Help me name my…self!
February 19, 2022 8:00 AM Subscribe
I’m returning the surname/last-name I took when I got married. I don’t want to revert to the surname I was born with. What should my new surname be?
WISHES:
+ Can begin with A, E, I, O, U, H, L, R, or T
+ Can be two or three syllables. My first name is one syllable and heavy on consonants (think: Stark) so I’d like a complementary name that’s longer and voweled.
+ My ethnic and genetic heritage is British/Scots/French/German and the new name should reflect those languages.
+ All five of my previous name trees (that is, my parents’ maternal and paternal surnames, as well as my married surname) are compound words that reference topographic or habitational features in their original languages (think: Southcave, Mossmoor, Eaulaire (water+air), Achenbach (water+stream)). This wikipedia entry on topographical/habitational names describes these sorts of names better.
+ I have a heavy classics background, so Latin or Greek roots are fair game.
+ Obscure, unconventional is ok, though I'd prefer not to have to spell it out all the time (this rules out many French vowel-y words....)
CONSTRAINTS
- No O’___, Mc___, or Mac___ names.
- No names that denote relationship to a man (Thomson, Davidson, Hewson, etc.)
WISHES:
+ Can begin with A, E, I, O, U, H, L, R, or T
+ Can be two or three syllables. My first name is one syllable and heavy on consonants (think: Stark) so I’d like a complementary name that’s longer and voweled.
+ My ethnic and genetic heritage is British/Scots/French/German and the new name should reflect those languages.
+ All five of my previous name trees (that is, my parents’ maternal and paternal surnames, as well as my married surname) are compound words that reference topographic or habitational features in their original languages (think: Southcave, Mossmoor, Eaulaire (water+air), Achenbach (water+stream)). This wikipedia entry on topographical/habitational names describes these sorts of names better.
+ I have a heavy classics background, so Latin or Greek roots are fair game.
+ Obscure, unconventional is ok, though I'd prefer not to have to spell it out all the time (this rules out many French vowel-y words....)
CONSTRAINTS
- No O’___, Mc___, or Mac___ names.
- No names that denote relationship to a man (Thomson, Davidson, Hewson, etc.)
Yesterday, I listened to Little Green by Joni Mitchell, and though it doesn't fit your wishes, I think it may be an inspiration.
posted by mumimor at 8:09 AM on February 19, 2022
posted by mumimor at 8:09 AM on February 19, 2022
Albion.
posted by adamrice at 8:09 AM on February 19, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by adamrice at 8:09 AM on February 19, 2022 [4 favorites]
Treeheart
Riverwalk
Underhill :)
Elder
Elkhart
posted by cooker girl at 8:15 AM on February 19, 2022 [4 favorites]
Riverwalk
Underhill :)
Elder
Elkhart
posted by cooker girl at 8:15 AM on February 19, 2022 [4 favorites]
Littlewood
posted by DarlingBri at 8:33 AM on February 19, 2022
posted by DarlingBri at 8:33 AM on February 19, 2022
Stark Abercrombie.
posted by flabdablet at 8:34 AM on February 19, 2022
posted by flabdablet at 8:34 AM on February 19, 2022
Avalon
Ellery
Oakenfield
Haven
Lammermoor
Ravenscroft
posted by misteraitch at 8:57 AM on February 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Ellery
Oakenfield
Haven
Lammermoor
Ravenscroft
posted by misteraitch at 8:57 AM on February 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Ashdown
Audet
Gardner
Greenslade
Hall
Honeywell
Lassonde
Loveland
Ormsbee
Rynedance
posted by xo at 9:11 AM on February 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Audet
Gardner
Greenslade
Hall
Honeywell
Lassonde
Loveland
Ormsbee
Rynedance
posted by xo at 9:11 AM on February 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Alder
posted by sciencegeek at 9:11 AM on February 19, 2022
posted by sciencegeek at 9:11 AM on February 19, 2022
Ainsel, "my own self," with an interesting connection to Celtic fairy lore.
posted by microscopiclifeform at 9:54 AM on February 19, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by microscopiclifeform at 9:54 AM on February 19, 2022 [9 favorites]
I would do my family tree and choose from there. For me it would feel more meaningful having a name that I was linked to in someway and then you get to respond to the (zillion) times someone asks about the name "It's a family name".
If I were to change mine I would pick "Crosbie" after the ballsy-widow great (maybe 12th x) grandmother that came over in the early 1600s from England.
If you want me to help I'd be glad to take a peek at your ancestors. Just PM me.
posted by beccaj at 9:57 AM on February 19, 2022 [8 favorites]
If I were to change mine I would pick "Crosbie" after the ballsy-widow great (maybe 12th x) grandmother that came over in the early 1600s from England.
If you want me to help I'd be glad to take a peek at your ancestors. Just PM me.
posted by beccaj at 9:57 AM on February 19, 2022 [8 favorites]
I went from a name starting with W to a B beginning and it's a very pleasant change being at the beginning of all alphabetical lists. Was tempted to use a French family name but I translated it into English and have never regretted it. Easy to pronounce and spell. Pick something that always makes you happy to hear!
posted by a humble nudibranch at 10:11 AM on February 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by a humble nudibranch at 10:11 AM on February 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
Underbranch
posted by Comet Bug at 10:38 AM on February 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Comet Bug at 10:38 AM on February 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Personally I’d check out the genus names of trees. Abies, Acer, Alnus, Castanea? Or tree names in any language you’re attached to. You could come around a corner and see a big calm cousin almost anywhere.
posted by clew at 11:03 AM on February 19, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by clew at 11:03 AM on February 19, 2022 [5 favorites]
I occasionally use Overwood as a fake last name when I don't want to tie something to me (or don't want people looking me up since my name is reasonably unique).
posted by noloveforned at 11:33 AM on February 19, 2022
posted by noloveforned at 11:33 AM on February 19, 2022
Himmel - German for sky (or heaven)
posted by Tabitha Someday at 12:14 PM on February 19, 2022
posted by Tabitha Someday at 12:14 PM on February 19, 2022
Heartwood.
posted by Bella Donna at 2:57 PM on February 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Bella Donna at 2:57 PM on February 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Think of some favourite trees or plants, look up their common and/or taxonomic names and go from there.
Hawthorn (the classic British hedgerow; can live through anything; bears white flowers in spring)
Rowan (a tree said to prevent bad magic; pronounce the first syllable like "row" as in boat)
Hazel or Hazelwood (grows all over your heritage countries; hazel rods are used for water divining; also bears delicious hazelnuts)
Laurel or Laurus (associations with the sun and victory; also bay leaves, useful in cooking)
Larix (larch, a mountain tree common in Scotland and the Alps; good at surviving fire and cold)
Linden (a wholesome tree with poetic connections; common in all your heritage countries but especially well loved in Germany)
Ilex (holly)
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:07 PM on February 19, 2022 [8 favorites]
Hawthorn (the classic British hedgerow; can live through anything; bears white flowers in spring)
Rowan (a tree said to prevent bad magic; pronounce the first syllable like "row" as in boat)
Hazel or Hazelwood (grows all over your heritage countries; hazel rods are used for water divining; also bears delicious hazelnuts)
Laurel or Laurus (associations with the sun and victory; also bay leaves, useful in cooking)
Larix (larch, a mountain tree common in Scotland and the Alps; good at surviving fire and cold)
Linden (a wholesome tree with poetic connections; common in all your heritage countries but especially well loved in Germany)
Ilex (holly)
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:07 PM on February 19, 2022 [8 favorites]
Skye, after the island just off of Scotland.
Dunvegan, after the castle on Skye
posted by kschang at 4:30 PM on February 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Dunvegan, after the castle on Skye
posted by kschang at 4:30 PM on February 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Arcadia
Pretty simple to spell, was a mountainous region in Greece, feels serene.
posted by Night_owl at 6:48 PM on February 19, 2022
Pretty simple to spell, was a mountainous region in Greece, feels serene.
posted by Night_owl at 6:48 PM on February 19, 2022
Whoops, I guess Arcadia is actually four syllables. I think it meets your other requirements though.
posted by Night_owl at 6:49 PM on February 19, 2022
posted by Night_owl at 6:49 PM on February 19, 2022
I think knowing places that *you* would consider your habitat or your ancestral habitat would be necessary before I could come up with a habitational name for you, because the whole point is that they aren't from random strangers, but based on what makes somewhere home for you?
posted by Elysum at 12:43 AM on February 20, 2022
posted by Elysum at 12:43 AM on February 20, 2022
Harthstone
posted by mmascolino at 8:22 AM on February 20, 2022
posted by mmascolino at 8:22 AM on February 20, 2022
What is a natural feature in your native language, which can also be translated into many other languages? Consider a combination (Seabreeze, Greenleaf) that reflects your current outlook on life. Consider a reference to a location that has meaning for you.
Skye, Breeze, Zephyr, Cloud, Snow, Rain, Mist, Dew, Star, Sun, Moon, Twilight, Midnight, Dusk, Dawn
Sea, Ocean, Lake, Water, River, Pond, Stream, Rapids, Currents, Shore, Banks, Island, Isle, Inlet, Peninsula, Canal
Earth, Stone, Pebbles, Boulder, Hill, Mountain (various rock and earth types -- Granite, Marble, Clay, Sands, Reed, etc.)
Grass, Leaf, Seed, Flowers, Root, Bush, Tree (various plant types -- Pine, Rose, Rye, Moss, etc.)
posted by TrishaU at 10:05 PM on February 20, 2022
Skye, Breeze, Zephyr, Cloud, Snow, Rain, Mist, Dew, Star, Sun, Moon, Twilight, Midnight, Dusk, Dawn
Sea, Ocean, Lake, Water, River, Pond, Stream, Rapids, Currents, Shore, Banks, Island, Isle, Inlet, Peninsula, Canal
Earth, Stone, Pebbles, Boulder, Hill, Mountain (various rock and earth types -- Granite, Marble, Clay, Sands, Reed, etc.)
Grass, Leaf, Seed, Flowers, Root, Bush, Tree (various plant types -- Pine, Rose, Rye, Moss, etc.)
posted by TrishaU at 10:05 PM on February 20, 2022
I just thought of "Dunvale" as an alternative to Dunvegan. It seems to be a neighborhood in Ireland.
Simplifying Arcadia would be Arkade (several different ways to pronounce it)
posted by kschang at 12:33 AM on February 21, 2022
Simplifying Arcadia would be Arkade (several different ways to pronounce it)
posted by kschang at 12:33 AM on February 21, 2022
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posted by rikschell at 8:08 AM on February 19, 2022 [3 favorites]