Hi all,

So I have been transitioning MtF for the last few years and as of so far have retained my birth name Adrian. Originally when I first came out friends in the trans community encouraged me strongly to seek out a new name for myself, to signify a "new me", go for something 100% feminine so I wouldnt be misgendered etc. Most who changed their names if they had unisex ones e.g. Sam, did so because they had traumatic memories of their pre-transition life. Where as I don't at all, I have good memories from my past life even thou I had unrecognized dysphoria, although not severe as some, and now I have an even better life because I'm living with euphoria from being gendered correctly.

I spent months trauling through online baby name sites, asked my mum what she would have called me had I been AFAB (which was Madeline). After all that there was nothing that stuck out to me that I wanted to go by and nothing sounded like "me". It felt more like I was looking to change my name more out of an expectation that others had about transitioning and maybe some concern that people wouldn't see my female identity as valid. Honestly I love the name Adrian, i think it sounds kind of powerful in a way and the Latin translation means "dark one" (very emo I know, but I like it). To change it I feel like I'm giving up a part of myself that I like. On suggestion, I looked at possibly changing the spelling like Adrianne, Adriane, Adrienne etc. but not particularly fond of any of them either. Also people would pronounce the first two A-DREE-AHN, not A-DREE-EN which I hate.

I have an American friend who came to visit in Australia and when I mentioned my dilemma she was of the opinion that all the people she knew back home with the name spelt Adrian were girls. (also think like Rocky's girlfriend) which made me very happy. An advantage of not changing my name or spelling is that in my state if you alter your birth name your certificate will always say "new name...formerly known as dead name", which is a possible way of being outed on background checks. Also don't have to update my documentation., And of course the obvious advantage, it's impossible to dead name me when I don't have one!

So yer, I'm rolling with Adrian atm. But I would be interested to hear what people's opionion is about this particular name and spelling being used for a girl?