Hating your own name?

zebrapanther1311

Do you know anyone who hates their name? Do they go by something else?

I know:

Edna- she goes by Jo
Orin- goes by bubba
James- goes by Henry
Aleah- goes by Katherine


Eta- how could I forget my dh! His name is Jawdat. He's half Palestinian and it's a family name but he's always been very clear that he does not want any of our kids to have Palestinian names because of it. He has always gone by Joey.

Renisra+2

I know a Katie who hates her name because she wasn't given a "real" name. I also know a girl from school named Heather, who always went by her middle name, Nicole. She has since returned to Heather I think though. That's all I can think of off the top of my head, but I'm sure there are more.

LNic5

I've never been super keen on my name...it's just so plain and I grew up knowing multiple others with it as well. All three of my names are very boring and common actually. I sometimes go by my first and middle name (Laura Nicole) or first and nickname (Laura Pearl)

I did wish it was different growing up but I'm not I'd ever legally change it

Ace226

When I was a kid I didn't like my name at all. I like it a lot now though! And I'm glad I never changed it. It's Leah.

kej0004

My name is Kelsey and I've never really hated it, but haven't ever really liked it either. My mom always told me she almost named me Hannah and I have always just thought "Well...I wish you would have..." She said she wanted something less common because we had a VERY common last name, but then every other girl born that year was Kelly, Kristy, Kelsey, Katie, etc, so it didn't end up sounding all that different anyways. 

Sassenach1743

I have an uncommon name and no middle name at all. I went through a phase when I was growing up disliking it (it's 9 letters long and most people can't figure out how to spell or pronounce it without asking for help) but when I realized that I had never met anyone with my name (still haven't, although I know they're out there) I began to love it and still love it now. I do go by a nickname at times, which I also love. 

rowboat4

My bff is Brooke Elizabeth. She despises Brooke, and went by Libby for a while in college, but mostly still goes by Brooke, even though she hates it. My mom was Shelley Ruth and hated Ruth so she ditched it when she got married. Her legal mn is her maiden name.

ELauren88

I love my name, always have.
My mom did share with me the other names she was considering, and I always think "thank God, she picked the right one". Lol

Helenahhandbasket

I hate my FN, but it never occured to me to go by anything different.

baloneydisc

I know an Ansel who hates his name and goes by Bud. When he was in kindergarten my brother (Dale) decided he hated his name and went by Jeremy for a year.

Dr.Loretta

We have 4 generations of men in my family with the same name. They don't hate it, but all but the first generation goes by a NN

lifeonthehill

I am not a huge fan of Alyssa. It isn't bad but it isn't that good either. Went by Lyssa in school. I prefer 1 or 2 syllable names.

My parents had Ariel picked out until I was born and I didn't fit the name. I would LOVE to be an Ariel.

Spring78

My grandfather hates his name -- Irvin. He goes by a nn based on his last name. The only person I have ever heard call him by his given name is my grandmother, and, even then, she only uses it when she's pissed. I also went to school with a girl named Kathryn -- she hated the name and went by her mn. I also know a Paul who has gone by a totally random nn not related to his given name in any way his entire life. Not sure he hates his name, he just doesn't like it for himself, if you know hat I mean.

mamayo26

i hated mine, but that was because I was never called it except for the first day of school every year and when my friends wanted to make me mad.

My first name was angela, but I was called a nn of my mn, so when I got married I legally changed it. Dropped the FN, made my nn my FN used my maiden name for my middle initial/name (not a hypen) and took my husband's last name. It was a pain in the a$$ (going to court and all), but as no one knew by by my firts name it has made my adult life easier.

emmy236

Being an Emily I was lucky to be the only one in my grade but not in the school (I was thankful I wasn't a Katie, Jessica, Ashley or Jamie we had a million of those). Again it didn't matter so much because my maiden name warrants itself to a catchy NN and since my brother and dad both went by that NN in school, the teachers just called me that too. It stuck through college and up until I got married. When I go back home to visit or run into people who knew me back in the day they call me that.

Beevol

I have always loved my name. My mom once told me that if she hadn't agreed to let my dad name me, that I would have been a Jessica. I feel like I really dodged a bullet there (no offense to any Jessica's but it's just so not me). 

I know a Paul who goes by Paul but always talks about how he doesn't like his name when baby names come up (parent friends). And I have a progenitor (progenetrix?) named Elvira who hated her name and went by Sis. 

atrinh11

My grandmother hated her first name. At some point she just had her first and middle names legally switched. She was born Frances Lorraine, but has always been Lorraine Frances to me.

As for my name, I definitely don't hate it, but it can be annoying. It is Andrea, and there are just so many different ways people pronounce it. I don't get super picky about it, but some others do. It would be nice if I just had a name that people knew how to pronounce by looking at it. Although I do love that it isn't a SUPER popular 80s type of name, so that makes me like it.

daystardreams

I know somebody whose name is Tawana and she goes by a nickname because she hates it.

PinkDahLia44

I don't mind my name. Very common, but classic.

I do know a girl who goes by Nikki, and she won't even tell me her real first name, so there's that.

And I went to high school with someone whose middle name is Curry. He hated it.

XOdanXO

I've never liked my name -Danielle, but don't dislike it enough to change it or have people refer to me by a nn or a different name.

I can only think of 3 people I know who have decided to go by a different name completely:
Emma -Evelyn
Sophie -Gwen
Jason -Travis

DaBearsFansWife

I hated both my first and middle name. Both are made up spellings of already uncommon names - think extra 'y's and 'z's and neither of them were particularly meaningful. I was named after my mom's two best friends. One went to jail for a very long time and the other is a 50 year old hippie working in a Hooters like bar. Great role models.

When I married I legally dropped my middle name for my maiden name. Best decision ever.

MandMLeona

Bernard that legally changed to Jake. 

Evelyn - Debbie

Evemarie and Evamarie - Eve. 

Gaylen - Len

wineandcake

My grandmother was named Evelyn but hated it so she goes by her middle name - Joyce.

My first and middle names are quite popular 80's names (Courtney Nicole). I don't think Courtney fits me at all, but I've never really had a nickname or anything else I went by. Occasionally my parents call me Nikki or Nicole. I think Nicole suits me better, but I've accepted Courtney and can't imagine going by anything else after so long of having this name.

BelleZBoo

My grandmother's real name is Ann Marie but she goes by Nancy. Her dad hated the name, stated calling her by his 1st pick, and it stuck! Her kids didn't know her real name until they had to sign will papers (she still alive)

My first name, Amanda, is super common for my age but I love it.

AnotherSun

I like my name, but my parents decided to spell it incorrectly. It annoys me. There isn't even a good reason to spell it the way they did. I thought about changing it, but it was too much of a pain for one extra letter.

lalamomma

DH's grandma is Doris and uses her middle name Jean. My grandmother was Margaret and went by Peggy. My name is Lindsey and I have never liked it and I don't think it fits me at all. It is better than my mom's ideas. They didn't even name me right when I was born it was the next day because they couldn't agree. My middle name is boring so I wouldn't use that either. Lindsey doesn't really have a good NN either.

MamaRN13

I don't like my name. I've gone by Bree (which screams juvenile!) for forever but my FN is spelled unusually and is constantly misspelled or said wrong.

TweedleDee3

I have an Uncle named Richard, but goes by his middle name Blaine. None of the nieces and nephews knew this until recently.

nurse714

I love my first and middle name. My father wanted my middle name to be my first name but it leads to a nickname that is a boy's name. My mother didn't want that so she put it in the middle spot. 

I went to college with a Shaquisha, first name, and last name Morgan. She went by Morgan and I didn't know her first name until we were paired for a project and my professor called her by her first name.

My husband has a very juvenile nickname that is not a derivative of his name or any name and has always gone by that. I never have called him by that name. I call him a common nickname of his given name and I'm the only person that uses that name. In the work place, he goes by his given name.

scaggsed

My grandma hated her first name so much she has it on her gravestone as a middle initial.
I've known a lot of people that go by middle names, some because they hate their first and some due to family tradition. Hated names: Christopher, John, Travis.
I've also known people that like their names but hate any nicknames, such as randy for Randall.

Heavensent72

I went to high school with a girl named Tiawanna.  Years later we ended up in the same career field and went I called her name she said "ssshhh I go by Tia here."  I tried but still ended up calling her Tiawanna most of the time, I mean I had called her that for 4 years of high school and after.  I currently work with a Virginia that goes by Maxine (her mn) but we were introduced that way so I don't have a problem with that.  

But as for me I love my first and middle name and I have been happy with it my whole life.  I do get annoyed when it is misspelled or shortened for no reason, but hey that's life I guess.  I think the reason that I am always sure to spell and pronounce others' names correctly is because mine was always butchered when spelled.  And also why I took the job as name creator for my kids very seriously I wanted them to have a name that they would always love.  For my 9 year old I can tell she loves her name and my son well he is 2 so we will see

ClareH1217

I hated my name growing up.  I was a Clare in a sea of Jennifers, Jessicas, Amys, and Amandas.  However, now I love it and I'm glad it's come into fashion.

kassy66

I love my name but hate that no English speakers can pronounce it correctly.

AshleyMB86

I'm not super fond of my name. It's not ugly or anything, just to common. I feel like 50% of the girls born in the 80's were all named Ashley. I wish I had a more unique name.

Unknown

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Sassenach1743

Pegleg715 said:

@brita722‌ and @MauiBliss‌ Do you mind telling your names? I'm very curious. I went through a short period where I hated my name in middle school. It's different and hard to pronounce and all my friends were Katie Jessica or Megan. I felt that I unfairly stood out. I now like my name very much but do go by a nickname for the most part. Because it's an easier name not because I don't like my name. I'm Peregrine and go by Perry 80% of the time.

My full name is Brittania. I love it now and use it professionally. But I also use the nickname Brita. Only my parents, extended family and best friend I've known all my life call me Britt. 

Mamamads

I know someone who legally went from Jennifer to Jenner because Jennifer was too common. Stupidest thing ever.. If you are going to change your name at least make it good.

SeekingSmall

I always disliked my name, but figured I'd grow to not mind. Pregnant 3 years ago I said "enough." Started going by a more traditional name, and legally changed it this summer. It's had a huge impact on how we name our kids. All their names need a few possible nicknames and good middle names to choose from if they end up not loving theirs.

kimikimi

My parents chose to call me by my middle name rather than first name. Additionally I go by the nickname of my middle name which is very uncommon and requires explanation. I didn't choose this situation, they did. They named me after a family member and wanted to differentiate from that person. My nickname is "me", I like it a lot, and I have no connection to my first name at all really because I've always been called my nickname. Although my names are really nice I hate having to explain my name almost daily. Also professionally its a hindrance - my licenses show my legal name but going by something completely different just seems unprofessional to me but it'd feel too weird to use my real name - it's not me. It's confusing and annoying. I'd recommend against doing this to a kid even though I know it's a thing.

pipeTsquared

I had been called by my mn since I was little. My original fn is a nuns name and as a first name I hated it.
I legally swapped them round as a teenager

valeriemarie24

I don't like my name, and have always told people to call me Val instead of Valerie.
But my mom told me she originally wanted me to be Pamela Mary Catherine, which reminds me of the 1930s. So I guess Valerie is not too bad in comparison