Have you changed your name (not via marriage)? How did you choose?

[SuddenlySqueamish]

I really want to change my surname. DP and I don't plan on marrying and I wouldn't want to take his name anyway. But I really hate my surname. For starters it's an annoying name anyway - sounds horrible and I constantly have to spell it out to people. Secondly, I got it from my mum who left me and my siblings as a child so a bad association there. And as she was unmarried when she had me, she got it from her father - my grandfather, with whom I don't have a good relationship.

I don't really see much of my family and feel much stronger for it. So I want a new surname to really help me move on and feel more confident in my identity, unencumbered by my past.

So, people who have changed their name other than through marriage, how did you choose? I considered my maternal grandmother's maiden name as I was close to her as a child but I don't like the name and it doesn't go well with my first name.

I'm fairly outdoorsy and love nature so something related to that possibly. But I don't want it to be too out there so that I constantly have to explain it to people. Choosing an identity is hard!

Help!

No experience of this, but I love the idea. Something like Aspen or Rosewood might work?

I like Aspen as a good solid name, but Rosewood sounds better with my first name. Two excellent suggestions!

My OH did this, changed his surname because his father was extremely abusive.
He chose a star name, I can't say it as it may out me. It passes as a very normal, ordinary name, but we both know what inspired it.
I feel grateful he didn't choose the kind of surname many eighteen year olds would have done. I could be Mrs TT-Circuit, that being his passion then.

Go for it, I'm surprised more people don't change their names. I kind of changed my first name when I was 18 ( we didn't know each other). I had been called by a shortened version of my name, which I really disliked. I started introducing myself by my full first name and used it ever since.

Lol @ Mrs TT-circuit!

A star name sounds lovely