To hate constantly having to explain my name?

[lsfhs]

I have a welsh name. (I don’t live in wales and never have.) No one can say it or spell it. Plus, my parents called me my middle name but gave me a first name that is different (and horrible.)

I can’t change it but I hate it. I really don’t think it’s an exaggeration to sa my life would be different if I’d been given a nice ordinary name!

I could have written your post, except that I have grown to think it's ok. Only ok though.
I use 2 different short versions, but that just creates confusion.
I'd lay really normal name!

Surely having an unusual name is an ice breaker

You can change your name if you want to at any time of your life but if many people call you by your second name, I'd just stick to that if I was you.

Welsh names are often lovely: think Rhianna, Angharad, Carwen, Meghan (not Blodwin though). Yours probably isn't as bad as you think.

@Lynda07 Welsh names are often lovely: think Rhianna, Angharad, Carwen, Meghan (not Blodwin though)

Rhianna is a made up name. Blodwin isn't a welsh name but Blodwen is.
Meghan isn't a welsh name, although Megan is often used as a short version of Margaret.

Just use your middle name.

I know a man in his 60s who always hated his name, he finally hit the bullet last year and changed it to his middle name. It was a bit strange at first referring to him as his new name but within a month or so it felt totally normal to call him by his new name - if you’ve always wanted to change your name then there’s no reason it ever has to be too late and people would get used to it, probably a lot sooner than you think.

Being 'old' doesn't stop you from changing your name. I was old when I changed mine.

Just do it and stop complaining if it bothers you that much, enjoy your old age with a name you like.

I have a friend who changed her name in her 50s. Was very quick to get used to and she didn't have any problems with organisations either. It became second nature to think of her as her new name within a couple of months.

Either change your name, use a nickname, use a middle name or live with it. Those are your choices.

As someone who has to spell both first name and last name which originate from different countries, I use a nickname.

You won’t want that name engraved on a stone above you later! :)
Change your name now!

Some Welsh names are pretty, others not so much. I have a friend Buddug, pronounced Bithig, gets called Bee by those of us who know and love her, but outside of Wales, she always has to explain how to pronounce it. I think it's the same with any unusual, country specific name. Can you go with a shortened version or initial only, like my friend? Otherwise, change it! You're never too old to change something that is upsetting you.

Give yourself a nice ordinary name then! Life's too short to live with one you hate. You'll never regret it, I promise, though you may find a few people stubbornly refuse to use the new one.

Are there any nicknames you could adopt, however tenuous? Eg Angharad to Annie, Myfanwy to Min or something?

In Wales, it is quite normal to use a middle name as a day-to-day name.
There is nothing unusual in it

It is a PITA as people assume that you use the first name.

I can think of families where all or most of the children were known by the middle name, and the first names were usually very ordinary.

Think David Huw Roberts and Siân Angharad Jones or something known as Huw and Angharad. (apologies if this is your real name)

Is it the famous welsh name that begins with an M? Songs about it, it appears in little Britain? If yes I think it’s a lovely name!!

I married a Dutchman with an impossible surname which I constantly have to spell and pronounce. To try and counter this for my children I gave them both the easiest most English first names I could think of.

I used to know a Sharon, she decided to change her name to Sophie overnight as it was less 'common' (according to her). She was a twat as a Sharon, and is a twat as a Sophie.

Myfanwy? It's ok. Not used much.
Pronounced Muv-ANN-wi (like the wi in with)

Carry on using your middle name. Don’t bother to tell us your first name that you hate but don’t use, there’s just so few Myfanwy’s about wed all instantly recognise you.

Just change it. It's your name, your identity, you are in the unique position of being the only person in the world who can decide if you keep it or not.

Can't you just be known by your middle name. My DCousin has always been known by her middle name, if anyone calls her by her first name it takes us ages to work out how they are on about

Yes you can change it, age is irrelevant. A friend of mine recently changed hers from Mary to Marilyn (not her real names but similar) and she's in her 70's.

I am known by my middle name!

Both names are horrific.

@MikeUniformMike that’s interesting about Welsh naming conventions. Is that so family names can be passed on but not necessarily used for every day?

I know several people who have changed their names as adults for various reasons, either by deed poll or just by telling people what they wanted to be called. People quickly got used to their new names and now it's difficult to remember the original names. If it bothers you, change it. You sound defeatist even though you hate your name and I am not sure why. Humans are very adaptable.

Just change it!

How old are you? I knew someone who changed her name in her early 40s.