Teenager wants to change their name

Why is it important to have Tank as his official 'government' name?

It's fairly easy for him to go by Tank, and only need to see his real name on formal documents (passport, exam certificates, bank statements etc). And how often do you look at those things?

In day to day life, he can always be referred to as Tank.

He can tell future teachers, colleagues etc to use Tank. When you start a job or uni, they normally ask you how you want to be known and what your email should be.

If he hates his real name though, I can see his point a bit more. He might just want rid of it completely. But he should wait til 18. Then if it turns out to be a mistake, then it was his decision!

To me it sounds like a Bully XL sort of name...

He’s been using it for 3 years

I've always been surprised there hasn't been loads of Aryas and Sansas

My DGM always called me Fanfanackapan. I'm glad it didn't catch on

Tank? 🤣 Short for Tanker the W**r? 😂 Have they not heard that before? They will soon if they change their name to that!

Say No because it’s a daft non-name and stop calling them Tank too as it’s just encouraging it. Yes, they could change their name when they’re 18 but hopefully the whole idea will have worn off by then.

It won’t affect anything at alk. Tell them to wait and do it themselves. This is a tempest in a tea pot.

Tank isn't that bad as a name, I suppose.
It brings to mind a weaponised vehicle, bulky and slow-moving.
For a man, it could work, but I’m not sure I’d say the same for a woman?
It is the kind of name I would associate with a UFC fighter.

Considering some of the suggestions here, Tank isn’t too bad.

Yes some annoying administrative inconvenience- the kind we all live with all the time these days. It’s hardly the end of the world

What's brought all this on?

Is this a gender thing? Or just a nickname thing? I don't know if it makes a difference really, but it feels like a slightly different question if they're aiming for something gender-neutral (which Tank doesn't feel!) or if this is something everyone has been calling them for years and they're tired of explaining that they're actually called Jonathan.

Except in this circumstance the parent has no "authority" 🙄

If he goes anywhere near Liverpool the locals may just think he's being overly polite.

They can always change it back...

I can understand your concerns if it isn't an 'actual' name, l'd be concerned about how people would maybe perceive it professionally.
My eldest stepson was Christopher. He hated it, and to be honest, it didn't suit him. He's very alternative and Goth.
When he was twenty, he changed it, not massively differently, but to something he preferred. He changed it to Christian, but spelled differently to that.
It's unusual and much more suited to his personality.
After he'd done it legally, he rang me and said "Will you tell my mum?" which made me laugh. Absolutely not. You're old enough to change it, you're old enough to tell her yourself.
He's thirty now and still loves it. And l think his mum's come round.
He has a PhD in his field as well as another degree in a similar field, so it doesn't seem to have held him back at all. The field he works in is very specific, scientific, which helps, l think.

I would tell them. No, don't ask again as your proposal lacks careful consideration.

Tank isn't that bad on the scale of unusual names. Some poor sod is going around saddled with the name Aragorn.

All those Khaleesis aren't looking so great after season 8 of GOT either.

DD changed her name unofficially when she was 13. She is determind to change it offical but we came up with a compromise that she has to wait until she is 18 and therefore all documentation incl. GCSEs and A-Level are not in her preferred one.

Current plan is to change it at the end of the first year of uni so the uni papers are then showing her new one. And in the end of the day for the overall future this is what counts.

But - she chose a "normal" name, no idea exactly why this one specifically, she just said it called to her. Fair enough.

One of her friends is now called Blue instead of Sadie. It didn't seem to cause issues with applying at nursery for a early childhood degree.

Sock? Such an interesting thing to choose to call oneself. Windsock. Sock it to 'em. Sock puppet.

Considering changing my name to frock now. Frock it to 'em?
Happy days. 😂
Crinoline. Bustier. Codpiece. Gown. Robe. Toga. Breeches. Ooooo I like how many possible words there are, one could get quite Dickensian or Shakespearean in tone. Mac! Mac MacIntosh, the detective. Turban Jones, famous exotic dancer.

I hope Sock leads a suitably fascinating life!

Call them what they want to be called at the moment but don’t allow a legal name change until 18, on the basis that binding decisions should be made by adults.

They will change their mind or they won’t, but it’s better to preserve the relationship either way by respecting their decision and not making a big deal of it.

It’s a name, it’s hardly a life altering decision. If he wants he can always change it back.

It can be a major PITA in future life though if you ever have to account for every name change in your life since birth. Which might not occur very often for most people, but will happen whenever:

• You apply for a first passport
• You apply for some types of visa or visa waiver (which will be required for pretty much everywhere outside the UK very soon)
• You apply for DBS or EDBS for a job that requires it (teaching, anything involving working with children)
• You apply for a job with security vetting or a background check
• You apply for a marriage licence
• etc.

Not as silly as Hat, but still rather ridiculous! I completely get where you're coming from and I wouldn't be having it either. Do you have any idea what influenced the name choice? Or them changing their name at all?

I would do what you have done. For stuff like passports and so on then I believe it needs paperwork but provided that you don't do it with intent to defraud, you can call yourself whatever you like.

It sounds like U2 are living on The Edge.

Knickers McGee has a ring to it also😁