Changing My Name- Part 1

Hello all,

         I'm in the process of legally changing my name. So I thought I'd share how it goes.

         Firstly, how I chose my name. It was actually originally a pen name. I wanted something gender-neutral, so I went on some websites and finally picked something I liked. Or maybe it was just a name my friend helped me pick out. Honestly, it was years ago, so I don't remember quite how that went. Although, the name website path is how I found what I'll be changing my middle name to.
         Basically, I chose something that I don't love love love. Which after looking at a lot of "choosing your name advice," it's a good thing. If you think about it, not a lot of people absolutely love their names all the time, even if it was the same one you. So I guess one effect of loving a name too much is that you could be sick of it later. Not that you can't choose a name you absolutely love. It's just a suggestion.

         Obviously, once you've chosen a name and that you'll be legally changing it, it can literally cost you. In my state, you have to pay around 200 US dollars when you initially file the papers. But you also have to pay to put it in the newspaper later, though I don't know how much that'll cost me yet.
         That's also something to keep in mind if that's one of the conditions in your state/county. Your full name, both old and new, will have to be printed in a newspaper. If that ends up being a safety issue, you can hire a lawyer to help you waive that condition. One example, an abusive person you know possibly seeing this information, then you obviously wouldn't want them to find your new name. Or a transphobic family member. No matter the reason, you'd still need a lawyer for something like that.
          Plus, some other info will have to be in the newspaper as well, like what town you live in, your birth month and year, and some other personal stuff. Just remember to keep this in mind. It might vary by state to state, but that's something common I've heard from asking others.

         Also, just remember not to rush. I've wanted to change my name for years, and honestly, being trans is the main reason I'm doing it. It gives me a lot of dysphoria to be connected with my birth name. However, I haven't rushed the process because my current name means a lot to some people. If I say I'm changing it because I hate it, which I don't, that'll hurt these people. I won't go into detail, as that's both a long story and very personal.
          Changing your name is a big deal and can be expensive, though you can waive the price to do it. Still, it's a lot of legal stuff, and I didn't even mention the fact that I'll have to be going through other legal hoops later. Like having to change it on my driver's license and credit cards and other important identification forms. I'll be leaving that for part two after I've successfully filed everything.

-Vic