Adjusting to new name in the middle of college?

[diprotodontia]

So, just kind of a quick "how do-you-do-it" sort of question, if anyone's experienced this

Comments

[also_warriors]

Well, why did you change your last name? Not close to your family, wanted to honor another person in your family, wanted a change, thought it sounded better? There's your answer, no need for a gender mention if you're not comfortable.

[phineus]

Yep, this. My cisgender partner plans on changing his entire name because he doesn't want his father's name.

[maadammann]

I altered my last name as well, and when it came up I told the *partial truth. That I changed my name due to the particulars of my relationships with my parents.

[keepitsimp1e]

I did the exact same thing (same first name even!), and not a single person asked me why I changed my last name. But if they had, as everyone else has said, I took the last name of my other parent.

[transkid]

agreed with the other commenters. I knew a girl in high school who changed her last name like it was her job for various reasons. (okay really it was maybe twice at the most...but still).

[dogboi]

I've had quite a few friends -- men and women -- change their last name. Either they wanted to solidify their relationship with a certain side of the family or they were distancing themselves from another side of the family or on occasion they just wanted an artsier name :-)

And yes, some people did/do find their last name changes odd. A few are even offended by the idea that they are not "honoring their father" through a patrilinear name. Some indulge their urge to pry into rather personal affairs to find out more, and at times some feel uncomfortable by ideas of family discord or abuse that is sometimes behind the name change. I'd consider all these negative reactions unhealthy and ridiculous, but very rarely they do seem to happen.