#finding your name

[vonteasevintage]

Who's That Girl? : Uncovering Your Inner Bombshell Name

What is exactly in a name?

A name reflects upon our personality and gives a glimpse into your persona.

Have you ever tried picturing yourself with a different name? Sometimes the other idea(s) seem to fit more with your personality , and sometimes you realize your name fits you to a T.

This is kinda the same thing.

When on the hunt for the name that is the perfect fit, there are a few things on the 'ideal name' checklist.

It's as easy as 1-2-3!

Does it roll off the tongue well?

Honestly. This may seem weird, but it's almost a psychological thing.

Having a name that flows together nicely when the MC pronounces it can make an impact on your initial introduction. If it's too difficult to say, or has any abrupt points that makes the speaker hit a road bump - and sometimes can mess up your name.... awkward - that can leave an uncomfortable first impression for all.

2. Does it seem like it could be an iconic name in lights?

I mean, we all want to see our name in lights on the big stage. We want to be that Bettie Page to someone up 'n' coming. But...is our name memorable? Is it something that will intrigue the viewer when they see it in text, or hear it being announced? Can you see it as a brand? Something I was told when studying the performing arts is that the moment we step into public, and the image we portray upon first glance, we are actually portraying a brand for ourselves.

Branding is important in the performing arts. (Disclaimer: I will be making an article on how to promote yourself as a brand at some point.). We all want to be iconic, and this is an important percentage of the whole picture. What does your personality and the image you portray tell others about who you are?

3. Is it creative?

Some people choose to keep a part of their normal name in their stage name, and that works splendid in combining your daily life in with the glamourous life of pinup. It makes your dream feel and become a reality. Would I use my full legal name? Not exactly. That would be very long and a bit much.

When coming up with a name, you wanna have that little razzle dazzle. You want to be you times ten. Is there a fun play on your name that you can do? Let's use my first name 'Bree' for example.

We normally preface our name with a 'Miss' when being introduced on stage. So now we have a 'Miss Bree' that will be said by the MC. Alrighty, so far so good. Now we need something to match my pinup personality. From the articles you probably can pick up that I can be a ball full of sass with a tongue-in-cheek kind of energy mixed with a bit of sweetness, so let's see what we can do to play with that a bit. Let's go with 'Miss RazzBree' (Get it? A play on of the word 'raspberry'... but if said in an accent?).

Now we're cookin' with fire!

'Miss RazzBree' is too staccato on the tongue. It makes one come to an abrupt halt and anticipate something to follow . So let's add on to it!

Most pinup names you will find have a fancy flair to it. This flair can provide that sensual feminine edge in either a subtle or full tilt way, depending on your personality.

'Miss RazzBree De-Lite'.

Let's check our 1-2-3's to see if this checks off the points!

Does it roll off the tongue well? Check! There's no awkward staccato of the name when being said out loud and rolls off the tongue well.

Does it seem like an iconic name in lights? Check! It's different and captures the attention of the viewer. Sometimes one has to play with how it is written to make it visually appealing. Just play around with the presentation of the name and how it fits together.

Is it creative? Check! It's definitely not your run of the mill name that you would find on a birth certificate.

We also have the elements of being sweet and sassy, as well as being creative. This name can also be played around with visually for branding.

Hopefully this helps you when trying to find out what to put on your pinup persona birth certificate and ready to hit the stage!

It's as easy as 1-2-3!

xo Bree Von Tease

[oliver-the-raggedy-doctor]

What vibes does the name polaris give off? Like what kind of person do you think has this name? I'm enby and trying to figure out a new name

[oliver-the-raggedy-doctor]

Hey so this is really random but I have an idea. So I'm trans and trying to find a name that fits me. And something I think would be nice is if you were able to ask someone the vibe or feeling a name gives off. Like the kind of person they think that name could fit. Obviously this wouldn't be the end all be all of the decision but I think it'd be cool.

Example:

The name Chloe gives off a soft beige and white and also green feeling (I have synesthesia with words and music to colour). It makes me think of a soft fluffy blanket that's like a warm brown. It also reminds me of flowers and trees and foggy fields.

So I was thinking maybe I can do that. It would be slow updates and not reliable cause I'm busy guy but I'd be willing to give it a shot. You can just put it I'm my asks and if you want you can add your pronouns.

[oliver-the-raggedy-doctor]

no clue if I'm misinterpreting your one post, about names, but uhhhhhh

mike { or sunny, michael is my first name but I go by my first middle name, too } he/ they/ it/ voi

I'm not sure which name you're asking me to do, so I'll do both. Thanks for the ask!

Sunny

Sunny seems like the kind of name that would belong to someone who is upbeat and happy. They like yellow, but not just like the bright blinding yellow. A soft yellow. I think this person would be artistic or creative in some way.

Mike/micheal

Mike seems like a kind person. I think someone with this name would be happy and open to new friends. It's similar to the name sunny in that way, but I think Mike is a little more down to earth and less naive if that makes sense. Mike makes me think of the forest for some reason

I like both names a lot, and I hope you have a wonderful day/night, Sunny! I can also do a tarot reading if you'd like, but I don't have my cards with me so it would take a bit longer.

[oliver-the-raggedy-doctor]

I'm trying out another name and I was wondering what people thought. Also, any vibes you get from this name you can comment, I like to use that to see if it fits.

is the name Artemus masc or fem?

masc

fem

in-between

results

Voting ended onJan 31, 2024

[theartoftransliness]

Finding Your Name Revisited

Our first post ever was on how to find your name. Since then I've thought of some things to add, so here is a new and improved version: 

Most trans guys go through the experience of choosing their own name. This can be a difficult process, as you're making a decision that will stick with you for the rest of your life. Tread carefully, as your name is often an integral part to shaping the first impression you send to other people. There are three major approaches most guys take in choosing a name: using the name your parents would've chosen for you had you been born male, choosing the masculinized version of your original name (i.e. Michael from Michelle), or choosing a unique name you feel best represents you and your identity. 

Using the name your parents picked out for you at birth ensures that you're using a name that is appropriate to your birth year and is a good way to acknowledge your parents during your transition. This is a particularly good choice if your parents are supportive of you as it includes them in your process. This honors your parents original choice and may make them a little more likely to use your chosen name. 

The masculinized version of your name also respects the name choice your parents made because it sticks with the overall theme that they envisioned. These are also easier for your family and friends to get used to, as they often sound similar to what they are used to calling you. This also is a good idea if you want to keep your initials, which can be helpful if you have a student email address that utilizes your initials. 

Choosing an original name is good for people who want to experience a symbolic break from their previous identity or to represent their rebirth through their transition. It is very popular for people to use  gender neutral names like Alex or Dylan. People also often will utilize "fashionable" names that are popular right now (Jayden, Xander, etc) or names with unusual spellings ("Zander", "Aydan", etc). The only thing to watch for here is that when you choose a name with an unusual spelling, be prepared to constantly have to correct people's spellings, inform people how to pronounce it, etc. This may or may not be a problem, but keep in mind these are issues you may have (this coming from someone who had a unique, unusually spelled birth name).  

We settled on some basic guidelines for choosing a name, regardless of what approach you take: 

1. Think about using your name in various situations: applying for a job, placing it after various titles (Dr. Mason Smith, Mr. Riley Kaplan, etc), using it as an old man or a father, etc, etc 

2. Think about what names were popular the year you were born. This may or may not be something that is important to you,  but having a name that corresponds with your age may help you fit in (if that's your goal). Here's a website that lists popular names for different years and calculates the changing popularity of different names: http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/

3. Keep in mind that you can use whatever nickname you'd like with whatever spelling, but that your legal name is what employers and colleges will see. It can be useful to have a more mainstream, "professional" version of your name to use in those types of situations (for example, having your legal name be Alexander but going by Xander). You may also find it helpful early on in your transition to have a more gender-neutral nickname for various reasons. 

4. If your parents, friends, and/or family are supportive of your transition, it may be nice to include them in this important process. Remember that your parents likely agonized over what to name you, and they may feel a little offended that you are casting off something they put so much thought into. It's always nice to make supportive friends and family feel included, especially since they may feel a huge lack of control during your transition. 

5. Choose a name that has a special meaning to you. You may want to pay respect to your cultural or ethnic background when choosing your name. Sites like Behind the Name provide lists of names by origin as well as information about the meanings of names. Or you might want to choose a name that has a unique meaning that speaks to you (for example, Zachary means "God remembered").