Being a college student is hard. You have to worry about classes and exams, being on your own perhaps for the first time, and figuring out what to do when you graduate. On top of all this, you are probably navigating relationships, both personal and romantic, that will last a lifetime. With so much going on, why then are you considering changing your name? Turns out, there are several reasons why a college student might want to change their name. Here are some of the most common ones. 

To Disassociate With Family

Not everyone grows up in an ideal family situation. When things are tough at home, heading off to college can be a refuge and the start of a new life. For some, just having a name that they associate with negative feelings of childhood can be unbearable. It serves as a painful reminder of what life was like before the freedom of moving out. Completely severing all ties to the past is sometimes the only way someone can move on. Changing their name can be an important part of that healing process. 

Not only that, but there may be more positive reasons why someone might want to disassociate themselves with their family. For instance, if one or both of your parents have been very successful in the field that you have chosen to pursue, you may not want to deal with extra expectations and unfair comparisons. Changing your name can allow you to enter your professional life on your own terms without any of the baggage that might come with having successful family members ahead of you. If you want to change your name for professional reasons, just make sure to research how long it will take to change your name in California so that you are aware of the timelines and can have it done well ahead of when you start sending out resumes. 

To Avoid Discrimination

It’s a sad but true fact of life that everyone has biases. If you are applying for jobs or even graduate school, your success or failure could depend on someone who has negative biases towards you because of your name. Whether your name implies you follow a certain religion or come from a certain country, there may be those in power who will hold it against you. It’s unfortunate, but in some cases there’s not much you can do about it. While it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against someone because of their national origin or religion, it is almost impossible to enforce penalties. You can be skipped over very easily. As opposed to learning to live with it, changing your name to avoid discrimination might be the best choice for you to achieve your professional goals instead of continuing the uphill battle. 

To Connect With Family Heritage

As you get older, you might find yourself connecting with your heritage. Perhaps you signed up for an online ancestry website and learned some things about your family history that resonated with you. Or maybe there is someone who you have grown to appreciate as you’ve gotten older. Whatever the reason, changing your name may be a way to honor the past and build a deeper connection with your roots. 

To Reflect Your Pronouns

Moving away from home and being around a more diverse group of people can also help you feel more free to be who you really are. Many students come out during their college years, or transition to their true gender. An important part of this process is often choosing a new name that better reflects who they are. This could be a name that better reflects their preferred gender, or simply one that feels more natural to them. A new name could be a life changing choice that sets you on your path to being more comfortable in your skin and how you present yourself to the world. 

Not Liking Your Current Name

Once you’re an adult, there are many choices that open up to you. Your name is something that you are given, and it has been yours since birth. Parents name their children for all sorts of different reasons, whether it be family history, or even what’s trendy at the time. The fact is that what was popular when you were born may not be so attractive now, and the names of your great great grandparents might not reflect your essence. The great thing is, you can change your name at any time. You don’t have to have a reason other than not liking it. 

Changing your name is a big step in life, no matter what reason you might have. However, there are many very good reasons why a name change is the best choice for you as a young adult. Whether it’s one of the common reasons listed here, or one that’s entirely personal to you, make the choice that works best for your life.