'm not sure if it's the one for me. Things can change. Maybe I really am an Andros. Maybe my initial gut decision was right and Alex was the one for me. I don't know, but for now, I'm content with where I am.

As far as middle names go, I was everywhere for a while. I still get emails with my old middle name, Mason, from time to time. I had at least twenty names in mind, and I think I settled on Js at some point, feeling drawn to being called AJ. So almost overnight, I went from Jackson or Mason to Jerick. I recently added a second middle name to the mix, Wade, as a nod to my love for Deadpool and how much I connect with him.

 

My mom told me several years ago Patrick would've been my name if I'd been born male and something clicked in my head right away. If you are out to your parents, I would suggest talking to them about it.

But I think Dean is a solid name, especially because you have a connection to it. If my mom hadn't picked my name, I probably also would've taken inspiration from characters or celebrities I admire. Also try looking at yourself in the mirror and saying the name out loud. Practice saying "I'm Dean, nice to meet you." or whatever. And try writing it down with different middle names and your last name, practice signatures. And maybe try some other names as well.

 

I use a website called random names that shows me all names for boys and girls (or at least most of them) for my writing (for characters, etc) and I used that to find a name that I felt best suited me. I also had a previous name, Emmy (Emmalee) Caprice (excluding last name), that I used for a while before feeling it didn't suit me. After I started feeling that way, I went in for round two. I compiled a bunch of names I liked and different combinations, and eventually found the one I liked most. Although there are plenty of other names I really like, I'm happy with using Natasha Elyssa Caprice (last name withheld). I really like my name, and although I do remember liking Natalia more, I will probably not change it again. At least I don't think so at this particular moment. And even though I like my name, I still don't necessarily feel comfortable with it yet. I've never gone by this name in public, I haven't tried living with it openly yet. I also have not fully accepted it in private yet either. As much as I would like to go by this name, it's kind of hard given my current situation. I still have to live as a boy most of the time, so I'm not exactly used to being called Natasha or even calling myself Natasha. But it will get better as time goes on, and I will start using it full time once I go to college. Names can be a huge conflict for many, so you're not alone. I had trouble finding the right name as well. <3 ^-^

 

Won the transgender naming lottery.

 

You and your gender neutral name...

---------- Post added 2nd Feb 2017 at 12:30 PM ----------

You and your gender neutral name...:tantrum:

 

To be honest I never had a choice over my name, my name was given to me at birth and I've been stuck with it ever since. I don't mind my name though, I feel it is truly me. But I think the name Dean sounds good for you. I like it.

 

what I did was I sat quietly and let my mind go into meditation with one question; What is my name? after only a little bit, "Sarah, my name is Sarah" came back to me like an echo and I just knew it was right.

hope that helps you. Good Luck.

 

Like Kasey, I kinda won with a gender neutral name.

My mum only had one name for me if I'd been born male - Daniel. It went to my brother two years after me. The only other name I felt a real connection with was Jack (wanted it since I was thirteen), but that's my cousin's name and one of my other cousins has changed their name to Charlie, which was my younger brother's name first, so I can't add myself into that fight.

I went through a few names I liked, but in the end kept my birth name Sam (my mum named me Samantha so she had something to call me when I got in trouble, but just wanted to call me Sam and Sammy) and just changed my middle names. My middle name was Leigh-Anne and I was going to add on to the end and make it Leigh/Lee Andrew. I dropped Leigh because I didn't really like it, turned Andrew to Anthony because if I had been called Daniel as planned my brother would have been Anthony so now my mum has both boys names she wanted (plus it's my dad's middle name, so won for both parents), and added Theodore because it fit me and the journey I'd been on figuring myself out when I was writing it all down and using a fictional character to understand it (said character being called Theodore).

So now I'm Samuel Anthony Theodore H. Most people call me Sam, two of my closest friends call me Theo. It feels right. That's the best way to describe it.

 

Some nice had to say it twice.

---------- Post added 2nd Feb 2017 at 02:46 PM ----------

Also I don't get the fascination with trans people having 2 middle names...

 

I don't even know, before I worked out I'm trans the name seemed to fit well and I don't know why

 

I wanted a name that could be gender-neutral but was leaning towards masculine. So I went through a bunch of names beginning with "S" (the same as my deadname) until I found Stef. Initially it felt more like a spontaneous decision (though it did take me several days of searching and cancelling out to come to it) but I've since grown into the name. It's hard to explain, but nowadays I just feel like a Stef. Funnily enough I haven't decided on a longer name just yet ("Stef" is shortened), but I don't see the point in doing so as I won't be transitioning any time soon.

My advice to you is to take your time in deciding upon a name. You can experiment with a handful of names if necessary. It helps to try and imagine yourself in the future, introducing yourself with your chosen name. Are you able to imagine it? Does it feel comfortable to you?

 

I tell people that this was one of the hardest things about transitioning. Finding just the right name. I had SO many names at first. Kinda trying them on for size, if you will. Then, Once my wife became 100% and determined to stay together, she named me. My daughter gave me my middle name, and I am using my mother's maiden name for my last name. All of this is going to become legal on 3/13!!!!!! YAY!!!! So excited!!!

 

Hullo, fellow Vincent :icon_wink

I don't think there's "the one" when it comes to names. After all, cis people don't even get to choose there's; it's just something they're called repeatedly and learned to identify it as themselves. I found mine a year ago by searching a list of 100 baby boy names. Vincent was #100 and when I saw it I just thought, "Welp, that sounds good". And just rolled with it from there. I've had doubts about it, and if I were searching the list again I might have chosen differently. But I swore that when I picked a name I'd pick once and stick to it. Besides, I have developed an attachment to Vincent (as in, I feel a sense of recognition whenever I hear someone say it or read it somewhere).