A rose by any other name

Twenty years ago, I became Jade Walker. For those who didn’t know, this was not the name my parents gave me at birth. It’s one I adopted back in 1999.

My reasons for making the decision were many: a terrible birth name, literary inspiration, the desire to cheat death. Thankfully, the alteration process was relatively simple. I just went down to the courthouse, completed some forms, paid $200 and waited for a judge to approve my application. Once it was clear that I wasn’t planning to change my name for fraudulent reasons, the request was granted.

Selecting a new name takes careful consideration. It is more powerful than any spell and more permanent than a tattoo. You need to make sure the words feel right on your lips, on the page, in your life.

As many married women know, it’s the paperwork processing of a name change that’s a hassle. Once you adopt the new name, you have to request that every document and form of identification, every bill you receive and every service account you utilize agree to forever use the updated moniker. It takes time but most of the world eventually catches up to your new identity (although you will receive mail under both names for many years to come).

There are fun aspects to this change, though. Creating a new signature was a treat and I practiced until writing it flowed with ease. Discovering my new initials also prompted a few laughs. I even got to imagine new nicknames and anagrams.

I had my original name for 26 years and my current one for 20. While there are people in my life who first knew me by the old name, they rarely use it. Most respected my wishes and kindly changed their identifying habits. Several friends told me that the new name suits me better. I wholeheartedly agree. It is as Jade Walker that I’ve felt most myself, as if I’ve always been this person with this name. Adopting it as my own was one of the best decisions I ever made.