What would you think if an adult you knew changed their name?

[Pamelaaaaa]

Would you think I was mad/ weird? And would you use the new name?

I've always hated my name. Until a couple of years ago I had 2 nicknames people use to call me (one at work and one with the people I played sport with). I've since moved areas completely so obviously introduced myself to people as my actual name and with nobody around to refer to me as anything else that's what I've ended up being and I hate it.

As much as I hate my name, changing it completely would seem wrong. Instead I have decided I'm happy being called by my first initial, which is a name in its own right, but isn't actually the sound you would make when you say my name if that makes sense. Like for example a Brenda being called B. Because Bea is a name in its own right and the initial of the name.

Is this weird? And how on earth would I even go about asking people to call me this? I wish I had thought of this before we moved as I could have introduced myself as it and it would have been fine.

I don't think that counts as changing your name. Can't you just say to people, 'oh, it sounds so formal when you call me Brenda, my friends usually call me Bea' then it gives them the heads-up to use that name and also a nice warm glow that you consider them friendly.

I've known of 2 adults who changed their name. No one I was aware of thought anything negative about it at all. It takes a bit of getting used to to remember their new name, but it's no big deal. If changing your name would make you happy, do it.

I have a relative who changed her name back to her birth name. She was adopted and hated her adoptive parents. I don't even think of her old name now.

Actually changing their name I would think they were a bit precious tbh.

But yours is more like a nickname. If you moved relatively recently I don't see why you can't do what @growinggreyer suggests.

"NewFriend, now we know each other better, please call me B!"

I know 2 people who did this - one in her 40s, the other in her 60s. Both went with new names that were vaguely connected to their original but quite indirectly (eg. Victoria to Rhea or Diana to Dido). Both just announced to everyone that from now one they'd like to be known as newname, introduced themselves as newname, answered phone as newname, signed emails and cards as newname. It didn't take long for them to become newname among everyone and neither have ever regretted the choice.

I have a friend who changed her name. Every time someone called her by her previous name she just politely said “I go by B now” and didn’t make an issue of it. She’s been called B ever since she decided and told people.

Thanks for the advice. Maybe I'm over thinking it. I have lived here a couple of years and am quite close to some people so I don't think I could pull off the use a less formal version of my name trick even though I do like it and I'll bag it in case I'm ever in another new situation.

A fellow mum to class mate changed her first and last name when she got divorced. She is now a good friend. I just thought she didn't like her name and thought getting divorced was a good time to change both.

Never asked her why, didn't concern me, she knows I'm happy to talk about it if she wants but assumed it was personal reasons and never asked.