# Name and gender change **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 5, 2012, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928 "2012-11-05T05:29:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/41 "2012-11-08T04:17:13Z")
There is no male version of my name, and I don’t like it anyway. I’d go with something completely new. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/42 "2012-11-08T05:08:05Z")
I’m female. My name is Amanda. If I were a guy, my name would be A Man, Duh! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/43 "2012-11-08T11:00:48Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Hmmph. I don’t feel I’m at all everyday. > There isn’t really a good female version of Ben. I used to think it was unfair that my name doesn’t easily translate but since I really have no interest in creating a female identity, I’ve since realized it’s moot. > > Beth, maybe. I do know what I would call myself, if I were a drag queen: Ieata Buffet. Benita. It’s a real name. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/44 "2012-11-09T01:52:44Z")
> [@Hockey\_Monkey](#): > > I’m female. My name is Amanda. > > If I were a guy, my name would be A Man, Duh! > > 😃 You could be Armando. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/45 "2012-11-09T01:59:32Z")
There is no male version of my name, so I’d have to go with something totally new. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/46 "2012-11-09T22:54:14Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > I’ve never much liked my name; I don’t _hate_ it or anything like that, but I just don’t like it. I’d pick a different female name; the first one that comes to mind is Alexandra, I’ve always liked that for some reason. And it’s one that I often pick for female characters in computer games, which is the closest analog I have in my life to crossdressing. Damn you Der Trihs, that’s _my_ new feminine name! _huffs and crosses arms over chest, realises that looks weird on a guy and uncrosses them, looks mildly confused_ Anyway, just adding an ‘a’ to the end of my real first name is kind of boring _(if easy to remember)_ so I’d use Alexandra _(probably shortened to the gender-neutral ‘Alex’ as my first name)_ and use my mum’s maiden name for my second. So, Alexandra Brady it is…actually that has a nice ring to it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/47 "2012-11-10T02:39:15Z")
I’m Robert/Bob, but I wouldn’t care for Roberta/Bobbi. I like the name Amy, so I’d switch to that if I woke up female tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/48 "2012-11-10T03:37:34Z")
I like Drew, and there are plenty of women named Drew… so I’d literally just keep it. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/49 "2012-11-10T03:52:15Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > I usually use Amy, which obviously doesn’t have a male equivalent.. Amado; same meaning, masculine ending. Or Ames; related meaning, shared phoneme (I’ve even heard it as a nickname for Amy). > [@Nava](#): > > there is no male version of my name. > [@Ashes\_Ashes](#): > > My first name doesn’t have a male counterpart > [@Crackrat](#): > > (there isn’t one, in fact) of my male name > [@Avarie537](#): > > There’s no good masculine version of my name > [@rhubarbarin](#): > > There is no male version of my name > [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > There is no male version of my name Are you sure? ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/50 "2012-11-10T06:34:33Z")
My current legal name has a creative spelling which can be used both ways, although one of them is rare nowadays. Real transsexual chosen names tend to fall into one of four categories: 1. An attempt to re-use the birth name (“Steve” to “Stevie”) 2. An attempt to hyper-feminize or hyper-masculinize their name to help their own and others perception of themselves (“Bob” becomes “Celestina Rosemarie”). 3. The name is a pun or joke (this is not as common among people who would really, legally change their name). 4. The name is based on a TV, movie, or book character (“Rose Tyler”). This is also uncommon among those who intend a legal change. And sometimes a seemingly random change of name is driven by some special event or epiphany in their lives. One transwoman I know chose her name based on a dream she had, where she appeared as female and was addressed as “Roseanne.” The dream spurred her to finally get counseling and start transition, and she took the name from the dream. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/51 "2012-11-10T18:46:40Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > I usually use Amy, which obviously doesn’t have a male equivalent. Ambrose? Amistad? Am I Will? ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/52 "2012-11-10T19:47:07Z")
> [@perfectparanoia](#): > > Having a few friends who have done this, it has been a lot easier not to mess up and use their old name when their new name is completely different. This sounds useful. Having heard this observation I think I’d act on it. ---
**Author:** ![Crackrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Crackrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crackrat)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/53 "2012-11-11T09:14:52Z")
Ok, I’m not 100% positive that there’s no feminine equivalent to my name. A quick googling reveals that (according to one website) my name can be used for either gender. But I’ve only ever met about 3 males with my name, and I’ve NEVER met a female with it. As for a Steve -\> Stephanie type equivalent, if I have one it’s not obvious to me. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/54 "2012-11-11T10:32:18Z")
> [@Crackrat](#): > > Ok, I’m not 100% positive that there’s no feminine equivalent to my name. A quick googling reveals that (according to one website) my name can be used for either gender. But I’ve only ever met about 3 males with my name, and I’ve NEVER met a female with it. Cuthbert / Cuthbertha ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/55 "2012-11-11T11:32:16Z")
There is a male form of my name, but it can almost sound feminine. I might go with Jay, since that is my initial. Or since my last name is also a male first name I might use that. Not planning on this anyway. I enjoy, being a girl! ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/56 "2012-11-11T12:44:03Z")
I have a gender neutral first name, similar to Stacy, more common for girls, but not unheard of for men. There is an alternate feminine spelling, but I have the either or version, so should I decide to transgender, which is highly unlikely, I could keep my original name. If I had to choose a name… I just can’t come up with anything I’d want to be called. I guess I’m pretty used to the name I was given. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/57 "2012-11-12T02:04:03Z")
No male version of Elizabeth that I can think of. ---
**Author:** ![Crackrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Crackrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crackrat)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/58 "2012-11-13T03:19:38Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Cuthbert / Cuthbertha Tucker. Is there a feminine version of that? Has anyone ever met a female Tucker? ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/59 "2012-11-14T01:08:22Z")
I dislike Shannon for a boy (I’m not too fond of it for a girl, honestly), so if I were to become male, I think I’d switch to Shaun - which is the only good way to spell that name, IMO. Sean? Shawn? Hell no! ---
**Author:** ![michaeltangelo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@michaeltangelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/michaeltangelo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928/60 "2012-11-22T17:43:22Z")
There’s a 1953 Ed Wood film called Glen or Glenda that examines this “cross dressing” phenomenon which was one of Wood’s hobbies. Not all MTF trannies feminize their male names. Candy Darling changed her name from James Slattery. Annette Bening and Warren Beatty’s FTM daughter Kathlyn changed her name to Stephen Ira Beatty when he started transitioning. Changing your gender opens a plethora of possibilities for reinventing your name to match everything else. Chaz Bono opted to keep it simple and merely shortened Chastity to the more masculine Chaz. But Candy Darling is my favorite example of what you call going balls to the wall. It sounds better than Josephine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-and-gender-change/639928.md?page=4)