Pia / Pip / not a baby but want opinions!

[alwayslate48]

I'd like to change my first name while still keeping it functional and recognisable.

I am 'Pippa' on my birth certificate and 'Pip' to those who know and love me.

I'd like to continue to be known as Pip but not Pippa because of childhood abuse.

However, I feel weird introducing myself as Pip to new people because it is is a nickname and not substantial enough (IMO).

I was thinking of changing my first name to Pia and going by Pip? I met a baby Pia many years ago and thought it was a lovely name. It is 'Pippa' but without the ridiculous excess of two p's stuffed in the middle.

What do you guys think (please be gentle as this is a sensitive issue for me).

So far I am considering changing my name by deed poll to:

Pip
Pia
Pippin
Piper

I wonder if I could ask people to just call me Pia? Do you think my friends and husband would eventually adapt or will it be awful for them?

Your friends may slip up a few times but they would hate to be causing you pain when they say your name so don’t think any more about it.
If you announce a name change confidently and matter-of-factly the people you tell will take their lead from you.

What I meant is even if it’s work for your friends and husband, it’s work they will be happy to do (or they aren’t really friends)

People will easily adapt if you ask them. Or what lots of people do is their old friends would call them Pip, but you introduce yourself as Pia to new people.

Pia is my favourite full name you have listed, though Pip works as you already use it. Piper feels like a name I would expect on someone under the age of ten, and Pippin feels masculine to me.

so I could try getting used to introducing myself as Pip maybe?

I think this might lead to people saying things like, "Oh, that's a nice/unusual name! Is it short for something?". And then you'd find yourself being prompted to talk about the very name that you want to forget

@Tashface

so I could try getting used to introducing myself as Pip maybe?

I think this might lead to people saying things like, "Oh, that's a nice/unusual name! Is it short for something?". And then you'd find yourself being prompted to talk about the very name that you want to forget

Possibly, but all of the names OP has chosen are unusual. None of them has appeared in the top hundred names between 1904 and 1994 (assuming OP was born somewhere in that timeframe!), so I feel with all of them a comment about 'that's an unusual name' is pretty likely. I feel like Pip is actually the least commentable as Philippa and Pippa are established names and there's an obvious connection there.

If the OP could test out her name before changing it then I think that would be ideal. Ask her husband and a few close friends to use Pia for a few weeks and see how it feels. Introduce herself as Pia (this is where the Starbucks test is quite good, as you don't expect them to remember your name after you leave) and see if the general public make comments that irritate or upset her.

I like all your choices except I'm not sure about piper. Also I think if you went for that one, some people would still say Pippa as they're too similar and piper is really unusual.

If you like Pia I would just go for it and ask people to call you that. People would get used to it.

Really useful things to think about, thanks again for the support I've had on this thread, it means a lot.

I have decided to change my first name to Pia and let my friends know, but say Pip is fine.

New people in my life will know me as Pia (am off to Starbucks in the morning to make it official ).

I will keep my middle name and change my surname by deed poll to my married name.

I'm moving soon and with a new name and new address, I hope to put even more distance between me and my childhood.

Pia is nice but sounds like

Pee er

Someone who likes to pee

Sorry it just does to me

How about thinking of a name that doesn't relate at all to Pippa or start with the same letter to help remove you from its connections a step further

Or it also sounds like Pier as in by the sea

I think Pia is lovely. Penelope could also work?

Go for it!