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.

  • heartSagan5@lemmy.zip
    2·
    5 hours ago

    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 used to think this, until someone on Facebook popped up with my name. They still feel like they cropped up (like some CIA cover name/id theft) because my brother worked in the Navy in the very town he worked in 20 years ago. But whatever.

  • reksas@sopuli.xyz
    1·
    6 hours ago

    change it to “happy-adjustable-spanners” like that one guy did when he lost a bet 😄

  • GreenShimada@lemmy.world
    7·
    14 hours 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!

  • ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net
    2·
    15 hours ago

    If the issue is identifiability why not just change it to another, more common family name? Fix the misspelling so it’s not as rare or change to your mother’s maiden name. Or some of your grandparents.

  • sydd@lemmy.world
    4·
    20 hours 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!!

  • Tiral@lemmy.world
    8·
    24 hours ago

    Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho

    The only true good suggestion on here.