Rethinking names

Micah is a really cool name. Like Micah Zibanajad(plays for the NY Rangers), or the guy from Paranormal activity. Picking a name can be tough though, some people on here seem to have gone through a number before settling on one. I hit a home run on my second try with Brooke, but I did have a list of names I was considering myself, until a friend suggested Brooke instead of River. It stuck, and I'm beyond happy with it.

You'll figure it out bud, just take your time.

 

Story of my life. I went by Alex for almost six years, and then coming across Aaron, Andros, and Adam made things way more complicated. It's easier said than done, but give yourself some time. You'll figure it out

 

I dig Micah a lot. It is the perfect compromise between normal enough not to draw attention to yourself and uncommon enough to be fresh and interesting. My test is usually "Have I ever met a single cis dude around my age with this name? Or at least heard of one?", and I think I have known a Micah, vaguely. Some dude in my sister's class maybe.

I mean if you have another name in mind you prefer and you think you might regret Micah down the line, you are free to change it. And you should probably do it sooner than later. But I'm going to copy paste a post I made on another site to explain my own feeling/experience with regards to name changes:

It can be kinda weird picking a name when you have thousands of choices. I love the name I chose (Patrick) and feel it fits me perfectly. I chose it over six years ago before I even knew I was trans. I remember the exact moment I knew somewhere deep down that would be my name some day, even before I was even slightly ready to think about my gender.
My mom mentioned once if I was a boy I'd have been named Patrick, and the name instantly clicked in my head. I felt like a Patrick and desperately wished that was my name instead of my birth name which I hated with a passion.
Three months ago when I came out as trans and asked to be called Patrick, my mom sounded surprised. Not that I was trans but that I picked that name. She was surprised I even remembered.
Well now, ironically, my mom is the one that struggles the most to call me that even though she doesn't care I'm trans and isn't even surprised. In fact she was suspicious longer than I was.
She tries (kinda) but says it doesn't feel right and now she thinks the name is weird. Even though she chose it. "Well that was a long time ago. We also considered Kyle. And your dad wanted to name you Cody."
Well, this conversation kinda bothered me. I felt like she had spoiled my perfect name. The name that I was so in love with until she started giving me doubts. Other people have said negative things about my choice, but it didn't matter coming from anyone else. All of a sudden this name I thought was handed to me by fate was one of three names I could've had. I could have been a Kyle! Would I have had that same Eureka moment if I thought my name would be Kyle? I hate that name. But Cody? I could be a Cody. I kind of feel like a Cody, maybe even more than a Patrick. But you can't let yourself think about all the other names out there. Then you'll never be satisfied. That's like opening Pandora's box of doubt. Sure, I could have been a Cody. But I also could have been a Tyler, a Louis, a Jack, an Eddie, Nate, Shawn, Pete, Scott, or any number of names I like.
I'm just going to stick with Patrick.
And just talking about all those other names I could've had fills me with a sense of something like unease. But it's a name, man. Others may disagree with me and say you can try on as many names as you want, but in my personal (and perhaps a bit conservative) opinion, you gotta pick one eventually. Of course it should be one you love since you have the unique opportunity of picking one yourself (one of the few perks of being a transperson), but most people don't choose their name. It is just their name. And you can only have one in the end. Don't spend too much time wondering what could have been. You'll just tire yourself out. Instead, spend your time connecting with that name and building yourself up and giving people something to associate with that name.

Oh, and in my opinion, Jake/Jacob is a lovely name, but so common! I know like ten Jakes, I swear. It's one of those solid standards like James, Steven, or Michael (different than Micah!) that will probably never go out of fashion, but you're going to be known as Jacob S. or whatever your last name is.

 

Ricky's post is spot on. I don't think about other names, because there's SO many pretty ones, I'd never be able to settle. I could have been a Lilly, Jasmine, River, Savannah(almost was, I tried it here), Olivia, Paige, or Gaia(from the Earth in Latin). (I tend to have a soft spot for names inspired by nature.) But Brooke really just stuck immediately. It felt right, and made me feel good inside.

Then there were other ones that I like but would never have picked. Like Ricky said "Have I met a cis person with that name?" I think I've actually met one cis girl named Brooke. I know they're out there, but I'm not tripping over them like Jennifer, Jessica, Michelle, Alyssa, Courtney, and Christina. All names I might have chosen if not for the commonality. I don't want to be referred to as "Christina ___" the rest of my life.(I'm not sure what my last name will be yet, depends on how badly my family reacts to the letter they're getting when I get out to CA or wherever I end up. I'm pretty sure I'll change it, because, though I hope for the best I expect to be disowned.)

I actually wish Micah was a unisex name, cause I like it. I actually always have, but I thought it was a girl's name when I was younger. It sounded feminine to me, but funny story: I once named a female character that in a short story for English class. When I read it, everyone immediately was like "You know that's a man's name right?" So I guess I'm the only one who thought it was feminine sounding. Now that I think about it, what was I thinking?

 

Now a middle name is a different story. lol

 

That's good, because I'm having trouble. I kinda do want to keep a part of my name in some way intact, so I was thinking of just feminizing my middle name, Vincent. But I don't think that has a female version. lol

 

How about Victoria?

Idk why I'm so into suggesting names for people these days. It's like my new favorite thing haha

 

Funny you should mention that, I was just thinking that. It actually has a similar meaning too, as it's the Latin word for "victory" or "conquer." Vincent is derived from the Latin word "to conquer." I like it. It's badass, just like my birth middle name.

I also like "Brooke Victoria."

 

It does. It's settled! I said "Brooke Victoria" out loud and got the warm fuzzy feeling I did the first few times I said "Brooke" out loud!

And I do hope you keep Micah, it's a wonderful name.

 

Ahhhh I love it! <3

 

Thanks!