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HelpRe: Considering changing my name/ some possible overthinking
in reply to a message by helianthus
I think you are way overthinking it, and you actually may not be ready to change your name; you've gone by Edina all your life so far, so it actually is connected to you. That and Edie; you've never answered to anything else.
When people are serious about changing their names, they generally are much more sure about what they want to change to and why and they are far less worried about possible sound-alikes or initials. I mean, Edie and erectile-dysfunction/eating disorder initials and you may want to work in the medical field is quite a stretch, and tells me you're reaching, trying to give yourself a reason to not go by your own current name.
It's fine to change your name, if you are actually serious about wanting to, and you don't mind the legal ramifications of it.
You could start going by a different nn for Edina, to sound different but not have to start from scratch. How about Dina/Deena/Dena? It's short, but less "tweety" than Edie. And less related to Edith. And it's used often enough as a full name that it doesn't feel overly formal.
Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you criticize him, you're a mile away and you have his shoes!
Steve Martin
When people are serious about changing their names, they generally are much more sure about what they want to change to and why and they are far less worried about possible sound-alikes or initials. I mean, Edie and erectile-dysfunction/eating disorder initials and you may want to work in the medical field is quite a stretch, and tells me you're reaching, trying to give yourself a reason to not go by your own current name.
It's fine to change your name, if you are actually serious about wanting to, and you don't mind the legal ramifications of it.
You could start going by a different nn for Edina, to sound different but not have to start from scratch. How about Dina/Deena/Dena? It's short, but less "tweety" than Edie. And less related to Edith. And it's used often enough as a full name that it doesn't feel overly formal.
Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you criticize him, you're a mile away and you have his shoes!
Steve Martin
Replies
Yes, of course I'm technically connected to my name, that's why I said I don't *feel* connected to it. Starting from scratch (or near from scratch) is a bit of the point for me, as I didn't grow up in a healthy environment. I started going by Edie during a time when I separated from that and developed more autonomy, so I feel more "connected" to that in terms of accomplishments, what loved ones I kept or met call me by, etc. Which is why I'd like to keep that as a nn, but I'm sure (have been for awhile) I don't want to keep my full name. I'm not planning or changing it next month- or even next year- I'd just like to explore options.
And I have plenty of personal reasons for changing it from Edina, that have nothing to do with famous/fictional associations or medical abbreviations. Those ones I listed are some hesitations I have about exclusively going by Edie, like I do now. And yeah, I did overthink a lot of them- but I see/have used both E.D.s a lot already in my entry level classes. It's not a big deal, it didn't put me off going by it; it just kind of adds to the lack of formality for me. I still second-guess myself a lot due to how I was raised- so me feeling sure about not keeping my first name says a lot, but overthinking a lot of little reasons about something I like doesn't. I was just curious if those little things had any weight, not if I'm actually wrong about what I stated to be uncomfortable with.
And I have plenty of personal reasons for changing it from Edina, that have nothing to do with famous/fictional associations or medical abbreviations. Those ones I listed are some hesitations I have about exclusively going by Edie, like I do now. And yeah, I did overthink a lot of them- but I see/have used both E.D.s a lot already in my entry level classes. It's not a big deal, it didn't put me off going by it; it just kind of adds to the lack of formality for me. I still second-guess myself a lot due to how I was raised- so me feeling sure about not keeping my first name says a lot, but overthinking a lot of little reasons about something I like doesn't. I was just curious if those little things had any weight, not if I'm actually wrong about what I stated to be uncomfortable with.