Changing a child's name

[Traveller]

My eldest child is called Alexander, but known as Ally. In Scotland this is pretty much understood to be a unisex name, but here I have found it is overwhelmingly a female name. We don't want him to develop a complex (a few lovely kids have asked why he has a girls name ) so have encouraged him to choose a different name if he wants, and suggested various things like his full name, or Alex, or Al. He has always said he likes Ally best, which is fine and we are happy as long as he is happy.

Today I suggested Xander, courtesy of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and he loves is so much he is refusing to answer to his old name. Obviously I will give it a while before doing anything formal such as telling the school, but has anyone had experience of their child changing what they are known as whilst still at school, and how did it go?

[Lulu]

Awww, that's a pity. I love Ally for a boy.

[*TripleJ*]

are u asking like changing his name officially or just wat he goes by if its just wat he goes by then its up to him

sort of like my son who is James but known as Jamie or me my name is Jacinta-lee but i prefer to be called Jacinta is that wat u mean?

[Traveller]

Not changing his name officially, he is and always will be Alexander. It's more that at school, his books, coatpeg, etc, all have the name Ally. He has never used the name Alexander other than for passport applications etc. I know it's just a case of letting the school know that his informal name had changed, and I would do it at the end of prep, so he goes into grade 1 with his new name. I'm more thinking about the other kids, and whether or not he at the wrong age to do this (ie not old enough to deal with constantly reminding people, and too old that the kids will just accept without asking what is happening).

[Inanna]

I think it's fine if he chooses to be known as something else. (gotta love Buffy hey!) We have a child in my son's class that changed the way his name is pronounced. It's now pronounced phonetically as previously it wasn't. This is as there was mucvh confusion at times. Everyone just said: yep this is now what he is... I think you'll be surprised with how easy it will be.

[Traveller]

Thanks Inanna, that's great to know He is practising writing Xander now and seems to have mastered it, so we will see if he still likes it after a few weeks and if so will let the school know.

Oh yeah, and I suppose we should tell my hubby when he gets home that the name we carefully chose for our son is now no more

[Lulu]

DS has changed his name to Anakin Luke Skywalker and goes nuts if you mention his actual middle name...