To ask you to give me a new surname?

[6079SmithW]

Marriages/divorces (my own and parents), deed poll and other circumstances mean that I am currently on my fourth surname.
Each surname has belonged to a different man, a father, a stepfather, a husband etc. Not having had a particularly good relationship with any of them, I have never felt that any of these names belonged to me.
I want to change my surname. I want a name that belongs to me.
Any suggestions?

Really? Come on babe, you can do better.

Look at your heritage, perhaps a grandmother's maiden name?

Singleton?

I have just clocked someone above suggested the same as I thought.

liberty

workswoth lots of first names unless you’re called Lily I guess.

Thanks for getting behind the idea, and all the suggestions so far.
I can't use my mum or grandmother's maiden names because they come men I don't have a relationship with as well.
Also I don't want anything too unusual or outlandish because I don't want the 'oh that's an unusual name, where does it come from?' conversation.
I like the idea of a place name/flower/author etc. but I want it to be really meaningful.

Another one I came across years ago is Moonlight which I think is lovely.

Strongwoman

What would you think of Regen (or variant)?

Shortened from the latin "regeneratio", meaning rebirth 😊

Place-name or feature-length (river, mountain etc) from somewhere that's meaningful to you.

I would choose Mortmain (because i love the book I Capture The Castle) and I fancy being part of a beautiful, aristocratic, arty, bohemian family, even if they live in genteel poverty for a while.

Is there a family in a book you ever felt drawn to or thought "I'd like to be part of that"?

Mountbatten Windsor.

Penhalligan

I love birdy names:

Starling, Nightingale, Swan, Peacock, Lark etc.

Ooh I'm planning to do this too op. When my kids are all 18, I'm changing my name. I've recently discovered I'm 25% Scottish and as I have red hair, I'm going to embrace my Celtic/gaelic roots!

Totally irrelevant story...

I was at a dull party once and got lumbered with a woman who'd decided she was going to unshackle herself from her birth name. She was swapping Sharon for Allegra and after listening to her wittering on for ages about her 'reawakening as an Allegra' all I could focus on was her dodgy eyeliner that made one eye literally twice the size of the other.

Then my mate came in and shouted 'ALL RIGHT, SHAZZER!' at her and she screamed back 'ALL RIGHT, GEEZ!' and I kinda thought that maybe she was happy as a Sharon after all.

What about something that would have good connotations in your career? Or something that fits well with your first name? Or a place name that means something to you?
E.g. Wise for a teacher, Webb for an IT person, Potter for a potter, or generally positive connotations like Goode, Right etc.
Your birth city could be a good choice

Are you comfortable telling us your first name OP? That might help.

If you like nature/literature names, how about:

Rose
Earnshaw
Wren
Shelley

Do you have a preference for number of syllables, starting letter, alliteration etc?

Oh this would be so much fun, OP! Any geographic, ethnic or cultural affiliations you want to honour?

I like my surname, it's simple, strong, on the map, and so common as first or last name that it's completely unremarkable. I'm still a wee bit envious!

I always laugh when I see the surname Cockburn... I mean, I couldn't say it seriously

It’s usually pronounced ‘Co-burn’, so you’d be grand, I’m sure.

Fuzzipeg

I'd go with:
Starr
Gold
something with a bit of sparkle!

Only you can make this decision OP. & I really like this idea and thread!

If it has to be meaningful then only you can feel what it will be. Write some down that you are really drawn to. I.e if your first name was Elizabeth, write down your “potential” names.

Elizabeth Rose. Elizabeth Winter. Elizabeth Blue. Elizabeth London. And so on. I think when you’ll know, you’ll just know and it will feel right.

If I had to change my surname, it’d be Portinax. (A place in Ibiza where I have happy childhood memories).

What about your Mum or Gran’s first name mixed up into a more surname style or dotir. (Daughter) added to it?

eg Rose = Rossiter

If you tell us some first names, we can make suggestions.

I quite fancy 'Sparklefox' or 'Flickerwhistle'. 😁