Do You Want to Change Your Name? Consider the Emotional and Psychological Impacts

On December 1, 2011, I published the post, What’s in a Name? Nameology Can Help You Figure That Out. In the post I talked about how I discovered the Kabalarian Society, located in Vancouver, BC, Canada. They’re an organization that specializes in analyzing birth names and business names.

If you never connected with your birth name, you could get a “free” Name Report that would provide you with an analysis of it.

Do you want to take it a step further? You could pay for a Balanced Name Report that would list first names and last names just for you. You could do the same for your current business name or if you’re in the process of naming your business.

Nameology is fascinating. However, you shouldn’t change your name because you think it will make you happy. You have to go deeper and get to the “root” of why you think changing your name is the right decision for you. Keep reading.

Why Do You Really Want to Change Your Name?

If you want to change your name because it will make you happy, STOP!

Anything outside of yourself may make you happy for a while, but it won’t last.

Before you spend the money to have your current name analyzed, think about why you want to change it. Consider the following:

  • You never felt connected with your name.
  • You feel more connected to your middle name.
  • You resonated with other names.
  • It may be good for your profession [actor, actress, writer, etc.]

Take a weekend or even a month to really think about why you want to change your name. If you feel 100 percent certain that it’s the right decision for you, not anyone else, then go ahead and contact a nameologist, get your name analyzed and choose a new name from suggested names.

The Emotional and Psychological Impact on You

When I made the decision to change my name, I didn’t expect to be so emotionally charged. But I was.

I went back and forth and asked myself questions:

  • Should I change my name?
  • Or shouldn’t I change my name?

Another option was to use my “new name” that was suggested by the Kabalarian Society professionally.

In fact, I ordered my name change papers from Legal Zoom, twice.

Why?

Because I felt guilty for wanting to change my name – even though it’s my name.

I also wanted to make sure I was making the right decision. Unfortunately, I have a tendency to analyze a subject to death, which results in a comprehensive pros and cons list. It really wasn’t helpful.

It took me a good 1-2 years before I decided to go through with my name change.

When I did, it felt as if a weight was lifted off of me.

I was nervous to meet with the magistrate. But she was lovely and couldn’t wait to speak with me because of one of the reasons ‘why’ I wanted to change my name: I’m a writer and felt that my new name fit with my creative spirit.

One, two, three! My name change was done quickly and I haven’t looked back since that time.

When I hear my new first name and old first name, I smile. In fact, contestants on an episode of Jeopardy were Amanda [no “h”] and Rebecca.

I’m also surprised by the compliments I receive and how the spelling of my new first name, Amandah, is quite the conversation starter. Some people have told me it reminds them of Buddha. I’m not that enlightened!

While changing my name was an emotional experience, once I did it I wondered what all of the fuss was about.

But that’s how it is, isn’t it?

We struggle and struggle. But once we let go, everything has a way of falling into place.

The Emotional and Psychological Impact on Your Family and Friends

Warning! Changing your name may upset your family, friends, co-workers, and anyone else in your life with strong opinions.

They may not understand why you want to change your name, and that’s okay. They don’t have to understand. Remember, everyone has free will, so you can’t force people (you can try but it will backfire on you) or expect them to accept your actions. They may also have fear surrounding your name change.

For example, your family and friends may ‘fear’ that you’ll leave them because you’ve changed your name. While this may sound irrational to you, it could be very real to them.

And keep in mind that some of my family members, mostly my dad’s side, still call me by my birth first name.

Or they’ll call me by my new first name but when they send me a card in the mail, they’ll use my new first name with my former last name.

I’m amazed the USPS delivers mail with different names! I also still receive mail in my old name and have stopped wondering ‘why’.

Yes, your family may think your weird for wanting to change your name. When I was confronted with questions, I replied with one of the following statements:

  • “If actors and actresses can change their name, why can’t I? Oscar winner Helen Mirren aka Ilyena Lydia Mironoff is doing just fine!”
  • “If singers can change their name, why can’t I? Bruno Mars aka Peter Gene Hernandez is doing just fine!”
  • In the bible it’s stated that God renamed Jacob to Israel.

Some of my relatives didn’t even know that celebrities changed their names.

And they definitely didn’t know about the names changes in the bible.

If you receive push back from those closest to you about changing your name, listen and let it go.

It’s your life! If you’re not happy, the people around you won’t be either.

Are You Ready to Change Your Name?

Imagine changing your name.

Perhaps you have a “spring in your step.”

Maybe you smile more or put yourself in situations that may have scared you, e.g., join a Meetup group or sign up on an online dating site.

All because you’ve changed your name and embraced the energy surrounding it.

And more importantly, you’ve come into alignment with who you are – the authentic you.

Not only are feeling better but you’ve finally accepted that everything in life has an energetic vibration, from your name to the sofa you sit on every day.

Seem unreal? It’s not.

Do the research, dig into metaphysical subjects and flush out that which does not resonate with you and keep what does.

You have the information – now all you need to do is make the decision to change your name, or not.

If you change your name, a life filled with possibility (more than you may have only imagined) could open up for you.