How did you choose your femme name?

[Anita]

What a fun post! Naming is important; you get to be your own parent.

Since I was going to do a drag act, I had to come up with a name. I kept hearing the name "Anita," which was my oldest sister's birth certificate name. She was always known as "Dee," and had never used her given name.

I tried hard not to go with this, but I kept coming back to it. Finally I had to sit down and write a letter to my sister, asking for her blessing to use her name. That was one of the hardest letters I ever wrote!

She was very gracious, and gave me her blessing. She has not been happy about the situation, but she understood that it was important to me to have the name.

Later, I remembered that it was my mother's middle name. It was a shock, to see that I'd forgotten that. My mother never met Anita, but I'd like to think that she'd be OK with having a fourth "daughter. "
A

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[RaeLouise]

My fem name comes from a most interesting begining.

When I first attempted to find a support group for my feelings in the early 1980's, I was living in Massachusetts. I went to a place called "Tiffany Club". They used to publish the "Tapestry," which was once a wonderful magazine. Anyhow, I arrived as my male self and when I applied for membership I was asked "the question!" "What is your name?". Of course, being naieve and all I said "Ray." "Oh..... with an `e`?" was the response. I kind of looked at them and said "whatever," not knowing that CDERS and all did that.

Years later the name "Rae" was used only when asked my fem name. When I joined Tri-Ess last year, I decided to create a whole name rather than use my phoneticly sounding fem name with my given last name. I thought long and hard on it and decided upon Rae Louise Wall. Rae, being the name everyone was used to, Louise Wall being my mom's middle and maiden name.

[Gaven McLaren]

While I have posted here about not having a fem name not feeling I need one. I guess if I ever decide to use one it would have to be what my name would be if I were a girl. Septima I am not sure where my mother got it unless it is a way of playing with September which is the month my mother, older sister, Father, and I were all born in. This has crossed my mind more then a few times lately. I think because I am trying to work up a way to tell some of my friends who do not know that I am a crossdresser. Oh well I will tell you all how that goes when I do it.

[Virginia]

I chose Deborah for several reasons, the biblical conotation, but it also, to me, has a sexy side = Debbie! and short form = Deb! I have another that I still am considering and I have never seen it anywhere else. I am saving it just in case I need an AKA!!! love, Deborah

[Cindy Barnes]

My wife actualy first called me Cindy, seems she was teasing me again about my changing back to boy mode late at night ,,, hence, Cindy-"rella"
The last name was just pulled from thin air while getting up my web page.
Cindy

[Joanna_S]

I wanted it to be short, sound nice and feminine. I also wanted to use some letters of my real name.

[Bernice]

RaeLouise: I remember reading about Tapestry when I first went online. Too bad they are not still around. We owe them a great deal.

My name: I've used Bernice for about four years, while having been a CD for more like 44 years. I first started using it for eBay purchases. I thought long and hard about it. My given names do not feminize easily at all. Bernice is French, and it turns out I have significant French ancestry. It has 3 consonants and a vowel in common with my given name (in similar order), which I thought was important, to honor my parents. Choosing "Noreen" as my middle name was a big challenge only recently fulfilled. Baby Name websites helped. It is a compromise, but again shares consonants and a vowel. More importantly, it flows naturally after Bernice, unlike "Nancy", who I might have loved to be named, or "Martha", which would not be true to my initials.

Lastly, neither name is associated with anyone I didn't like. I know this is unfair, but if I have to live with the name, it has to suit me.

Hugs,

Bernice Noreen Lindell

[Aislin]

Aislin was a girl from a dream in celtic belief. Seems our hero dreamed about her and got his goddess mother to help him hunt her down. Perils and tribulations later they finally hookup.

My mother uttered those imortal words on fine summers evening" You were supposed to be a girl." She repeated the name but alas I have forgotten it now. Based on heritage and the meaning of the name it sounded good. Besides I cannot forget it. it seems to describe me so well!

Huggs
Aislin

[Beauty]

Hi Aislin,

Thank you for explaining that. I always want to ask, but then forget to.

That's a great story!!

Beauty

[Julie M.]

I never thought of taking a femme name until my wife named me. At the time there was a show on TV called "Bosom Buddies". For those that are unfamiliar with it the show starred Tom Hanks and was about two guys who needed a cheap place to live in the city where they had just found their new jobs. A girl they knew at work said there was a room available where she was living but it was women only. Naturally they concocted a scheme where Hanks and his friend passes themselves off as women and got the room. The comedy came from all they had to go through to avoid being discovered. Of course neither guy liked dressing as a woman.
The two named themselves Buffy and Hildegard.

So anyway, my wife decided Buffy would be the name she would use when referring to my femme self (thank God she didn't choose Hildegard). I never liked it because it was a comical character and at the time I wanted to be taken seriously. So I started a quest to find a femme name I liked. I have never been very original and initially used the name Leslie. But I just didn't feel comfortable with it. I figured in time I would get used to it but I never did. I joined Tri-Ess and during registration they asked for a femme name. I instantly wrote down 'Julie'. Later I thought about why and I realized it was my favorite name, male or female. I don't know why, it just is. Now I think of myself more often as Julie. It is who I am, regardless of attire.

BTW, my wife still refers to me as Buffy. I'm okay with that because now Buffy has become a famous vampire slayer (and she's far cuter than Tom Hanks in a dress)!

Kirsti,

Cool name no matter what and I like how you chose it. You are very pretty and photogenic!

Julie

[Phylis Anne]

dear beauty well my femme name is pretty close to my real name ,i am phylis anne and i was phil.my mother allways wanted me to be a girl and she had phylis allready picked out for me ,love phylis anne

[Cami]

Cami, was a girl that I had meet back in Jr. High. I was totally head over heels with her. That being besides the point though I just Loved the Name. Never really thought about it untill my wife asked me my Fem name. I said Cami right away. I guess it had always stuck with me. We tried others but it just came back to Cami. I could use a last name though. I have no idea. Open to suggestion though! Anyone got a good idea?
Cami

[Beauty]

Hi Cami and Phylis,

Thanks for sharing those stories about how you both chose your names.

Cami I think you name totally fits! Keep it!!!!

Beauty

[Karen Marie]

my mom gave me my name.its the one that she picked out if i had been born a
girl.

[Jadeanne]

I'm bringing this thread back up from the depths.

Some of the newer members may have missed it.