To change my name from Elizabeth

[awkwardasfuck]

God I just hate it. It sounds like lizard. It's a Christian name meaning "loved by god" and I'm a staunch atheist. It was the Queens name and I'm firmly anti royal. It was my maternal grandmothers name and she was abusive to my mum, who, in turn, has passed that trauma and abuse onto me to the point where we are no contact. Ive always been called Lisa but I don't like that much either.

I've been going by Lis, pronounced "Liss" but what can I move to? Urgh.

I know a few Beth’s, and a Libby. Nice names. I have never made the lizard connection, but a friend has a lizard called Dave if you want to go the reptile route… Seriously, I am sorry you have had a rough time, maybe now is the time to completely reinvent/change your name to something that really reflects who you are. Enjoy choosing. I personally love Nova (Latin for new).

I’ve never heard Elizabeth and thought Lizard. It’s a lovely name. But also, a good thing about it is there are so many alternatives that can be used as nicknames.

Ebbie? Libby?

You can change it to anything you want - or just call yourself a short form like Tess, Elsa, Ella, Bethan, Liza. Libby or Bee that are quite far removed from the original name.

I really like the name. It was my beloved Grandma's name and there's so many names you can shorten it to. You can have Liz, Lizzy, Betsy, Beth, Eliza? I prefer it to my boring as hell name, Emma. Thanks Mum! I was going to be Claire but then they decided on Emma. 5 Emmas' in my class at school so that was fun. 🙄

Thank you all for the votes of confidence 🙏🏼 and some good suggestions as well - I hadn't voiced it to anyone IRL

Libby is nice! And different. My favorite diminutive of Elizabeth is "Orse" - I used to find that hilarious as a kid.

I think I will take some time to look for something that sits right with me, maybe something that honors my cultural heritage which is also something that was off limits at home growing up as well - something we were supposed to feel ashamed of.

I've done a lot of work with a therapist so maybe it's down to that, suddenly wanting to jettison something I've always found stifling

I'd never made the association with 'lizard' but now that it is there, I love it; you should lean into it and introduce yourself as Lizard.

The connections with god and royalty seem pretty marginal to me. Never knew about the god-related meaning, and anyway half the names in the world have something gody in their past.

Liz Bennet from Pride and Prejudice comes to mind, a brilliant association. And there are so many other short forms that you are spoilt for choice.

TLDR: Stick with Elizabeth and use a form that you like (not Beth, though, that soppy paragon from Little Women).

Oh no!!! Bit like Sarah ... beautiful name but guaranteed to sound like a spice girl

Where's emma? Emma B, emma P or Emma K? 😅

Elizabeth is a lovely name and IMO not obviously religious or royal, I associate it with Lizzie Bennett. Liss or Liza are lovely. What about Fliss?

It is irrelevant what we think as you associate it with your grandmother and for that reason alone it is understandable that you would like a fresh start. So YANBU!

Reminds me of the old nursery rhyme:

Elizabeth, Elspeth, Betsy, and Bess,
They all went together to seek a bird’s nest;
They found a bird’s nest with five eggs in;
They all took one, and left four in.

Edited to remove question you've just answered.

That's a good idea and means "happiness" <3

I love Calista! Mediterranean

If you want a name linked to your original name, at least Elizabeth has loads of options - probably more than any other name: Ellie, Elle, Elsa, Elsie, Eliza, Lisa, Lisa, Liss, Liz, Lizzie/Lizzy, Beth, Betty, Bettie, Betsy, Bess, Bessie, Bette, Elspeth, Ella, Libby.

But why not change to a completely different name you really love? A name that you associate with strength and happiness. A name you always wanted. I noticed some years ago that a vast number of truly happy and successful people in life change their given name. It's a way of taking ownership of who you are and how you want to live.

Why not just go for Liss as your whole first name? I did similar with my "long name" and deed polled it as the short version. It's been 10 years now. Very happy I did. When people (very occasionally) ask if I'm Charlotte* I can confidently say no, I'm not. People I meet can't just assume they can call it me anymore because that's not my name.
*Not my actual former name
You need to find the name that "clicks" with you and if that's Liss, go for it!

Zaza!! I'm tempted 😅

Princess Consuela Bananahammock.

I am anti royal and I still think it’s a lovely name! It’s one of the most “classic” names you can get.

But of course change it to anything you like.

The problem is, are people going to call you your new name?

I have always had huge problems with my name, mostly because it was a combination of pretentiousness on my mums part and a stupid joke on my dad’s resulting in me constantly having to explain myself - but I’m that name now.

When I was 30 I changed my name from a very old-fashioned name which I had hated all my life to a rather more attractive one I'd always loved. I immediately inhabited it and it actually made a big difference to my life, and strangely, to how others reacted to me.

No me neither! Is this why tin foil hat types said the late queen (or possibly the whole monarchy) were actually lizards? 😂

I was just going to say it sounds like you just be my age then clocked the 79 on your username. 😊

Claire, Emma, Rebecca, Sarah covered most of the girls in my class - middle name Louise!

I love Elizabeth, it's my favourite girls name. Sorry, no use to you.
Love pps' suggestions of Felicity and Nova.
If you really want something different I'd go for Valentina.....or Phoenix ( latter might be toooo different).

I don’t mind the name Elizabeth but I’ve always hated liz (apologies to any liz’s out there.) I just hate the sound and it’s always been a mystery to me why that seems to be the abbreviation of choice for Elizabeth!

Libby means “my heart” in Hebrew! I love it.

I would totally do that - if I didn’t have kids!!!