Picking a new surname

[CindereIIa]

A very good friend of mine is exiting a marriage, doesn't want her married surname any more, and doesn't wish to go back to her maidenname (toxic birth family), so we are talking about her choosing a nice new surname.

What would you pick, if you could pick a new surname for yourself? Ideas welcome, thanks!

I really like McKenzie.

The K, the Z , the Scottishness (both my grandmothers were Scottish). A bit unusual, but not really.

Oh yes, that is lovely! Ha, I love the K and the Z. A Q would be nice too!

One of the following

Flabbersnicker
Danger
Regal
Lightening
Windsnapper

I would open the phone book at random and pick it that way. Does she have children?

She appreciates it will be a hassle, but has decided it is still the way she wants to go. Fresh start and all that.

Or Aardvark so she's always first on any list.

Wittingstone

I would look at my grandmothers maiden names or maybe just more generally at my family tree. I’ve been doing mine on ancestry and there are some I’d be happy with. Especially if I had fond memories of that Grandparent!

She wants a name that some thought has gone in to, ideally with a nice meaning and a nice sound.

I haven't seen a phone book in 25 years!!!!!

No kids, no.

Haha, love your thinking! Is it good to always be first on the list?

She has no family name she wants any link to. She wants a fresh new name.

The author Cheryl Strayed did this after her marriage ended following an affair she had. IIRC she picked it out of a dictionary and thought it fitting.

I'd probably pick Snow or another evocative word which is still recognisably a surname. Nothing tricky to spell in any event.

And do check initials work (eg avoid initials like BJ).

My sister and her wife chose a new name for them both upon marriage. We also know someone who was called Longbottom who chose to change it when older as she was bullied at school. Her new husband's name would have been Crank and she said let's have a new one just for us.

For both of them they chose something special to them, a place, a holiday destination, something that sparked a bit of joy when they thought of it.

Yes - my friend definitely wants something that is obvious how to spell, that she doesn't have to spell out to people, ideally. A nice word-name name, probably.

I suggested Beaumont, but she's after more ideas.

My friend has the surname Rose which is nice

I love the idea of picking a brand new surname. Maybe she should make one up. or go with something to resemble a new start Like Newton?

or somewhere she really likes to travel to- Chester or something. Or something nature like Forrest, Rivers, Lake etc

Depends a bit on her first name. But I would go for something cheerful and positive, like Hope, or Summer, or Bright.

It should reflect who she is / hobbies job

smith
tailor
clerk
catlover
pinot noir
cat noir
Wonder Woman

I'll put Wonder Woman on the list for her. Hm, hyphenated or not?

MacIntyre.

Maybe Rose or Nightingale (although that is a bit too connected with Florence Nightingale perhaps)

Thanks for all your suggestions so far.

I have two friends who did this. Just picked completely random new surnames for a totally fresh start. Both normal, pretty nondescript names, but in no way connected to their past (traumatic) lives.

Or Hazelwood or Frost.

Nightingale is really nice, if a little long.
I had suggested Wren.