actually not for baby, for me, I'm changing my name, help me choose a new one pls

Well done Laura, good for you. My mum, step dad and Uncle all go by names other than their given names. They seem so right for them that when anyone mentions their official (Julian, Leslie and Dennis)names we giggle! Well actually, Dennis has reverted back to that and we all took the second change in our stride too.
I think changing a name just takes practice and you have to be dead set on it, I tried to change my name but didn't respond to it when others said it because I didn't recognise it as me.

I am really impressed you've done this - congratulations. Perhaps your dh could call you by a pet name instead - so you are Laura to everyone else but 'honey' or something silly to everyone else - my dh calls me Bluebell sometimes (not in public but yes in front of family) because that's my favourite flower

If you feel you can be a Laura - go for it!

I think Jen or Jenny would of been great too!

What is your name?

Old and dreary? Ethel, Prudence, Madge, Vera, Gertrude?

Many of these names will stir up reactions in people as they will think thay are not old and dreary!

Whatever you choose - i hope it helps you feel more alive and less embarrased!

Laura, my dh changed his name after we had met. His old name is daft and he felt stupid. He started using his middle name, well one of his middle names as his other middle name is TRACY.

I never ever think about it. In fact I was three quarters down this thread before I even made the connection. I definitely never even think about his old name. It was a really easy transition. His parents are the only ones that use his old name now.

Heh Laura ... congrats on the new name.

You have chosen a lovely name! My DD is Laura (she is feisty - not wet at all). I think its a timeless, classic beautiful name.

that should be timeless, sorry balancing baby on knees (bad mum alert!)

congrats Laura, a lovely name. very timless too. my gran, who would be well into her 90s if she was alive now, was called myrtle and thought it was too 'old' a name so she called herself mabel, as it was younger sounding!

good luck with the change. we changed our DD's name, i know its not as big a deal, she'd only had it 3 months, not 38 years, and although a few people were a bit surprised within a few weeks it was old news. it is surprisingly easy to get used to a new name. hope it goes smoothly.

DumbledoresGirl - me too!!! A childhood of grief with teachers insisting my name was Jennifer. Gah.

I always wanted something more "exotic", so glad you chose Laura in the end.

Whoops, didn't read the whole thread. Laura is a great name, good luck with it.

Emily
Sarah
Penny
Bethany
Lizzie
Rosie
Georgia

I'm Laura too and love it! It's DEFINATELY NOT WET!!!! And you aren't too old (I'm 37 tomorrow).

Well done and welcome to the Laura Club!

(big wave to Lauraloola too)

pondering what Ernest real life could be:
Agnes
Gertrud
Senga

I think you have chosen a fab name

I love being called Laura, its not modern and its not old. Its not too common but there are a few of us about.

Welcome to the world of Laura's

oh, what's your name?

i bet it's not that bad really

go on, tell us

Hi Laura! Pleased to 'meet' you!

I voted for Laura as DS was to be Laura but didn't co-operate!

Ernestthebavarian - go for it! What is the point of being miserable and embarrased? I know 2 people who have legally changed their first names and no one batted an eyelid and used their new names from the point of change.

Does your existing name lend itself to abbreviation or some variant of itself?
I've never been that keen on my name either but find it extremely hard to imagine myself as anyone else IYSWIM

Otherwise you could always go by a middle name instead? I have an uncle who has gone by his middle name since early childhood because his christain name was so ghastly.

Congrats on your new name. Laura is very pretty.

Suzanne (not annoying!)

oops, missed that you already decided...I like Laura....especially if you are in Germany...because then it's Lou (as in ouch) -rah...

Here's to your new name! I think you've chosen a lovely one. Well done for going for it.

your profile mentions you are in Bavaria...will you still be in Germany...might be worth taking into consideration, iykwim...???

Anna
Tara
Lara
Melanie
Katja/Katya
Anya/Anja
Ellen
Tamara
Silvia
Sonja/Sony a

My cousin would come come and knock seven colours out of anyone that called her wet, in a ladylike way, of course

So Laura, what did you used to be called?

congratulations, are you going to add Laura as a middle name, or keep your existing frumpy name as a middle name as some suggested? sounds sensible. i'm sure everyone will get used to it. my best friend is Laura (sometimes Loz! or Laur)

i changed the spelling of my name when i was about 10 from boring uk spelling to french spelling (think emily to emilie or ann to anne) and it stuck and i've been spelling it like that ever since - banks etc all have the 'new' spelling and that's how my friends know me, but legally (birth certificate) they still have the old spelling.

anyway the point is thanks to this thread i might take the plunge and change it by deed poll so everything is all aligned.

anyway sorry for rambling, best of luck!