Childhood Are You Ok With Your Name?

[garden]

Lewa is my childhood nickname, and it is an endearing way of saying 'little girl'. I use this name here because I am trying to be kind to that little girl. I have always like this name. I was called Lewa until about the 3rd grade. In 3rd grade a group of neighborhood kids (who witnessed my Mom calling me in for dinner) started making fun of my name, and then after that I was ostracized throughout the block and no one wanted to play with me, so my parents started calling me by my given name. I missed being called Lewa, but I was glad that the name calling had subsided. Lewa also helps me feel connected to certain parts of my personal history that I enjoy.

I changed my last name because my biological father and stepfather had the same last name (no relation), and I wanted to distance myself from that part of my history. It did help...It fit in with my reinvention of myself back then in my early 20's...

I think this is important to note, the way our names impact our self perceptions...

 

[Mit]

Mit is a nickname, given to me by my adoptive parents, it's not my legal name but I've been called it most of my life. I don't mind it. Occasionally I get some funny looks when first tell people my name, but I don't mind. Its the name I was given whilst in care before I was adopted, in reverse. My adoptive parents reversed my name to mark my new life with them. It was just a bit of fun I think but it stuck.

I've never used my legal name, given to me by my biological mother, or been called by it. So I don't relate to it.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

I changed my whole name and my family will still call me by my old name. Always makes me feel like someone punched me in the stomach.

 

[The Albatross]

I'm fine as long as no one calls me my first and middle name together, though I go by a nickname more of my first name now by preference. Both first and middle names together meant bad bad things. So when I got the opportunity I picked up my maiden name as my middle name, I did.

My mother changed her name twice and wasn't one wit better off... she was still unhappy and messed up. But she is largely untreated and her only diagnosis is GAD.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I don't go by my childhood name anymore. It was a nickname for my official name, so no difficulties in changing what people call me. I was named after my grandmother. Recently a few things came to light and my dad realized it was no mistake.....he discovered a number of things about her that are reflected in me. Funny how things happen like that. So now I use my real name. I don't like my middle name because my mother gave that to me. Truth be told, I've always wanted my grandmother's full name (either maiden or married). At some point in the future I will change it, either to one of those, or by marriage.

 

[jaccat]

I always felt lucky that my middle name was my paternal grandmother's. She was not connected in any way to any of the people who hurt me, and I only ever heard good of her from my father. I always felt an odd connection to her, because of the name, and recently discovered photographs of her from when my dad was a baby, in which she looks almost exactly like me. No wonder my father always recognised me, even when his dementia was so bad he knew no one else. I feel blessed for that too, and blessed that I don't seem to resemble my mother. If I ever get any of my writing published it shall be under my grandmother's maiden name. Mine is not suited to the publishing world, and it would be a way for me to honour her and my father.

 

[Deleted member 20280]

I was christened Laurence. I hated it and all it symbolized for me as a child. I chose Laurie about 27 years ago as my chosen.

Now I live back where I grew up I hear it all the time and it makes me cringe every time.

 

[LuckyDuck]

I wish the kid game of "Today my name is *insert nicname*" and actually being called the nickname still worked. xD

Sometimes I don't like my name. It was supposed to be my mothers. Mine is better than hers, thank goodness! :D

 

[Ellabella44]

I hate my given name. I was teased in school alot because of my last name because of a song with it in it. I still hate the d*mn song. I changed my last name when I was 18 to my stepfathers name once i found out i could. my first name is too formal to me and i prefer the shortened and masculine form of it. middle name is something outdated and formal as well..... ick!

funny thing is after i married, I ended up having the same initials that ive had since birth since my husbands last name started with that letter.

When I play mmo games i take the name of my main character while im playing the certain game. my username is a combination of two of my game names.... And i do really like it and what it means together.

 

[Deleted member 29920]

I hate it and want to change it but I just don't know what to change it to :facepalm:

I don't even sign it the way I used to, I just do a loose squiggle.

 

[Sammyiam]

I hate my name and my middle name is worse. I got teased at school because it's a name in a song and they used to sing it really loud and make me feel really bad. I was very shy at school and used to feel so small like I could crawl under the nearest rock and just stay there.

 

[Truthful_Whispers]

I never did like to hear people say my first and last name together. Nothing is really wrong with it, but maybe it is just my self esteem. I'm not sure.