To change my name?

What’s stopping you? Go and do what you want. If you really can’t get in with your new name then change it back. But that doesn’t sound like what you’d do.

I wish I'd thought to do that when I was younger OP. If I was your age I would definitely do it.

If you think about it’s no stranger than changing your name to a man’s last name! And at least you get to pick one you like. I have kept my married name purely because I don’t want to go back to my father’s name.

Oh, do it, OP. Have a fresh start with with a lovely sounding name which feels like you in your best moments, but it isn't over the top so that end up struggling to live up to.
What would I choose for myself?
Julian Avery , perhaps, or
Fay Larkin.

Obviously you can do whatever want but you need to factor in the time and cost necessary. It won't just be the cost of a Deed Poll. You'll need to change your name on all official documents... bank, drivers' licence, passport, utilities, mortgage, etc, etc.

Don't pay anything. It's free to use a deed poll template and accepted everywhere, I've done it twice.

Go for it OP! A great opportunity.

(but yes, research all the office changes you’ll need to make)

this is not so onerous, tedious, but necessary

https://freedeedpoll.org.uk/

Not mad at all - you've still likely got more than half your life left!

Do you have kids and how would they feel if you changed your surname to be different from theirs?

What names are you thinking of? MN could rank them!

I did this when I was divorced, in a small town I didn’t want to be associated
with him or his unpleasant family.
I spent a great deal of time ruminating over this and the effect it might have
on my daughters. In the end I selected a family name the first and last letters
being the same as my married name (think Bradley into Bailey) and added
an ’a’ onto my first name (think Jenny to Jenna, (altho I’m still called Jen by
family)

I felt I was shedding a skin by doing this, my girls at 16 and 17 the same,
with one going to 6form college at the end of the month, other to Uni,
their choice.

This is liberating OP.

I didn’t ever think of reverting to my maiden name as I didn’t like that any
more than my married name.
Also I was newly totally independent, with a clean break settlement, so
didn’t want to be dragging an old discarded name around with me.

Ive never regretted it, not for one moment, although for me and my girls
the timing was right, ie I had bought our own house so everything was in
my new name - Utility companies don’t care what name you call yourself
as long as the bills are paid, preferably by SO.
My solicitor advised - ‘your name is what you are known by’ -
I can’t remember the cost but it was money well spent.

eta - there seem to be other threads on this subject vvv

eta x2 - I suddenly remembered, I was 40! (and a half) do it !

It's awful when you have to spend your life introducing yourself with, and answering to, a name that you don't like!

I changed my full name, too (albeit, before I left education). It took me a while before deciding on something suitable, but it's liberating, and I like my newer name so much more! Even my mother has admitted that she likes it much better than my original one.

Trust me it is onerous… it shouldn’t be so but dealing with the various agencies is like pulling teeth.

I commented on this procedure in my longer post…