[arratt]

Anyone else have a child who has asked to change their name or were you a child who wanted to change your name? Dd1 has been asking for a year to change her name, along with making remarks about not liking her name. Not that I am considering changing her name but just wondering if this is common? I have talked with her about why we chose her name, about having a name that is somewhat different, about other names that she likes and how she can use them, etc Please share your experience with me.

 

[crissei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by arratt Anyone else have a child who has asked to change their name or were you a child who wanted to change your name? Dd1 has been asking for a year to change her name, along with making remarks about not liking her name. Not that I am considering changing her name but just wondering if this is common? I have talked with her about why we chose her name, about having a name that is somewhat different, about other names that she likes and how she can use them, etc Please share your experience with me.

Yep, I wanted to change my name when I was about her age. I am sooooo glad that mom didn't let me...

 

[mommato5]

I did want to change my name. BADLY!!! I hated it so much that I didn't go by it in HS and one year of middle school I went by a different name than that.

Now, I'm glad I have my name but I still get the stupid jokes to which I just roll my eyes since it's never anything I haven't heard. Plus, it's easy for people to remember!

 

[StillForest]

Yup. My DD has a somewhat different name and periodically wants to change it to various popular names from the 1960s and '70s.....Lisa, Amy, and Linda are some of her favorite names. She says she gets sick of people telling her what a beautiful name she has

.

I've told her that I'd be glad to call her the name of her choice so that she can try it out. But she always declines. Lately she's been saying that she likes her name. I would actually be fine with her changing it if she tries out another name and discovers that it better suits her. I really disliked my birth name and ultimately did change it about 20 years ago. Naming myself was one of the most empowering things that I ever done (different situation though....represented a real break from an extremely abusive family situation. Claimed the power to name myself and create my own identity and life).

 

[Dragonfly]

Ds has gone through a few names - most recently George, Ace, and Cosmo.

I don't see the harm in letting a child go by whatever they want. At her age, she may be satisfied with just being called by the name, not changing it legally.

 

[Nature]

Yup I did. Its really really common for children to go through that thinking. Its part of learning who they are, and thinking that names can change the type of person they are perceived as. It usually passes.

 

[arratt]

Thanks for the quick replies. I have offered to call her the name of her choice and I have but she tells me that she doesnt just want me to call her that name, she wants it to be her name, lol. (and her name of choice has changed multiple times) She also keeps asking if I can tell her teacher and classmates to call her that name.

 

[becoming]

I would call her what she wants to be called, and I'd also tell her teacher that she goes by <name of choice>.

I wouldn't legally change it until she is maybe 12 and still wants it changed.

 

[Sharlla]

When I was 5 I wanted to be named Gloria and at 6 I wanted to be Lisa, I think its a pretty typical phase that kids go through.

 

[frontierpsych]

My sister (Melissa) always wanted to be April or Crystal as a kid.

 

[pinksprklybarefoot]

I wanted to be Crystal, too! I thought it sounded so glamorous. As an adult, though, I am glad that I stuck with what my mama gave me.

 

[mommajb]

My brother (Dan) wanted to be Gus at about that age.

 

[s_kristina]

That is about the age I was when I started insisting on being called by my full first name. My parents named me Kristina, but up to about 5 called me Krissy. It has been longer then I care to admit since anyone other then my older sister has called me Krissy. It's just not who I am. I think sometimes a very aware child at that age can know that the name they are used to hearing is not right for them.

 

[sunnmama]

hmmm....my dh started going by a different (americanized) name about this age, because it was easier in school. he did eventually legally change his name as an adult. are there teasing issues going on?

 

[Moonprysm]

I always wanted to change my name. I guess I've finally gotten used to it, but it just never fit me. Tiffani was always some preppy, rich, skinny, snotty girl's name. lol Not to mention I was one of at least 2, and sometimes up to 4 Tiffany/i's in my classes. I got tired of being Tiffani S.

 

[FreeRangeMama]

My ds goes by a different name than the one we gave him. Actually he goes by a number. He is called 100. He changed it before he turned 3 and refused to answer to anything else. After a long time we just started calling him by the number and that is what he has been for over 3 years now (he is 6). He has no intention of ever going back and even when he was in school or other activities he was called his number.

We can't legally change it because here you can't be a number and he doesn't want it spelled out

He figures he will change it to a spelled out name (Hundred) later on when he is a teenager, as that is his nickname. For now he has a legal name and a name he goes by and that works out well.

His original name is his "first name" as in the first name he had. Obviously if you have a first name you need a second name. Can you tell he is ASD and takes things absolutely literally

Anyway, he has been 100 for longer than he was anyone else. He still prefers it, and it is his name so his choice of what he wants to be called. And it really suits his unique personality! At least he has a whole lot of self-confidence.

 

[pinecone]

My dd, age 5, has mentioned that she doesn't like her name. I'm hoping it is a phase as DH and I really worked on finding the "perfect" name. Yes, my dd named Indigo Dawn would much rather be Emily. I find that amusing because we tried hard to find her a name that would be unique, yet easy to spell and pronounce and here she wants to pick one of the most popular girls names ever. And, she doens't even know an Emily!

Gotta laugh,
~ Denise

 

[Village Mama]

My son insisted to everyone for almost a year, that his name was " Bob Marley" . Now it has changed to " Stupendous Man". He holds on to them for quite a long time too! But he is only 3.5. Cute to see what the kids pick for names!( I remember 100! So cool that he still goes by it!)

 

[Ruthla]

Quote:

Originally Posted by s_kristina That is about the age I was when I started insisting on being called by my full first name. My parents named me Kristina, but up to about 5 called me Krissy. It has been longer then I care to admit since anyone other then my older sister has called me Krissy. It's just not who I am. I think sometimes a very aware child at that age can know that the name they are used to hearing is not right for them.

That's about the age I switched from Ruthie to Ruth- through first grade I was Ruthie (gotta have the ie-spelling it with a y was wrong!) and then over the summer I decided I was "Ruth" and for several years I was very vocal about it if somebody called me "Ruthie" by mistake.

Now most people know me as Ruth (or ruthla or ruthia

) but I no longer flip out if I get called Ruthie.

 

[beanma]

my dh made his mama cry when he changed his nickname at age 5. i won't give his name here to respect his privacy, but it is something very common like William or Robert. he decided that the "billy" or "bobby" nickname was too babyish and he wanted to be "will" or "rob". his family did it. but when he wanted to try for another change they were all, "once is enough". his grandmother never went along with the first one and called him by his full first name (ala "william" or "robert").

if it's a nickname i'd go with it. if it's a completely different name i think telling her she has to be older to do it legally is a good answer.