Teenager wants to change their name

[Stressedgiraffe]

I don't know what to do. I've said if they still want to do it at 18 they can. My major worry is that what they want to change it to isn't a name it's a noun. I don't want to say the name but think 'table' ' truck' 'monitor'
I worry that they won't be taken seriously when they get a job/career.
They don't want it to stay as a nickname but as their proper name.
What would you do?

Hm. I don't hate it. Boy or girl?

Could be quite stylish for an actor, designer, IT entrepreneur, construction worker, novelist, inspirational speaker ...

Maybe not so much for a ballet dancer, teacher, diplomat, dentist, gynaecologist, vicar ...

Does it actually suit them and their interests and likely career?

YANBU. Your child can change the name once turned 18.

So is Tank vaguely related to their actual name? Eg a masculine sounding nickname for Tatania?

No not related to their name. They like tanks. If that helps

OP, if you are not on board with the whole gender shenanigans, then you could share with us if your teenage is a son or a girl. This is a key piece of information.

Changing your name is expensive, my mother changed ours then I changed it back again and I have to keep explaining it on⁸ every goverment document i have to fill out which is a right pain.

They are a 5ft v slender girl. If they were 6ft built by i don't think I'd have an issue with it.

But those saying "they can always change it back" don't realise that playing ping pong with your legal name has consequences. Do it once, fine. But unless your career path is set on becoming a candidate for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party the potential paper trail could become tiresome when you do it more often.

I have been through the worst that UK bureaucracy can throw at someone, having to prove existence since birth and prove continuous ungapped existence for 20 years. Anything that can avoid another set of documents to go missing or for someone to find fault with is a good thing.

My best friend at school wanted to change her name to Frenchie, the film of Grease had just come out. She was 16 and her Mother dissuaded her from doing so until she was 18. She is now 64, never changed her name and I still take the mickey out of her about it when we meet up. YANBU at all OP

A Russian name may also be looked at quite negatively unfortunately

If she likes tanks, has she read Tank Girl? Could get it for a Christmas gift. The character's name is Rebecca Buck - Beck could work?

Why are the doctor and school supporting for a name change, unless what you actually mean is that your child believes they can or wants to change sex? A name change doesn't require medical intervention?

Why would a doctor need to be consulted about a teenager who wants to change their name?

Ah I see - your daughter now wants to be male. id be very firmly telling her that a change of name is not a change of sex.

That's quite sad.

I have a feminine French name. In my teens I thought it was too girly and I was a tomboy, so I settled on a shortened version of it for many years. I now actually love my full name and have gone back to using it.

Perhaps your child will eventually come back to their given name and grow to love it.

Can change name by deed poll at 16

Oh fgs. Why do some OPs insist on playing a stupid game of "guess what I'm talking about when I only give you snippets of information".

The OP has a biological daughter, who has been using he/him pronouns and the name Tank for 3 years
The OP swings between accepting this and going along with it, rejecting it and sitting in some uncomitting 'they/them' land.

People stop stating someone can't change their name till 18, it's not true.

I’m guessing the child in question has other issues and the name isn’t their only concern?

It sounds as if there’s a fair bit of confusion going on here. I’d try and remain supportive of the broad context of finding oneself and creating one’ own identity whilst still retaining their core self. Do they understand that changing your name doesn’t change your self?

She is the exact opposite of the kind of image that a tank brings to mind.
It is obvious there are some underlying issues here that are driving this decision.
Quite frankly, I think she is doing it to aggravate you.
What does the father say?

'Chisel' - what a tool!

I have changed my name four times, it makes little difference to these things.

Support her in changing her names to Teresa Anne Nicole Katherine.

I work in education and it is such a pain to prove qualifications with name changes. If GCSE certs don't match passport or deed poll they won't be accepted into college or uni.

No more hassle than changing surname on marriage

You have proof of marriage certificate.
Just changing names on A levels or GCSEs on a whim with no proof means they aren't your certificate.