Help me choose my own surname

[Providora]

I'm preparing to divorce, I stupidly changed my name on marriage because my father was an awful person and I didn't want to carry his name anymore.

Of course, now I don't want XH's name either and none of the names in my maternal line of ancestry really appeal. I've decided to create my own name that just mine, not attached to anyone else.

Can you help me with ideas? My rough criteria are:

• Shortish, easy to spell and pronounce, familiar but not super common.
• Flows nicely from a short first name ending with a vowel sound.
• Consistent with my English heritage.
• This is hard to articulate! - but something elegant, with a bit of gravitas, not extravagant or pompous.

Thank you!

I love the idea but the reality of having to spell it out and having people mispronounce it would get a bit grating I think?

You get used to it

However, here's a little secret. It's never been a hindrance. Only a boon. Every interview I have ever had has begun with the interviewer asking if they have pronounced my surname correctly, and a casual aside as to whether it's Italian. Which is my secret weapon to give a 30 seconds speech about it, settling my serves and making an impression. Or so I later learn when offered the job.

DS has reported the same experiences

There are also the D' names - D'Souza ? D'Campo, D'isaster ?

I've always loved Sidebottom, pronounced Siddy-b'tome.

Wasn't there a Mary Whitehouse Experience running gag about "Shufflebottom" being pronounced "Shu-fley-botham" ?

Purcell

Snow
Eyre
Breeze

I used my Mum's maiden name and I love it.

Homage to a musical hero -- Lennon, Franklin, Holly, Fitzgerald?

Gold
Meadows
North

When my Mum divorced my Dad she used the surname 'Just' for her pen name (she's a writer/journalist). So eg went from Lucy Smith* to Lucy Just - because she wanted to be known as just Lucy.
*not her real names

Bright

Silver
Diamond
Hall
Temple
Rose

Another vote for Knight here.

Or perhaps you could choose a place-name of somewhere that you love, means a lot to you or represents your aspirations?

my choice would be Clementine

How about Chaucer?

Pepper

Or Arden

Where were you born? Where was the first holiday you enjoyed? Any places round there? I'm thinking of picking a name that has some meaning related to where you're from. Did you enjoy school? Did they have named houses? Or go to people; Favourite saint, book character, childhood friend...

I was going to suggest Darcy

Moriarty
Darcy
Christmas
Cowmeadow. ( I new a chap with this surname, his father was a vicar. The chap sadly changed his name to Meadows).

@DaphneBridgerton

I know someone with the surname Loveday

Always thought it was a good one

I was going to say this. I also know someone called Sweetlove which is lovely.

Someone I know changed her name to the name of her childgood road and added 'De' to it. So it ended up being something 'De Montbeau'. I liked that.

@OysterMonkey

I was going to suggest Darcy

D'Arcy ?

Dashwood

I'd go for Cavendish I think.

I would have Black. Simple classy a bit mysterious!

I would practice a signature with some of the ones you like best and go for the one you prefer from how it looks written down.

How about Sage?