Re-naming ceremonies

My name is Frances, better known as Frankie, so I'm gender neutral, depending on how I'm feeling!

These days, as I loathe the diminutive of my first name, and DH insists on using it, I quite fancy my third given name of "Alix". It is elegant and rather "fin de siecle" like the Tsarina...
Doesn't really suit me as although tall, I am fat, and not that feminine. Shame.
Wonder what DH would be? Love Gertrude - perhap, DH would be a Dora?

Teetime Many thanks, you had me in stitches.

I'm not twittering - I'm flaming tittering!

I'm still twittering at Hebe's Dh being called Gertrude!

I have taught both Euphemia and Mercedes! DH has a friend with 8 Christian names, after his father's rowing 8!

I didn't realise that it was common for women to choose a different name from the one they were given at birth. This would explain why my Gran was known as Daisy when her real name was Alice (which I didn't know). It caused me no end of problems when I started to try to research family history---couldn't find any official records.

When I was young I wished I had been named Phyllis, now I am older I am really pleased that I was not, always think of the character who used to be in Coronation Street

when my youngest son (3rd child) was about 3 he asked one day why he wasn't called Claribel............so of course that's what we called him for a few years!!

I have always detested the name my parents gave me. I was named after a godmother. I had two others...I could have been Emily or Alice. I could have been named after one of my grandmothers...Victoria or Cecilia. My choice would be Cecilia. I never met her...she died very young. From what I have found out about her she was a catholic girl who eloped with my protestant grandfather who was in the British Army...they met in Dublin in 1909. Her parents disowned her. She had to have been rebellious. I think I take after her. I would so love to have met her. My grandfather died young as well so I never met him either.

I'd like to change my GN name but I know it's not allowed.

Tribal societies often have name changing as you grow up and your talents manifest themselves. I am still waiting for my talents to manifest.

I live in Glastonbury, we have myriad Merlins, Lilleths, Wolfs, Stars, Rainbows and one poor girl 'Luminous'.

I wonder if they secretly want to be George or Betty?

Yes! I suspect that the ones with traditional names decided they wanted to be one of the 'cool kids'. However, their families seemed happy with this. Only last month, at a 100th birthday celebration, did I find out the 'birth name' of a woman in our village; also thinking about it, my grandmother (born 1895) had several friends whose names were not their birth ones. So I wonder if it was an older tradition that died out during the 20th Century.

I've also known quite a few women from Africa who do this, and I have a British-born friend, now 60, who changed her name when 30. She told me that it was a common tradition among Native Americans (for whom there was a fashionable following in the 1920s)

So, no surprise, there's nothing new under the sun! And of course, any excuse for a party!

Yes, I met an Eliza, which I think is really pretty, who called herself Lil when she was a teen, as she thought it sounded more exciting!

Yes, MissAventure, I know a few women, now aged 80-100, who chose their names when in their teens. In some cultures this is a recognised tradition. Never met anyone who chose Gertrude though!

Ah yes I too see DH as a Mrs Doubtfire or possibly Sybil Thorndike whom he much admires especially as he has a Corbynesque beard and is generally very hairy.

My name puts me firmly in a four year period post war. I disliked it until I began to see it as a special gift from my mother, who loved me and thought she'd chosen a wonderful modern name. I was to have had my maternal grandmothers name but eventually my parents decided it was too old fashioned. Ah Well - I've embraced my name and wouldn't change it for the reasons I've given. If I did change it, it would be to my own mothers name, which I gave to one of my children. I have friends who did change their names after their own parents had died.

When I was a child I always wanted to be Jill (as I idiolised my much older brother called Jack). When I first went to work at the age of 15 yrs in a hairdressing salon, there was already someone with my real first name there, so when I was asked what I would like to be known by I naturally said Jill. Stayed there, with that name for some 18 months, by which time, not only did I know I was no good as a hairdresser, but also knew I hated (with a passion), the name of Jill.
Never felt the need to change my first name since that time.

Brilliant mumofmadboys best laugh all day.

I will choose Mafanwy , I can fantasise the singers who sing it are singing to me ? I rather like -" the sound of your sweet words" .

Being of royal blood, I now wish to be known as Elizabeth.

Or pill for short?

Years ago, there was a contraceptive pill called Eugynon. I'm told it means Happy Woman.
If that IS the case, I wish to be known as Eugynon. ?

?? Euphemia sounds as if she were slender, pale, forgetful and a pain in the ass, choose another name Christine or stay with Ripple.

I'm with you all the way lemongrove think I'll be Ripple as I like to cause them.

Do like Euphemia though,