I can’t reveal my first name but it is old-fashioned English–think Meredith, Esther, Olga, Gretchen…

My last name makes me too identifiable. It is an Ellis Island misspelling that makes me the only person on this earth with my exact first and last name combo.

I thought I would change it with marriage but I don’t think marriage is going to happen for me, at least not anytime soon, and I’m not putting anything on hold for it anymore.

I think with my old-timey first name I could afford a zany last name. I like Winter and Snow. I don’t want it to be too “out there” or difficult to spell, so I’m not going to do something like Zephyr, and I would like suggestions that aren’t too tied to a specific concept. Interesting enough but not excessively unique.

My background is Taiwanese and white American without ties to any specific country strong enough to pick a name from some European country I only have a bit of a connection to from generations ago. The white side is Irish, Welsh, and French. I am not trying to stand out excessively. I do not feel a strong connection to my Taiwanese side, and that could be its own post. I don’t want something commonly mispronounced. I was thinking something like Shaw? It might make my ex think I’m obsessed with him but he already thinks that so whatever.

  • skeesx@piefed.socialEnglish
    2·
    4 days ago

    You might as well set yourself up for success and use a name that people subconsciously associate with positive traits.
    Someone suggested Hope, and it’s a great name for a doctor.

    So I suggest King, (Arm)strong, Grace, Smart, Good, or Harmon. Or perhaps something like Washington, Churchill, Franklin, Luther or Addams.

    I also like Shepherd, even though I doubt it carries much subconscious weight nowadays.

  • GreenShimada@lemmy.world
    7·
    6 days ago

    I knew a couple that did this. Neither of them changed their names when they got married, and both their names were just weird. They wanted more professional-sounding names, FWIW.

    I somewhat agree to explore the un-messed up spelling, but can see how that might not work. My friends just dug through family histories until they found one they liked. Settled on Snook. Worked for them.

    Starting from scratch, I would start with syllables first to see what fits. It’s either you want a mirroring of the syllables of the first name if you want something formidable and important-sounding, or a single syllable that is a stark punctuation if it suits you more.

    A few examples:

    2-syllable names might do better with 1 or 2 syllables - Maureen Star, Maureen Wright. Maureen Harper, Maureen Rivers flow well.

    3 syllable names might work with up to 3 - Meredith Mackenzie. Meredith Lancaster.

    You might also want a “job name” as other suggested as they are sort of ethnically neutral (other than being English) - many 2 syllables. Taylor, Harper, Archer, Tanner, Hunter, Sawyer, Driver, Wainwright, etc.

    Or something you like in nature - Rivers, Forester, Woods, Fields, Bay, Mariner

    If you go for 1 syllable, make it a word people know that pops. Knox. Hale. Quinn. Snow. Stone. Frost. Hart. Steele. Black. Night. Day.

    Also, search online first to make sure that no one with the same name is a serial killer or something.

    Best of luck!

  • Tiral@lemmy.world
    9·
    7 days ago

    Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho

    The only true good suggestion on here.

  • HubertManne@piefed.socialEnglish
    6·
    7 days ago

    If I was changing my name I would like it short and easy to spell and by that its obvious there is not wierd. I knew a person with the last name wolf and I thought that was awesome. its wolf spelt like the animal you can say on the phone. snow seems like it would be that way. I might say snow just like it sounds as I can’t think of snow like the weather or like the percipitate sounds that good.

    • adarza@lemmy.caEnglish
      1·
      7 days ago

      if i was changing mine, i’d want something literally ungoogleable… something so common it gets completely lost in the crowd.

      • HubertManne@piefed.socialEnglish
        1·
        7 days ago

        could have both. wolf is a little uncommon but smith is very common. Of course the issue with that name is the spelling which often has a y or e thrown in and like the profession may work but I dunno. feels a bit cumbersome.

      • HubertManne@piefed.socialEnglish
        2·
        7 days ago

        I go with shorter is better though. so one syllable better than two. With my first name Im asked what I prefer and I always respond with the one syllable version. Don’t get me wrong. rabbit is still good.

            • YawningNostalgia@thelemmy.clubOP
              2·
              7 days ago

              I graduated last month and I’m doing a research year before applying for residency so yes I do have my certification, but I am not in a place to give advice to others.

                • YawningNostalgia@thelemmy.clubOP
                  3·
                  7 days ago

                  I went into this field so I could wear PJs to work lol.

                  This is a whole nother post but the funding is not coming through and I think my lab at the cancer center might close. I’ve been begging my PhDs to go on the local news and kick up a little fuss, but they are camera-shy, and I would be comfortable being on camera but I don’t have knowledge of the ins and outs the way they do. So nobody is comfortable and knowledgeable enough to be the face of our lab. We need a charismatic leader and can’t find one amongst our ranks.

              • Jerb322@lemmy.world
                1·
                7 days ago

                Dr Cox, it is then. Scrubs

                What about a bird name like, Medowlark? How many syllables are we working with?

  • sydd@lemmy.world
    4·
    7 days ago

    Namey McNameface, if you’re looking for a middle name change too.

    Edit: plenty of other suggestions for this already, just more proof it’s a great name!!