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Clareia

- 3 years ago

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What's in a name?

Why do people feel the need to change their given name? I'm not talking about identity protection or a criminal alias, but when a person changes their name simply because they want to. I have heard of "shedding the former self" and re-naming oneself as to shed the ego, but doesn't this just give birth to a new ego? I mean, I call myself "Clareia" on here, but I wouldn't legally change my name to that. I feel like it's disrespectful to your parents who named you. I know many people who have changed their names, usually through Oshic or other spiritual reasons, but I just don't get it. I don't see anything wrong with it, just to clarify, but would love to hear your thoughts. P.S. Sub-question: If you did change your name, what would you change it to and why?

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Well I have researched my name and my family's names. And for each meaning it seemed just right for the person. One name meant Butterfly and we all knew that girl for being the social Butterfly of school and such. My cousin Vinny's name was to conquer and strangely that suited him. I guess our names have a little message one way or another.

What's in a name but letters arranged in a certain order, serving as what we see only as a label for others to use when they call our name across the playground or to identify us as 'that person that lives next door to me'. On the SATs and various other state/national tests all your name becomes is bubbles. To a college admissions officer a name is nothing but letters on a page, just another person trying to get in college. What stands behind the name is what's important to them. What that person did to make something of themselves and to get themselves to where they are is what matters.

i used to hate my name because it seemed like such an old fashioned not hip name when compared to all the jennifers and ashlees i went to school with. i actually have grown to like it, because it's not super typical and i have learned that it's all about self perception what you exude...self love and confidence...of course i also married a man with a name that could cause some playground teasing..again all in how you choose to perceive it... now i can proudly say i'm a fink!!!! :o)

The only person I know who changed her name did so because she grew up in a very abusive family and when she left home she wanted to get rid of everything that reminded her of them, including her given and family names. P.S. I also know a Jyoti!

Well.... maybe some people just don't feel like they belong to the name they have. Do you know anyone where you hear their name and you think "ya, they're definitely a Jenna" like their name just fits who they are perfectly for some reason. I haven't exactly thought of a specific person, but there are people that don't fit into their names too. Just in the way that if you were going to name them right then after you'd met them, you would never hit on the name that they actually have. And then there are people who hate their parents or who have no respect for them and want to distance themselves further from them by shedding the name they gave them. And lastly there are some rather unpleasant names out there. Someone had the misfortune of being named "Harry d**k." Obviously not all are as bad as that, but it makes sense that they might want to change their names. It would be hard to go through life when no one who hasn't known you more that 2 years can take you seriously. After all that, I stick to what I first said. Some names just fit certain people, it's weird but for some reason it works.

i wouldn't change my name because i don't care enough about it to do so. i know someone who changed their name for the simple reason that "it sounds cool".

Oh I love my name. I especially love that it's unique, but at the same time it's not too out there (Like Apple or Coco). I haven't met any other Annabelles and I like it that way. I'd hate to have a really common name and have people refer to me with the first initial of my last name, like Jane F. or Emily R. I would never name my child with a really popular name that everyone else would have.

I agree, I wouldn't change my name; it's just a name, just some letters put together,andthey say nothing about my personality, the important thing, so I don't think there's a real need of changing one's name, although there are some funny ones :)

"What's in a name?" A perception. A convenient, reified social agreement used for the purposes of reflection and projection. If you identify with that, then you'll probably also identify with your name... for good, bad, or otherwise. "I have heard of "shedding the former self" and re-naming oneself as to shed the ego, but doesn't this just give birth to a new ego?" Yes. Agreed. "P.S. Sub-question: If you did change your name, what would you change it to and why?" Ooohh... would have to follow the lead of (the guy whose name is pronounced) Prince. I'd to change it to a mathematical symbol... probably ∞... because infinity rocks. Tho.... l l would be pretty cool, too... and who wouldn't want to identified with ! sigh Too many to choose from, guess I'll just have to stick with what I've got.

My given name is Belinda Ann. I've been called Benna since birth. I've never met another Benna, and until social networking profiles I didn't know if one existed! I couldn't imagine changing my name, but I also couldn't imagine having a name that other people have. My name has indeniably had an effect on my personality. People respond to a name- change the name, change the response. I'd like to hear the opinion of the people that have changed their given monikers...

SoulPancake

Clareia

What's in a name?

Mymy12

Protagonist

zenmb

chaotica

The only person I know who changed her name did so because she grew up in a very abusive family and when she left home she wanted to get rid of everything that reminded her of them, including her given and family names. P.S. I also know a Jyoti!

TooYoungToThink

ninjamu

i wouldn't change my name because i don't care enough about it to do so. i know someone who changed their name for the simple reason that "it sounds cool".

ava1118

gingerbites

I agree, I wouldn't change my name; it's just a name, just some letters put together,andthey say nothing about my personality, the important thing, so I don't think there's a real need of changing one's name, although there are some funny ones :)

applegrass

bennahunter

zamfir

I would change my name to Captain Kick-a*s.

What's in a name?

The only person I know who changed her name did so because she grew up in a very abusive family and when she left home she wanted to get rid of everything that reminded her of them, including her given and family names. P.S. I also know a Jyoti!

i wouldn't change my name because i don't care enough about it to do so. i know someone who changed their name for the simple reason that "it sounds cool".

I agree, I wouldn't change my name; it's just a name, just some letters put together,andthey say nothing about my personality, the important thing, so I don't think there's a real need of changing one's name, although there are some funny ones :)

I would change my name to Captain Kick-a*s.

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