To dislike my name

[whyidontlikemyname]

My name has three syllables and honestly decades on I STILL hear my mothers voice screeching it with the emphasis on the second syllable and I really dislike my own name!

Wondering if anyone else hates their name?

Name changed to say I’m an Ann Marie. I was a very quiet child and as much as I’d have liked to drop the Ann, I just never had the confidence to say so, I don’t feel connected to Ann somehow. I live overseas and when I give my name in a coffee shop etc they always think I’ve said ‘I’m Marie’ so I guess I get my shortening there. I sometimes tell myself in the queue, just say Marie, but when they ask what’s your name, the full version just flows!

Similar with me... Used a alternative for work away from my parents... In last few years had to return home to care... I started being called my hated name again by folk who only knew me through my parents.

Never changed it officially as it would have hurt my mum-now they're both dead, I'm considering changing it officially.

OP, I detested my name, long story why.
I have changed it by deed poll in my late 30s, it’s actually very easy, then it took a few weeks to sort out paperwork, like after marriage.

I told everyone at work via email, in person in other scenarios and every single person has called my by new name since day one. It is such a rare thing to do, that they all must have remembered. Do it!

Im from Scotland so I guess my mum didnt think out the box 🤣🤣🤣.

I love the name Shirley, it seems very glamorous to me 🥰

Mhairi was a very common name where I am from (Scottish Highlands/Islands). When I was at school in 70's ,80's there were a few Mhairi s in every class (if it is spoken in Gaelic it is pronounced ' A' Vari'.) It has gone out of fashion a bit now, but it will probably make a come back. Never known any 'Starlights'!!

I've never met anyone else with my name. (No it's not Starlight!) There is one celebrity who has it, which I guess has helped slightly in making it feel marginally less outlandish. But I still hate it.

It's horrible to loathe the sound of your own name. Really wish I'd had the guts to change it when I was much younger. I was at school with a couple of girls who went by their middle names so I don't know why it never seemed like a possibility. (I don't like my middle name much either but it's better
than my first name.)

I've known three women try to change their names in their 40s, 50s and my mum tried in her 70s but it didn't really catch on, people just carried on calling them their original names and it quietly went away. My daughter had a lot of friends who came out as non binary at 12 and seemed to change their names every other week! Now they are A level students they have mostly gone back to their original names (and pronouns).

I hated my name, I used to feel embarrassed whenever I had to introduce myself. I finally changed it when I was in my late 30s. It seems difficult to do but it was actually easy. I started off thinking of myself as the new name. Then asked close family and friends to use it, then changed it at work, and then it just became my name. I’m 50 now and occasionally some people still forget, but that’s never a problem.

I think I feel that I’ve left it too late to change it, that my new name would never truly feel like me either maybe. That said my name has never felt like mine, even as a child. My parents called me a different name for my first few weeks until someone mentioned a vaguely embarrassing connection so maybe that’s why it’s never felt right! I wish they’d stuck to the original name but it has served me well on occasions as people underestimate me due to my name and I wish I had a pound for every time someone has said ‘but you don’t look like a … !

If it is Abigail I love it. Perhaps shorten it to Gail though if you want to get rid of your unpleasant association

Never liked my name, however my Dad chose it and has recently died... its now super special to me - so feelings can change

I have two friends who changed their names as adults. They’re happier, the rest of us got used to it, job done!

it has 3 syllables, is there really no shortening you can find you like? then just introduce yourself to new people as that

I hate mine. My mum told me that my parents had agreed if I was a girl my dad would pick my name and if I was a boy she would choose my name. My dad chose to name me after a woman he’d had a fling with. I don’t know why my mum never changed it. I considered it when I was around 16 but it seemed such a faff as everyone knew me by this name now

Yeah, I have to be honest and say if I turned up on the school run and said ‘right Jo, I’m now Sally’ to all the school mums I would feel a massive twat. I suppose it depends on how confident you are. One of the reasons I dislike my name is the attention it brings even when that attention is positive, but people in my life are used to it and don’t make a fuss.

MN loves my name anyway. I have to confess I have no idea why though!

I was born 78. My middle name is my dad’s with an A on the end. That’s worse than my first name.

I give a false 'starbucks' name if the person doesn't need to know my real name.

I live in NE Scotland and there are a lot of old ladies named after their fathers with -ina (rhymes with miner) stuck on the end. Williamina, Alexanderina, Jamesina, I've even seen Johnina.

I know of a Donaldina McDonald. She’s lives 80+ years with it and it doesn’t seem to have done her any harm!

I know of a Donaldina McDonald. She’s lives 80+ years with it and it doesn’t seem to have done her any harm!

I worked with a woman in Belfast who was Donalda Roberta. I quite like Donalda. Half my family is called Robert (the male half!)

I have known several women (born pre 1970s) who were named pretty much after their dad, it makes me wonder if they wanted a boy, not a girl.

Similar to Thomasina, Albertina, Johnette...

@eggandonion Donalda is quite nice! With the emphasis on the AL bit, so Don-AL-da.

I really dislike my proper name. I was born in the 70s but it was a very 1930s/40s name so always felt old fashioned. I’ve only ever met one other my age.

I have been using a shortened version since I was about 7 or 8. I don’t love that either but can live with it.

Is there no shortened nickname you could use, OP?

@whyidontlikemyname

Yeah, I have to be honest and say if I turned up on the school run and said ‘right Jo, I’m now Sally’ to all the school mums I would feel a massive twat.

Why can you not just change your first name to a (shorter) diminutive of your longer name? Loads of people do this. Why would you feel like a massive twat?

For instance I know a woman called Geraldine, (she's 33) and she has been called Geri since she was at Uni. And an Evangeline (aged 46 who HATES her name,) who prefers to be called Lina (pronounced Leena,) and she's been called Lina since high school. Also a Cynthia, who is 50, and she gets everyone to call her CeCe. Has done for about 15 years. No-one calls her Cynthia.

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