A woman considering legally changing her first name to Summer has voiced concerns that the combination with her surname Winter might be seen as 'ridiculous' and affect her employment opportunities.
Reddit user seeks advice
In a post to the Names subreddit, she explained that she has used the name Summer socially for about three years and is now thinking of making it her legal first name. However, she worries that the pairing with her surname Winter could lead to constant jokes.
She wrote: 'I have used Summer socially for about three years and am considering making it my legal first name. The problem is that my surname is Winter.' Initially, she thought the combination would be 'funny in a harmless way', but now she is having doubts.
Professional concerns
'Now that I am imagining it on job applications, medical forms, and professional email signatures, I am less certain,' she admitted. 'I do not want every introduction to begin with a joke about the seasons.' She wondered aloud: 'Is Summer Winter memorable or just ridiculous?'
She noted that changing her surname is not an option for her, and her other possible first names are Simone and Mara, but neither feels as natural as Summer.
Reddit verdict
The response from Reddit users was overwhelmingly negative. One user commented: 'Last name being Winter is one of the very few situations where you absolutely should not use Summer.' Another agreed, saying they would make a joke every time they saw her.
A third user suggested: 'Sorry, hard pass. It's a beautiful name, and Winter is a cool last name, but together it sounds like a sitcom or a kid's show character. I'm a big fan of Mara Winter. Simone has a nicer flow.' A fourth declared: 'Pretty silly. I know it shouldn't matter, but society is what it is. If you keep that name, it's going to be hard for people to take you seriously as an intelligent person.'
Rules on changing your name
According to the government, you can change any part of your name, add or remove names or hyphens, or change the spelling. Your new name must be pronounceable, not include symbols, numbers or punctuation (unless it's a hyphenated name or part of an established name like O'Hara), and not be offensive or against the public interest.
A deed poll is a legal document that proves a change of name. You cannot use a deed poll to change which letters are capitalised in your name or to change titles such as Mr, Mrs, Sir, Lady, or Doctor.
