Changing my own name?

[Meraide]

Ladies who are thinking about baby names, please help me!

My name is awful. Typical 1970s (I was actually born in the mid 80s so I’m not as old as it makes me seem). It’s very trashy and makes me sound common. Think along the lines of Sharon.

Is it weird if I change it? Not massively, but maybe changing Sharon to Sharren or Shar.

I’m starting a little business and approached a branding agency for a name and logo, paid quite a bit for a website, paid for decent photos of me, all looks very nice except it says “Sharon Jones, Founder” at the top and it just sounds shit and creates the wrong impression. Probably ridiculous but I was thinking Sharren Jones or Shar Jones might sound better.

I’m not going to out myself. But my name was suggested on here a few weeks ago and people overwhelmingly said it was dated, chavvy, a nasty person, hard as nails, the name of a bully, the name of a benefits claimant, etc. That’s what set me thinking that maybe it’s not a good look for my business, because I’m marketing to women who have these opinions about my name.

My mother and father for reasons known only to themselves called me Susan and then shortened it to Sue. I can never remember answering to it. I think I hated it from the day I was born. They didn’t even have the imagination to make it Susanna which I quite like. I changed my name to something completely different as soon as I turned 18. I would do what makes you happy. Is there an older version of the name yours was derived from perhaps?

Sharren and Shar are not very nice. Unfortunately people judge on a name which is ridiculous as the person was given their name by their parent in most cases. If you want to change your name it is daft to pick something similar to the name you don't like and even more so when it's not an actual name!

I think I know the name. As in Ozzie's daughter?
I don't think it's bad! I think it's quite cute actually

Everyone knows me as my name so it would be awkward to have a complete change. I also don’t want to upset my mum. I thought maybe I could switch it to a version that’s not quite as bad but close enough that it won’t confuse people. At present I’m thinking that nobody will want to buy nice things from me because I sound too chavvy (I’m not at all but my name implies that I am).

You can use any name you want as long as it's not for a fraudulent purpose, which this isn't.

There's no such thing as legal names in the UK, only the name you are known by. You can use different names in different settings if you want.

It's not uncommon for women in particular to have a professional name that's different to the name they use personally.

Pick any name you like. Just make sure it's a name you'll be happy to keep professionally as your brand/network will be connected to that name.

I don't go in for snobbery about spellings. Language evolves. Pick a name you're happy with.

@Meraide , If it's what a pp has implied, it's fine. Just use it. Nobody bats an eyelid at Karren Brady's name do they, even though the name's a different spelling of a dated name.

You are not your name. You are you.

Don't feel you have to alter one little bit of you to suit other people and their stupid prejudices or snobby opinions on what constitutes a "good" name. Who are they to judge you or your name?

do you have to promote yourself? you're selling stuff right? its the stuff I'd be interested in not the person selling it.
eg if your website was 'lovely handmade pots' I'd be looking at the pots and not especially interested in the person selling them- if there was a whole load of guff about Sharon and her journey and her life it would actually put me off.
I suppose I'd expect a name somewhere in the small print but if that was 'S Jones' I wouldn't care at all.

I have a 'common' 70s 80s name, but would not let anyone's silly prejudices make me feel I had to change it for a business. Just be you.

Don't make name choices based on MN, there are too many amazingly class conscious types on here. And anyway names that MNers "hate" they will inevitably love or decide are fashionably retro 5 years hence.

Oh yes I remember that thread. Begins with a K?
I think when people are asked their opinion of a name, it's mainly people with strong opinions that reply. If I saw a thread asking about a name that I felt indifferent to I probably wouldn't click in, it's only when I really love or hate a name that I respond otherwise I have nothing really to say about it. So you probably saw a very disproportionate response to the name! I wouldn't bat an eyelid if I met an adult with your name, I wouldn't think about whether it was dated or 'chavvy' or whatever else, I would just accept it and move on. And for what it's worth I think it sounds like a friendly sort of name!

I'd pick an updated version of the name, a good list upthread. If it's Lisa then Eliza.
If it's Tracy then how about Sadie, that has the same pattern.

Ugh I wish it was what you think it is! Sadly it’s a bit worse than that. But I take on board what you’re saying about not bowing to prejudice.

If it's just about the logo can you not put "S. Jones, Founder" rather than your full name?

Worse than Tracy? I mean Tracy is only bad because viz slated it.

If it's Bernadette, what about Bonnie
I just can't think of any 1970s names that are that bad. 🤔

Hmm I really want to know what it is now! If it's Keeley or Kayleigh I think it's fine as it is!

Any chance you have a better middle name? You could style yourself as S Rachael Jones or S Catherine Jones or whatever.

It’s difficult to offer suggestions as you don’t wish to say what your name is. I don’t think shortening your name or mis-spelling it is going to resolve anything.

With regard to your website and the positioning of your name at the top… I wonder if you could position it elsewhere so that it’s not so prominent. When potential customers see your items first they’ll make their assumptions on those, not your name.

Good luck with your business!

Sharon is a name. Sharren is not a name. Don't do this! It's much much worse!

Personally think you should just own it. It's your name, the worst people will do is guess your age.

If you must change it...
Use a middle name if you have one?
Use a grandparent's name?
Use a name you've always loved?

Don't change your actual name for some terrible misspelled version of it

Does your name have to be so prominent in your marketing? Presumably you are selling a product or a service so maybe focus on that rather than you. If I see a flyer promoting something it’s usually with a company name, not the name of one person.

There is a hairdresser in my area with an unusual spelling of a normal name and I wonder why she doesn’t use the common spelling but her salon has got a business name so it doesn’t really matter.

@Veryinteresting24 , it might be the name on her BC.
I know several Lindsays who have spellings like Lindsay, Lindsey, Lynsey and Linzi and Caseys with spellings like Casey, Casei, Kacie, Kaseigh and Kaci.
I'm not keen on Lindsay or Casey other than as a surname

Own it! You will be part of breaking this stupid stereotype. Sharon, Tracy and other classic names are proper names. Plus if you have international audience they would not know these stereotypes

My db's name is James and over the years he changed it to Jim both personally and professionally just by introducing himself using that name. Only family still call him James. I do think you need to use a shortening of your name rather than changing the spelling.

I would change it completely then.

My friend’s daughter was adopted when she was 3. Daughter has always hated her name. And when she went to secondary she changed it to a name she loved - after 6 weeks no one calls her by her old name.

Life is too short just change it.

I want to change mine as my parents weren’t great and named me - and they don’t and didn’t pronounce it right and I want to be my middle name. So I want to change mine and indeed have started. Just say actually I’ve adopted a new name from now on I’m Charlotte - change it on social media and you’d be surprised how quickly people will change