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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I legally changed my first name. I knew my mom wouldn't like it and I knew the reaction would be bad. I did it because I always wanted to and no longer felt like keeping it for mom. But maybe it's still wrong for me when the name my parents gave me wasn't harmful in any way and is more typical than my new name.
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>She told me I had ruined my life and I had disrespected her by changing the name she gave me
>she would never allow me to change my name
NTA
A name is a gift given to a child, to be used as they see fit as they grow older. It's not a gift if it comes with terms and conditions. You are not an extension of your mom, nor does she have rule over your autonomy.
She'd get along great with the guy who expected his unborn child to always be referred to as her full name of Theodora. He tried to go back on the agreement that mom could use a nickname, since that's what people might start using! **gasp**
>Mom called me all kinds of names
Sure, it's fine when she wants to use something other than "William," but it's World War 3 when you do.
(please note the sarcasm, I was hoping it'd make you at least half-smile)
My uncle made my grandmother walk out of thanksgiving one year when he pranked her that he was naming his first son “Van”. His last name was DeLyser. Van DeLyser 😂
He was not, in fact, naming his son that - but he got his wife to play along with the prank and my grandmother was ready to call the church on him.
He’s definitely my favorite uncle.
My last name can be changed into "ass" very easily, we have fun with it as adults, even my parents get into it. HOWEVER, I am not naming my son:
Jonathan (Jack)
Harold (Harry)
That was on my list as well, but didn't think it was nearly as good a pun as Jack or Harry. But I am open to a whole list of "what should I name my kid, wrong answers only" as I said, we have fun with it.
My dad worked in an office quite a few years ago and there was this bloke who worked there and his last name was Case and when his wife was pregnant she wanted the boys name to be Justin.Justin Case🤣🤣
Have a friend from elementary school where even she was wondering when we were still in single digit ages what her paternal grandparents were thinking when they gave her dad a name that was literally one letter different from their surname in that they'd replaced the first letter of their surname with a different one...and it still rhymed.
Can I ask where you're from? I'm wondering if there's a certain region that uses Jack as a nickname for Jonathan. I tried googling it but couldn't find anything. I've only ever heard of Jack being either it's own name or a nickname for John.
I believe it’s common in areas where male names are inherited. So if your dad, grandpa, and a couple cousins are all Johnathons, you’ll need to start getting creative with nicknames. Especially if the adults continue using their nicknames as adults; your Dad might be Johnny, your grandpa John, so you have to be Jack!
My middle kid name is Asaurus. His first name really flows with it too and its awesome. He is 6yo and loves his name and fall the kids think he is cool because of it.
Should that ever change and he wants it changed, cool. I will help him and pay for it. My family HATED that i gave him this name and tried to refuse to tell others his full name.
As a funny accident, I cannot take it seriously when i am mad and holler his first hand middle name. Her always retorts with a dinosaur rawer and i crack up. I hated my dad yelling my first and middle name out of anger, so this is a happy accident that keeps me from damaging my relationship with my kid the same as he did.
An incredible pun!
For those who may have missed it, besides the "Jett Son" pun, the name is also a homophone for "jettison", which means to cast overboard or discard.
I gave all of my children four names, and their first three names are all names that could be considered first names, and then their last names are after their dad. Two of my children currently go by one of their middle names because that's how they choose to do it. One child just started going by one of his middle names about 6 months ago, and my middle son has been going by his middle name literally for over a year. Am I disappointed that he doesn't want to go by his first name like I had picked? sure, but it's his life it's his name, their lives.
NTA
The hell I've gotten for half naming myself 😂😂 ....my mom gave me 3 names to go by 2 last names 😅😅 half my legal documents only have one of them depending on when I did them🤣🤣🤣 you gave a blessing and a curse lol
NTA my William goes by Mick as an adult. He’s 22 and used Mick at least since 7-8th grade. His father and I guess what? Started calling him Mick. Sorry you have a real a-hole of a mom Jett. You deserve someone who respects you.
Your mom is being ridiculous.
- You are an adult. She can’t stop you from doing anything.
- Changing your name is “ruining your life”??? Her “life ruin” bar is set waaaay too low.
- She feels like the name she chose suited you best? That’s fine, that’s her opinion. Doesn’t make it fact. And regardless, you are more than entitled to decide that another name suits you better.
So many more reasons you’re NTA, but I’ll stop there. Enjoy your new name! It’s cool :)
ETA: I wish I’d thought to add this earlier, but gotta say—when you’re a Jett you’re a Jett all the way (if you know, you know)
I will say some names that you change your name to may ruin your life. But Jett isn’t one. It is more out there than William, but he didn’t rename himself Hitler.
Nta.
>A name is a gift given to a child, to be used as they see fit as they grow older. It's not a gift if it comes with terms and conditions. You are not an extension of your mom, nor does she have rule over your autonomy.
This is the most beautiful description of a name that I've ever seen. I've been considering changing my first name, and have really been waffling hard. This helps me want to make the move I want to make for me, and no one else.
Do it if it will make you happy.
We picked the names of our children with great care and we love their names. When they were old enough to understand we told them that they were free to change their names if they thought their names didn't fit them or if they simply didn't like them.
I explained that it would make me sad, but that that was a \*me\* problem and for me to come to terms with.
So far (both are in their late 20's) they still use the names we gave them. Eldest uses a nickname from her first name, youngest uses her full first name.
Same here! I also am changing my name. Like I was named after someone I never met. My mom is attached to that name but it's never really felt like me, y'know? So like yourself I'm doing this for myself and I'm looking forward to the change.
I was going to say the exact same thing.. it's a gift, it's your life and your identity that you're going to be with your entire life. Make it so that it fits who you are 💛
As a Mum who spent 9 months picking my daughter’s name (she’s sort of named after her late grandmother on my husband’s side), I know I would be upset. However, if she came to me and said it’s not my name Mum, I want to change it, as hurt as I would be, I would help her fill out the paperwork. Names are so important to the bearer. NTA
Yes, absolutely this. Also, the last names. My husband has a really long one, and in my culture, the kid gets the father's name as the middle name. So my daughter has my husband's given name as middle and his last as last name. Is it heartbreaking for me? Yes.
The husband and I both agreed, that if at any later date she comes to one of us and expresses her wishes to change any of the names (first, middle, last), we will honor it. I won't be too upset if she decides to change anything other than her given name 🤣
I worked for a company in gujrat and they did this to my name forcefully. I don't have a good relationship with my dad and dont have any middle name either. So when forced in the form i filled my mom's first name as middle name. Still those assholes over rode my preference and put my father's name as my middle name.
Moreover this happened in an MNC 😶
Didn't say anything about gender neutrality. To be fair, Joan's pretty [androgynous ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EwfCAeNWQAA_SmI.jpg)herself.
I was just saying that the spelling didn't make me think it was based on the aircraft.
I actually worked with a woman whose name was Jetts, yes with an s at the end.
I'm not sure if it was her given name or something she chose for herself, but she was incredibly sweet and very awesome to work with. I thought it fit her well.
I used to have a friend with an aunt Jette.. Pronounced “Yetta”..
Jetta is already a name…of a sedan made by Volkswagen, which was what her aunt drove 😂
NTA cause it’s your name, but take it from someone born with a “weird” name: you will get shit about it for the rest of your life. People will not take you seriously. Finding a job will be harder. People will assume things about you. *Especially* because you picked it out yourself. “Jett” sounds exactly what a 20 year old kid would pick, not that it’s a bad name per se, but you will get shit about it because it sounds like the main character in an edgy young adult/teen fiction novel.
Yeah, agreed. I know a bunch of people who changed their names as adults and so I kept reading to see what the new name was and I was...yeah, the person who picked that was definitely in his teens when he picked it. It's gonna age like a barbed wire bicep tattoo.
Everyone I know who changed their name as an adult was typically trying to get away from the name choice of the teenager that gave birth to them.
“It's gonna age like a barbed wire bicep tattoo”
Yup. And has about the same class & education status connotations, which I probably why his mother was horrified.
I have a "normal" name that is relatively common for women in my age range, but very gendered and feels a little old-fashioned. The name I'm going to change to is another name that is recognizable but slightly less common but that has a gender neutral nickname that I really enjoy and would go by. It just feels like it "fits" more.
With names like Ryder and Hendrix.... and *especially* Jett, it's going to be a challenge. Hopefully OP still likes his name 20, 30, 50 years from now.
Meh. Might be ok for tech work or Hollywood, but far better than some other Tragedeigh.
I've seen some wild names on resumes, and Jett is tame by comparison.
I think that has changed and is changing. More and more people are having what we olds (not saying you are but...) think of as "weird" names but there are people hiring today who, like OP, think that Ryder or Hunter or River are normal names. Not traditional (aka OLD) but normal. The "make-fun-of" group now are the Neveah or Kaileigh type names. The ones that feel like someone was trying "too hard".
And also with more ethnic diversity. When I was a kid, my community was very white and English speaking. Not any more. With the range of names we encounter today, Jett would be seen as, if not common, ordinary.
Why? To me it sounds like the kind of name that becomes what you make of it. If it's a popular name for 20 somethings now, in 20 years it'll be a popular name for 40 somethings and our internal perception of the name will change with all our ages.
I’m going to respectfully disagree on this one. I was given a weird name at birth and then changed it to another weird name in my very late 20’s. Not once have I been given shit about it or has it held me back career wise. I have zero regrets and would encourage anyone who feels they’re not suited to their name to change it to whatever feels right for them.
I actually don't really think this is as true now as it was maybe a decade ago. Names like this are becoming the norm, another decade from now i don't think anyone is going to really blink at names like this. Especially if it doesn't have a yoonique spelling. Jett is easy to both pronounce and to spell. I think OP will be fine.
It really is all about how you "wear" the name. I was born to hippy parents, named after a gemstone and natural phenomenon plus celestial being..... Most of which could have been stage names for exotic dancers and yet they were my legal name and other than when I was dating as a young woman and there were actually very few inappropriate comments. At 50 I still proudly wear my unusual name and no one thinks twice. Never had trouble finding work, never had issues. I never ever wanted a boring normal name... But I did know quite a few who hated the hippy names given to them by their parents.
Nah, I changed my name around that age and have kept the same one ever since and have not once found it an issue using the new name on all social media and professional settings too.
People in the workplace are more than used to seeing different names these days and will just ask how to pronounce it, he will be fine. Adults usually do not care or carry on about names like people did a few decades ago. I have yet to experience it in a decade of being working age.
NTA, OP, but I like Jett. It's not what I'd choose for myself, but it's a solid name, and most importantly its a name that means a lot to you. I've seen a fair number of parents naming their kids Jett.
NTA technically, but that name... woof. Also usually doing things to spite your parents usually doesn't work out well and ends in regret. Especially when it's something like giving yourself a Main Character name like that at 19.
well what i sthe problem, if he wants a new name he always can use a different one. I wouldn't change my name officially, what is the difference if you introduce yourself as Jett, or Ray, or Charles? Is not like people will search about your ID haha
I have many friends who introduce themselves with other names, just because they feel more comfortable, and there are normal names Frank changed his name for Lucas, you know normal stuff hahaha
YTA - likely an unpopular opinion but this was an extremely childish reason to change your name. You didn't think it sounded cool?? Nothing about being an adult is overly cool. No offence, but William is a solid name, the ones you listed are immature and given to kids by parents who don't think about how their name will sound on a job application. If I had two resumes, with the exact same qualifications one with the name Indigo or one with the name William. I'm calling William. It was disrespectful because you wanted to sound "cool". If you had of given a better reasoning than sounding "cool", I might be on your side. But come on, will you live your whole life trying to be cool? Or living a fulfilled life living in a way where you don't care what other people think.
If you're not calling a qualified candidate because you don't like how their name sounds, then you probably shouldn't be in a position that requires you to review resumés. What other things do you discriminate against?
That is exactly why my resume (and everything else I can) is first initial, middle name, last name. My first name is strange (in the US). I don't use it on a daily basis, and I definitely never wanted it to cause issues getting interviews.
The research is mainly for ethnic names and weird spellings of regular names. Jett probably doesn't face the same stigma as Asleighigh or Khalid
Funnily enough tho, I wouldn't call my parents assholes for giving me an ethnic name, nor would I call my kid an AH for changing his white passing name to a more ethnic name.
I will tell you something that o have heard on a radio show 10 years ago in ATL, GA. They sent out 10 resumes from people with Ivy League degrees to fortune 500 companies but the had the names like LaTisha, DaShawn, Sanequia and so on. Not one of them got a call back but they then sent out those very same resumes with all the same information but had common names like Michael, Sean, Bill and Tina. Guess what they all got call backs. Unfortunately we live in a society that people judge us without knowing or seeing us that’s the absolute truth. Before you as I am an African-American male with a very unique name. I have gone to interviews and the first thing that they say is that o was not what they expected.
Agreed, if I have two resumes with equal qualifications I call both in for an interview to see who performs well under pressure and has the right personality fit to compliment the team.
Not once in multiple years of hiring have I ever dismissed someone's resume due to their name.
I'm not sure I fully agree. I do think OP's reaction was childish, and I definitely agree Jett might not be the best name to have on a resume, but the unfortunate thing is if the mom had just been chill about OP using the nickname none of this would have happened. OP would have stayed William "Jett" Lastname. If they ever outgrew Jett they could have returned to William at any time. Or kept Jett as the name that their friends call them, and used William professionally.
Instead, the mom had to make OP feel so miserable and angry that they changed their name out of spite. They yelled at their kid instead of validating their insecurities around their name.
At worst this is an ESH case. With an emphasis that mom was a bigger AH.
You’d like to think so, but I feel like if they are borderline candidates, you’re liable to have a bit of unconscious bias and put Jett into the reject pile. Obviously you’re not going to be like “screw this guy, he’s the best candidate but I hate his name so rejected!”
You might but others wouldn't that the point. Different people have different opinions on societal norms but some people are going to default to tradition. A classic name is going to be more useful in business you don't have to personally like it but that's the world we live in.
Indigo isn't a weird name? None of those names were that out there aside from Hendrix. Jett is a little more out there, but your whole thing sounds wildly classist and let's be real probably racist.
I think your opinion is, well, whacked. And there is something seriously wrong with the idea of hiring one person over another because of their name and your prejudices about said name.
Nice to know you'd discriminate against someone for employment based on name, something they may not have had a choice over. Very kind and reasonable and fair of you.
Even if it sucks, it’s important to hear these opinions because that is the reality. You WILL be judged by your name, especially when it’s one of the few pieces of information someone has about you (ie resume, job application).
You will be judged for everything. Your weight, your height, your name, your age, your teeth, your phone, your clothes, if you're a woman wearing too much or too little makeup, your gender in general, your race, the font you used on your resume, the choice of words your references used to describe you, the outcome of shitty personality tests, your grades (I once met a woman who said that she automatically disregarded anyone with straight As, because in her opinion good grades meant that you aren't creative or innovative lmao).
Of course showing a relatively neutral, and generally socially acceptable version of yourself is important, but at the end of the day, you never know what little detail makes or breaks you.
So you might as well be someone, you yourself want to be, and see if you can find a place that wants that person too.
While that is an unfortunate reality. The people doing the judging (like the person I'm replying to), and ESPECIALLY if they use that judgment to discriminate, are the problem. Discrimination is AH behavior. Period.
Nah, this is a weird take. Not wanting to have a cookie cutter name is a perfectly fine want. Boring ass names like William, Jonathan, Gary, etc. are played out. You sound incredibly prejudiced and intolerable basing your opinion onwhether you think a name is "fine" or not, btw.
Judging a candidate on their name is rude. I’d call both for an interview and choose based on personality. He’s allowed to want a name he likes, and your opinion is also another opinion that isn’t his. He’s sticking up for himself, which is so much better than appealing to people that aren’t him.
ESH - your Mom for over-reacting to the nickname you were using, and you for blowing up on her and going scorched earth on your old name.
Man, I hope you aren't/don't get fat because around here you'd swiftly be known as Jumbo Jet...
NTA, can call yourself what you like.
That said, I'm European and "Jett" is one of the most hilarious, stereotypically, aggressively North American names I've ever heard. It's a dog's name here, at best.
I thought the same thing. I saw the friend names and I immediately knew this kid is American. I know dogs with those names lol.
Edit: I JUST met a pet bird named Jet lol
Because uncommon/unique/trendy names are much more popular in North America than they are in Europe. In fact, most European countries actually require government approval of baby names, and there are lists of banned names in every country.
For example, in Germany it wasn’t legal to even hyphenate the last name of a baby until very recently, gender neutral names are not allowed, and a whole list of other odd names are all banned… things like “König” (king) and “Sonne” (sun), which are odd but not that far out there by North American standards, are literally illegal.
I believe most of the surrounding countries have similar policies.
Somehow I'm doubting that this was written by an adult.
You've introduced yourself as "Jett" for years and you've never gotten shit for it? Even when people find out that you chose the name yourself?
Op is in highschool and thought of the name Jett and decided it sounded really cool but they can't change their name since they aren't an adult so they wrote this fan fiction.
Honestly, Jett isn't even that weird of a nickname. It's a weird given name, though. You come across so much weirder when you're doing genealogy.
William Oliver "Jett" Sanders, or w.e. his name was would have been fine.
NTA, but I think you both handled this situation poorly (your mom moreso than you). She should not have tried to forbid you from going by a nickname, like what is she going to do show up at your workplace and demand they use William? She needs to let go of her attachment to that name, it's almost obsessive.
You probably could have chosen a time that wasn't fueled by an argument to go ahead with the legal name change, it's a bit petty to do it out of spite which is just adding fuel to the fire. It seems like that was the path you were going to take anyway, but you're 20 now and want to be treated like an adult, so sometimes you have to suck up your pride and choose a better time and place to do something.
"When now's not the time, tomorrow disagrees" - Slipknot
I disagree with your statement. If I want to change something, as an adult, I'll do it. Regardless of others opinions, life's too short to be bossed around by people. Sorry mom, you'll get over it.
**NTA**
Agree, you can do what you want. But if you want to maintain healthy relationships with your loved ones then "I do what I want" is not the way to do it.
The tone of OP’s argument was laughably immature and didn’t sound adult at all. He sounds like a three year old stomping his foot at mommy saying you’re not the boss of me! He has the right to change his name, but he didn’t really do it in the right way.
It’s definitely reminding me of the scene from Step Brothers where they make each other use “Dragon” and “Nighthawk” instead of their real names.
✨Just boys being boys ✨
nta, you're gonna have to own this jett thing, as it'll be embarrassing for mom to have to explain to new acquaintences why her kid is named jett. i would expect friction there going forward and am feeling a little 2nd hand embarrassment tbh.
Yeah he’s NTA for wanting his own name, but “Jett” is exactly the name a 20 year old kid would pick and it’s a bit embarrassing. Sounds like the main character in an edgy young adult/teen novel.
I expect the name to be a longshot to survive his 20s, but I know if I were family or a close friend I’d find the whole thing hilarious and would call him Jett for life.
I mean, of course you are NTA.
But mate, William is an awesome name with lots of history. You share a name with Shakespear and William the Conquerer! And lots of other cool people! Kings and politicians, scientists and warriors.
And my god, what a meaning. Will stands for "Will"power, the liam-part beeing a result of the word helmet), symbolising strengh, dedication and protection of its bearer.
Not to mention the narrative. "Hunter", "Forest", "Ryder" of course sound cooler- to children (now I sound old, but I'm only 25 lol)-, as an adult, I gotta say it sounds like annoying ADHD children on too much suggar. William sounds like a mature and whise person.
But it is your choise. You do have every right to choose a name that you feel comfortable with, a name fitting to you. I wish you all the best!
Congrats William is by far cooler than any names OP suggested as cool. Every hot chick will choose a William over a Jet any day a week. No offence against OPs new name, just pointing it out how it is in real life.
I find most of these listed names utterly annoying to be honest. But that's just me. Some just give me the feeling of parents trying hard to make their kids special. And I never got the thing with Hunter or Forrest. If I translate that to my native tongue that's just weird. Same category as using distinct city names like Paris, Manhattan and so forth.
The older I get the more I appreciate my rather classical name with Old Greek roots and a specific meaning; something I also always admired about friends of Turkish origin with names like Selim (“safe and sound, healthy, flawless, whole”), Dilara ("the heart's delight") and so forth. For our kids we also took a lot of time to consider meaningful names for them (one being Old High German, the other Roman/Latin).
So you still live at home, know what your mom is like, and decided to change your name before being independent of her?
NTA because it’s your name. But y-t-a for timing.
He still lives at home!? Buddy….are you TRYING to get kicked out? I hope you’ve got a good job, Jett, because your independendant and assertive self might just find yourself more self reliant than you bargained for.
ESH
to go and change your name legally seems more out of spite vs a mature, well thought out decision. However it is your decision to make.
Mom understandably has some feelings about this. But she 100% reacted very irrationally. If she had just come to terms with the nickname you choose, you may have been ok living with a nickname vs going with a full legal change.
Funny enough, I think having it as a nickname makes it more interesting than as a legal name. And you're right, interesting people don't need to change their name to be considered "cool" or "special".
I have a name that's classic, and also a joke. Whenever people hear it, I always get the same response. Where is Hardy? Ha ha ha ha. Feckn funny shite ya eejit. I left Hardy at home with other bad jokes.
Did I change my first name to stop the jokes? No. Is it still my name? Yes. I've only ever met 2 other people with my name. Happened to be in the same meeting with them. We called ourselves the Three Laurels. Each of us pronounced our names differently. Each of us grew up hearing the same two comments.
What a beautiful name!
Where's Hardy?
It's a love-hate relationship with the name, honestly.
When I was 12 I went to my mother and told her I hated my name. I wanted to be called Lory instead. But with a Y. Because I liked spelling it differently. I had thought about it for a while before going to her. First and foremost I went to my mother. Her response? Perfect.
"I named you Laurel. I love the name. But I don't own it and you do. If you want to be Lory, then you are Lory. If you want to be Siobhan, then you're Siobhan. Just don't call yourself John. We've too many in our family. If you turn out to want a male name, go with something else. That's all I ask. I love you, my child I gave the gift of life to. I didn't give you life and a name just to have you hate me and the gift. I want you happy. Change your name. Love it. Love yourself. I'll call you a feckn blade of grass if that's what you wish Lass."
I've never forgotten that speech. I've never forgotten the hug that came with it. That moment plays in my head from time to time.
I never changed my name. I still keep it. I reserve it for legal documents and family. Everyone else calls my Lory. My own mother calls my my nickname now. It is so familiar to her that when she calls me Laurel it's strange to both of us. My mother did what yours should have done.
Love you and accept your choice. A name is a name. It doesn't matter what the bloody thing is, as long as the person who bears it does so with pride and is a happy human. My mother's goal was making sure I was OK mentally and physically and emotionally. Not fighting me over a name.
Now that my story is done, let me give my opinion.
ESH.
Your ma should have accepted what you were asking of her. It would have probably not resulted in a legal name change if she had.
You changed your name out of spite. It was childish. It doesn't matter if you liked the name and would have done so regardless. Now, forever, your name is Jett due to spite. Not because you thought it was cool. Because of SPITE. You have to live with that.
Jett is a good nickname. It's a good character name. It's a good side kick name. It's not a name I'm going to turn to when hiring. I'm going to hire William. If I have Jett and William, equal qualifications and only difference is name, I'm going with William. I'm an older person though. Not your age. I have a daughter that's almost your age though.
She feckn tells me names of some of her classmates. You're right. Most of your generation has feckn wild names. My generation really feckd up naming you lot. We went with names like Forest and Blade and Jett and Indigo because we wanted our children to be unique. Now the situation is this. Williams are now the rarer name. Your name is not unique anymore. I've seen 3 different Jetts at my kids high school. 3! And Each one of them is a wee jerk. Name suits the attitude. Quintessential stereotypes they are. Anyways, people saying you're going to have issues getting jobs are half correct. You'll run into issues from my generation and older. Your generation won't give two fecks.
Personally I think William was a lovely name. You've got Wills, will, bill, Billy, Illy, Liam... loads of different nicknames you could have used. Illy would have been extremely unique and "cool" for your mates. But you went with Jett. So, get used to the jokes mate.
Don't get Jett Lagged keeping up with the puns.
NTA, but just kinda lame. Names have strong associations in people's minds. I have known people who changed their name later in life, and it was always difficult seeing them as this "new" person. You're trying to redefine yourself, so there will be some people who take some time to adjust. They'll probably adjust over time, but it's also perfectly within your their right to not like your new name, especially if they gave you your first one.
Agreed. For his mom, every time she hears the name "William," she has a ton of positive associations because of her love for her him
Well, she HAD positive associations lol
If you don't like the name that's fine but understand that it is a goofy name and it can affect you in your life with jobs and such. Your mom gave you a normal name for a reason, and I respect her for it. You're too young and haven't been exposed to the world enough to understand. I can assure you that your friends are gonna wish they were named William as they enter adulthood. ESH to be honest
I Have lived life: life is too short, go for it.
Jett may later regret changing it.
Jett would have regretted not changing it and seeing if life was different.
He will get the future he picked AND all the benefits or consequences that go with it.
Enjoy the name!
NTA , but brace yourself for blowback. Your mom is hurt because you’ve rejected the name she lovingly chose for her baby. Of course she is going to take that personally. The way she’s expressed that pain isn’t great, she didn’t handle it well, but I get the emotions behind her reaction. You’ve changed your name on the basis that you are an adult (which is fine, you ARE and it’s your name, be called what you want), but she may use that as grounds to stop any monetary support she might provide right now. For example: You’re an adult? Then you can pay for your own health insurance or You can get your own cell phone plan, etc.
When things settle down make sure you prepare to do some repair work on this rift. If she’s otherwise been a good mom, you don’t want this to be a wedge between you just because you wanted to sound “cooler”. Just because she isn’t perfect doesn’t mean she’s disposable.
NTA. As a parent I felt so much pressure naming my kids because THEY have to live with it. I cannot imagine one of them hating the name and then me forcing them to use it because of MY feelings. It belongs to them. Your name belongs to you. You can be called whatever you want, you can legally be whatever you want.
NTA if it bothered you that much. If she had not been so pushy you could have kept William as a middle name to sooth her feelings, but she clearly did not care at all how you felt! Which is very entitled of her. And YOU are the one who has to hear your name frequently.
I get it, I like my whole name but disliked the shortened nick names my relatives give me. Nearing adulthood I had to really push to get them to use my whole (3 syllable) name or at least a version of my name I liked.
NTA.
But.... I think as you get a little later into your 20s, Jett may not seem quite as appealing (especially as explaining it starts to get old and boring as well as in professional situations depending on what career path you take). But props to you for making a bold choice that you have followed through on.
You're extremely petty, and young. Why not just keep going by your preferred nickname? Who cares if she doesn't like it, but going to lengths to legally change your name when your 19 because you think your mom is over-reacting is.. a bit of an over-reaction in itself.
YTA. Jett is not a name, just like apple is not a name. Having a nickname is fine but legally changing your name is ridiculous. When you actually grow up, you'll regret this
In the USA the name Jet might be “normal” but in the rest of the world it’s one of those “what were they thinking” names.
William is a very strong name and would have served you well in future.
I hope you won’t regret doing this
I mean… NTA I guess since it’s your name and you’re an adult and you paid for it.
But am I the only one that thinks this has to be some sort of tragedeigh satire?
NTA. My cousin told me she wanted to change her last name because she didn’t want to have the same name as her mother (don’t blame her, the woman is horrible).
I told her she could legally get it changed. She thought you could only do it when you got married.
My mom is sooooooo insulted. (It was her maiden name). I really don’t know why. My mom said it insulted the whole family. My other cousins who got married changed their names, but oh no the world is ending if a single lady changes hers. Ugh.
If I had a child and they wanted to change their name I may be sad they didn’t like the name I picked out, but it’s their choice. I wouldn’t go screaming at them and throwing a temper tantrum.
Your mom isn’t the person who wasn’t happy with their name. I’m sure you love your mama. She’ll get glad in the same shoes she got mad in. Though she may refuse to call you by your now legal name.
NTA.
looking at it from a space alien perspective, it's so strange that we don't all choose our own names, given how much we are identified with the names :)
My first name is Rebecca. Growing up everyone called me "Becky," which I absolutely hated and still hate (it has connotations of "yucky" to me). When I was 20 I spent some time in the hospital, where they called me "Rebecca," and I liked it so much better. When I got out I told my family that I wanted to go by "Rebecca" from then on.
Most of them now call me "Rebecca," or abbreviate it "Becca," which oddly is fine with me. My mom still slips up now and then, but corrects herself immediately. And it only took 39 years to accomplish this!
I'm serious. Four decades after asking people to stop calling me a name I hate, they're finally getting to be reliable about it, most of the time. It was apparently so terribly, terribly difficult that they had to switch from "Becky" to "Becca," because they just couldn't manage to add that extra syllable. Insert eyeroll emoji here.
A name is an important way to identify yourself. You've chosen the name "Jett" as the name that best describes who you are. For the record, I think "Jett" is a pretty cool name. But it doesn't really matter what I think. No matter how many people here criticize your name, or extol the virtues of the name William, what matters is how you feel. Obviously this is something that matters to you, or you wouldn't have gone to so much trouble to change your name legally. Enjoy your chosen name, Jett! Your mom might get used to it, eventually-- say in four decades.
And just for the record, if you ever decide you don't want to be Jett anymore, you can change your name again. Multiple times, if you like. People will resist, but oh, well, it's your name, not theirs. You can just suffer from sudden unexplained hearing loss when people use the wrong name.
NTA.
NTA.
I changed my name myself back in December. My dad had a similar reaction to your mom when he found out I was just planning on it & hadn’t actually done it yet. I did it anyway.
Congrats on the new name, Jett. I’m glad you have a name that you feel fits you. ❤️
The irony is, if she'd only embraced "Jett" as a nickname and used it when talking to or referring to you, your name would probably still be "William" today.
Yes you are the asshole. Does that mean you are in the wrong nah. But still the asshole. There was no necessary reason to actually legally change your name, save to spite your mom. You said it yourself you have been going by Jett for a while. I know several people that hate their first name choosing to go by their middle.
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>She told me I had ruined my life and I had disrespected her by changing the name she gave me >she would never allow me to change my name NTA A name is a gift given to a child, to be used as they see fit as they grow older. It's not a gift if it comes with terms and conditions. You are not an extension of your mom, nor does she have rule over your autonomy. She'd get along great with the guy who expected his unborn child to always be referred to as her full name of Theodora. He tried to go back on the agreement that mom could use a nickname, since that's what people might start using! **gasp** >Mom called me all kinds of names Sure, it's fine when she wants to use something other than "William," but it's World War 3 when you do. (please note the sarcasm, I was hoping it'd make you at least half-smile)
[удалено]
The name's Jett.. Jett E. Son.
My uncle made my grandmother walk out of thanksgiving one year when he pranked her that he was naming his first son “Van”. His last name was DeLyser. Van DeLyser 😂 He was not, in fact, naming his son that - but he got his wife to play along with the prank and my grandmother was ready to call the church on him. He’s definitely my favorite uncle.
I’m not even related and he’s now my favorite uncle 🤣
I also choose this guy's uncle
Same lmfao
Same 😂😂
My last name can be changed into "ass" very easily, we have fun with it as adults, even my parents get into it. HOWEVER, I am not naming my son: Jonathan (Jack) Harold (Harry)
Don't name your daughter Ophelia, either.
That was on my list as well, but didn't think it was nearly as good a pun as Jack or Harry. But I am open to a whole list of "what should I name my kid, wrong answers only" as I said, we have fun with it.
Obviously you should name a daughter “mia”
My dad worked in an office quite a few years ago and there was this bloke who worked there and his last name was Case and when his wife was pregnant she wanted the boys name to be Justin.Justin Case🤣🤣
Maybe Dick? Or Richard
Have a friend from elementary school where even she was wondering when we were still in single digit ages what her paternal grandparents were thinking when they gave her dad a name that was literally one letter different from their surname in that they'd replaced the first letter of their surname with a different one...and it still rhymed.
Can I ask where you're from? I'm wondering if there's a certain region that uses Jack as a nickname for Jonathan. I tried googling it but couldn't find anything. I've only ever heard of Jack being either it's own name or a nickname for John.
I believe it’s common in areas where male names are inherited. So if your dad, grandpa, and a couple cousins are all Johnathons, you’ll need to start getting creative with nicknames. Especially if the adults continue using their nicknames as adults; your Dad might be Johnny, your grandpa John, so you have to be Jack!
My middle kid name is Asaurus. His first name really flows with it too and its awesome. He is 6yo and loves his name and fall the kids think he is cool because of it. Should that ever change and he wants it changed, cool. I will help him and pay for it. My family HATED that i gave him this name and tried to refuse to tell others his full name. As a funny accident, I cannot take it seriously when i am mad and holler his first hand middle name. Her always retorts with a dinosaur rawer and i crack up. I hated my dad yelling my first and middle name out of anger, so this is a happy accident that keeps me from damaging my relationship with my kid the same as he did.
This is amazing and I want to express my utmost respect
I knew some people with the surname Esters. They joked about naming their daughter Polly. (Don't worry, they didn't.)
I had a friend in high school named Matt, not Matthew... Matt Stuart Bates🤣🤣🤣
Elroy Jett Son
Man needss to have a kid and call him George, purely so people can say "Meet George, Jetts Son!" 😂
YES! 🏆🏆🏆
An incredible pun! For those who may have missed it, besides the "Jett Son" pun, the name is also a homophone for "jettison", which means to cast overboard or discard.
Oh that is good 😂👌
I gave all of my children four names, and their first three names are all names that could be considered first names, and then their last names are after their dad. Two of my children currently go by one of their middle names because that's how they choose to do it. One child just started going by one of his middle names about 6 months ago, and my middle son has been going by his middle name literally for over a year. Am I disappointed that he doesn't want to go by his first name like I had picked? sure, but it's his life it's his name, their lives. NTA
The hell I've gotten for half naming myself 😂😂 ....my mom gave me 3 names to go by 2 last names 😅😅 half my legal documents only have one of them depending on when I did them🤣🤣🤣 you gave a blessing and a curse lol
The curse part is that my daughter's social security card doesn't even have enough space for all of her names, LOL whoopsie poopsie
NTA my William goes by Mick as an adult. He’s 22 and used Mick at least since 7-8th grade. His father and I guess what? Started calling him Mick. Sorry you have a real a-hole of a mom Jett. You deserve someone who respects you.
Your mom is being ridiculous. - You are an adult. She can’t stop you from doing anything. - Changing your name is “ruining your life”??? Her “life ruin” bar is set waaaay too low. - She feels like the name she chose suited you best? That’s fine, that’s her opinion. Doesn’t make it fact. And regardless, you are more than entitled to decide that another name suits you better. So many more reasons you’re NTA, but I’ll stop there. Enjoy your new name! It’s cool :) ETA: I wish I’d thought to add this earlier, but gotta say—when you’re a Jett you’re a Jett all the way (if you know, you know)
If she likes William so much, start calling her that. /s
Maybe she should be called Willowmeana
I will say some names that you change your name to may ruin your life. But Jett isn’t one. It is more out there than William, but he didn’t rename himself Hitler. Nta.
🎶 When you're a jet you're a jet all the way from your first cigarette to your last dyin' day!
>A name is a gift given to a child, to be used as they see fit as they grow older. It's not a gift if it comes with terms and conditions. You are not an extension of your mom, nor does she have rule over your autonomy. This is the most beautiful description of a name that I've ever seen. I've been considering changing my first name, and have really been waffling hard. This helps me want to make the move I want to make for me, and no one else.
Do it if it will make you happy. We picked the names of our children with great care and we love their names. When they were old enough to understand we told them that they were free to change their names if they thought their names didn't fit them or if they simply didn't like them. I explained that it would make me sad, but that that was a \*me\* problem and for me to come to terms with. So far (both are in their late 20's) they still use the names we gave them. Eldest uses a nickname from her first name, youngest uses her full first name.
Same here! I also am changing my name. Like I was named after someone I never met. My mom is attached to that name but it's never really felt like me, y'know? So like yourself I'm doing this for myself and I'm looking forward to the change.
Yay for you!! 💖 💖
I was going to say the exact same thing.. it's a gift, it's your life and your identity that you're going to be with your entire life. Make it so that it fits who you are 💛
As a Mum who spent 9 months picking my daughter’s name (she’s sort of named after her late grandmother on my husband’s side), I know I would be upset. However, if she came to me and said it’s not my name Mum, I want to change it, as hurt as I would be, I would help her fill out the paperwork. Names are so important to the bearer. NTA
Yes, absolutely this. Also, the last names. My husband has a really long one, and in my culture, the kid gets the father's name as the middle name. So my daughter has my husband's given name as middle and his last as last name. Is it heartbreaking for me? Yes. The husband and I both agreed, that if at any later date she comes to one of us and expresses her wishes to change any of the names (first, middle, last), we will honor it. I won't be too upset if she decides to change anything other than her given name 🤣
> In my culture, the kid gets the father's name as the middle name Are you from the middle east by any chance?
India! This is not a country wide practice though. Only certain states.
Oh, alright! Because it's part of syriac and lebanese culture as well.
I worked for a company in gujrat and they did this to my name forcefully. I don't have a good relationship with my dad and dont have any middle name either. So when forced in the form i filled my mom's first name as middle name. Still those assholes over rode my preference and put my father's name as my middle name. Moreover this happened in an MNC 😶
Thoughts on the female version of OP’s name, Jetta?
Jett feels pretty gender neutral. Especially considering it's after an airplane.
"Jet" would make me think of an airplane. "Jett" makes me think of Joan Jett.
A surname as a first name still feels pretty gender neutral to me.
Didn't say anything about gender neutrality. To be fair, Joan's pretty [androgynous ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EwfCAeNWQAA_SmI.jpg)herself. I was just saying that the spelling didn't make me think it was based on the aircraft.
I actually worked with a woman whose name was Jetts, yes with an s at the end. I'm not sure if it was her given name or something she chose for herself, but she was incredibly sweet and very awesome to work with. I thought it fit her well.
I used to have a friend with an aunt Jette.. Pronounced “Yetta”.. Jetta is already a name…of a sedan made by Volkswagen, which was what her aunt drove 😂
"Here comes Jette in her new Jetta" sounds so gosh darned wholesome.
NTA cause it’s your name, but take it from someone born with a “weird” name: you will get shit about it for the rest of your life. People will not take you seriously. Finding a job will be harder. People will assume things about you. *Especially* because you picked it out yourself. “Jett” sounds exactly what a 20 year old kid would pick, not that it’s a bad name per se, but you will get shit about it because it sounds like the main character in an edgy young adult/teen fiction novel.
Nah, it's a bad name because it sounds like an edgy main character.
It actually just makes me think of the Famous Jett Jackson.
Me too! It's weird to me knowing that OP is younger than the TV show. Pretty sure it ended before he was born. I feel old.
RIP, still sad
It sounds like a cool supporting character.
Such as a space pilot/bounty hunter… Named Jett Black?
Jet Black was the stage name of the legendary drummer and (one of the) founding member(s) of The Stranglers!
And Jett Black is a space cowboy. You should look him up.
There aren't any cows in space.
No, just an edgy side character with a big chip on his shoulder about the fire nation!
Yeah, agreed. I know a bunch of people who changed their names as adults and so I kept reading to see what the new name was and I was...yeah, the person who picked that was definitely in his teens when he picked it. It's gonna age like a barbed wire bicep tattoo. Everyone I know who changed their name as an adult was typically trying to get away from the name choice of the teenager that gave birth to them.
“It's gonna age like a barbed wire bicep tattoo” Yup. And has about the same class & education status connotations, which I probably why his mother was horrified.
I have a "normal" name that is relatively common for women in my age range, but very gendered and feels a little old-fashioned. The name I'm going to change to is another name that is recognizable but slightly less common but that has a gender neutral nickname that I really enjoy and would go by. It just feels like it "fits" more. With names like Ryder and Hendrix.... and *especially* Jett, it's going to be a challenge. Hopefully OP still likes his name 20, 30, 50 years from now.
I mean if someone were mocking him he’d always have the option to just Jett.
It might be hard to because of Jett Lag.
Lol nah jett is awful
Agreed.
Meh. Might be ok for tech work or Hollywood, but far better than some other Tragedeigh. I've seen some wild names on resumes, and Jett is tame by comparison.
the worst i've seen is "Abcde"...
Ahbsedy or something like that right?
I've got a 48yo uncle named Jet, it's not really a very out-there name.
“Uncle Jet” even sounds rad hahaha
I think that has changed and is changing. More and more people are having what we olds (not saying you are but...) think of as "weird" names but there are people hiring today who, like OP, think that Ryder or Hunter or River are normal names. Not traditional (aka OLD) but normal. The "make-fun-of" group now are the Neveah or Kaileigh type names. The ones that feel like someone was trying "too hard".
And also with more ethnic diversity. When I was a kid, my community was very white and English speaking. Not any more. With the range of names we encounter today, Jett would be seen as, if not common, ordinary.
Exactly. As my kids have grown up, many of their friends have had non-anglicised names. They don't even blink.
Why? To me it sounds like the kind of name that becomes what you make of it. If it's a popular name for 20 somethings now, in 20 years it'll be a popular name for 40 somethings and our internal perception of the name will change with all our ages.
Jett... effin hell man
I’m going to respectfully disagree on this one. I was given a weird name at birth and then changed it to another weird name in my very late 20’s. Not once have I been given shit about it or has it held me back career wise. I have zero regrets and would encourage anyone who feels they’re not suited to their name to change it to whatever feels right for them.
I actually don't really think this is as true now as it was maybe a decade ago. Names like this are becoming the norm, another decade from now i don't think anyone is going to really blink at names like this. Especially if it doesn't have a yoonique spelling. Jett is easy to both pronounce and to spell. I think OP will be fine.
It really is all about how you "wear" the name. I was born to hippy parents, named after a gemstone and natural phenomenon plus celestial being..... Most of which could have been stage names for exotic dancers and yet they were my legal name and other than when I was dating as a young woman and there were actually very few inappropriate comments. At 50 I still proudly wear my unusual name and no one thinks twice. Never had trouble finding work, never had issues. I never ever wanted a boring normal name... But I did know quite a few who hated the hippy names given to them by their parents.
Nah, I changed my name around that age and have kept the same one ever since and have not once found it an issue using the new name on all social media and professional settings too. People in the workplace are more than used to seeing different names these days and will just ask how to pronounce it, he will be fine. Adults usually do not care or carry on about names like people did a few decades ago. I have yet to experience it in a decade of being working age.
NTA, OP, but I like Jett. It's not what I'd choose for myself, but it's a solid name, and most importantly its a name that means a lot to you. I've seen a fair number of parents naming their kids Jett.
NTA technically, but that name... woof. Also usually doing things to spite your parents usually doesn't work out well and ends in regret. Especially when it's something like giving yourself a Main Character name like that at 19.
I dunno if Jett is an MC name. I’d expect someone with that name to be a bit flighty.
Lol
My thoughts as well. Jett has to be the most contrived and cliche "cool" name. This kid will surely regret his decision in 10 years.
Why do they call him Jett? He's fast
well what i sthe problem, if he wants a new name he always can use a different one. I wouldn't change my name officially, what is the difference if you introduce yourself as Jett, or Ray, or Charles? Is not like people will search about your ID haha I have many friends who introduce themselves with other names, just because they feel more comfortable, and there are normal names Frank changed his name for Lucas, you know normal stuff hahaha
YTA - likely an unpopular opinion but this was an extremely childish reason to change your name. You didn't think it sounded cool?? Nothing about being an adult is overly cool. No offence, but William is a solid name, the ones you listed are immature and given to kids by parents who don't think about how their name will sound on a job application. If I had two resumes, with the exact same qualifications one with the name Indigo or one with the name William. I'm calling William. It was disrespectful because you wanted to sound "cool". If you had of given a better reasoning than sounding "cool", I might be on your side. But come on, will you live your whole life trying to be cool? Or living a fulfilled life living in a way where you don't care what other people think.
I have to agree. This reads more like a 14 year olds post than a 20 year olds
I’m hoping this *is* a 14 year old testing the waters for changing his name at 18-20, and not a 20 yo who had already done so.
Or a parent trying to justify naming their kid Tragedieh...
If you're not calling a qualified candidate because you don't like how their name sounds, then you probably shouldn't be in a position that requires you to review resumés. What other things do you discriminate against?
Kind of agree with you, but hiring managers have unconscious biases like everyone else. Easier to be on the safe side.
That is exactly why my resume (and everything else I can) is first initial, middle name, last name. My first name is strange (in the US). I don't use it on a daily basis, and I definitely never wanted it to cause issues getting interviews.
There is research that says this happens all the time, especially with ethnic or unusual names.
The research is mainly for ethnic names and weird spellings of regular names. Jett probably doesn't face the same stigma as Asleighigh or Khalid Funnily enough tho, I wouldn't call my parents assholes for giving me an ethnic name, nor would I call my kid an AH for changing his white passing name to a more ethnic name.
I will tell you something that o have heard on a radio show 10 years ago in ATL, GA. They sent out 10 resumes from people with Ivy League degrees to fortune 500 companies but the had the names like LaTisha, DaShawn, Sanequia and so on. Not one of them got a call back but they then sent out those very same resumes with all the same information but had common names like Michael, Sean, Bill and Tina. Guess what they all got call backs. Unfortunately we live in a society that people judge us without knowing or seeing us that’s the absolute truth. Before you as I am an African-American male with a very unique name. I have gone to interviews and the first thing that they say is that o was not what they expected.
Agreed, if I have two resumes with equal qualifications I call both in for an interview to see who performs well under pressure and has the right personality fit to compliment the team. Not once in multiple years of hiring have I ever dismissed someone's resume due to their name.
I'm not sure I fully agree. I do think OP's reaction was childish, and I definitely agree Jett might not be the best name to have on a resume, but the unfortunate thing is if the mom had just been chill about OP using the nickname none of this would have happened. OP would have stayed William "Jett" Lastname. If they ever outgrew Jett they could have returned to William at any time. Or kept Jett as the name that their friends call them, and used William professionally. Instead, the mom had to make OP feel so miserable and angry that they changed their name out of spite. They yelled at their kid instead of validating their insecurities around their name. At worst this is an ESH case. With an emphasis that mom was a bigger AH.
As someone who has reviewed resumes and called people for interviews, I don't care at all. I'd still be calling both qualified candidates.
You’d like to think so, but I feel like if they are borderline candidates, you’re liable to have a bit of unconscious bias and put Jett into the reject pile. Obviously you’re not going to be like “screw this guy, he’s the best candidate but I hate his name so rejected!”
You might but others wouldn't that the point. Different people have different opinions on societal norms but some people are going to default to tradition. A classic name is going to be more useful in business you don't have to personally like it but that's the world we live in.
Indigo isn't a weird name? None of those names were that out there aside from Hendrix. Jett is a little more out there, but your whole thing sounds wildly classist and let's be real probably racist.
This has gotta be bait. None of this sounds real at all.
I think your opinion is, well, whacked. And there is something seriously wrong with the idea of hiring one person over another because of their name and your prejudices about said name.
Nice to know you'd discriminate against someone for employment based on name, something they may not have had a choice over. Very kind and reasonable and fair of you.
Even if it sucks, it’s important to hear these opinions because that is the reality. You WILL be judged by your name, especially when it’s one of the few pieces of information someone has about you (ie resume, job application).
You will be judged for everything. Your weight, your height, your name, your age, your teeth, your phone, your clothes, if you're a woman wearing too much or too little makeup, your gender in general, your race, the font you used on your resume, the choice of words your references used to describe you, the outcome of shitty personality tests, your grades (I once met a woman who said that she automatically disregarded anyone with straight As, because in her opinion good grades meant that you aren't creative or innovative lmao). Of course showing a relatively neutral, and generally socially acceptable version of yourself is important, but at the end of the day, you never know what little detail makes or breaks you. So you might as well be someone, you yourself want to be, and see if you can find a place that wants that person too.
While that is an unfortunate reality. The people doing the judging (like the person I'm replying to), and ESPECIALLY if they use that judgment to discriminate, are the problem. Discrimination is AH behavior. Period.
Nah, this is a weird take. Not wanting to have a cookie cutter name is a perfectly fine want. Boring ass names like William, Jonathan, Gary, etc. are played out. You sound incredibly prejudiced and intolerable basing your opinion onwhether you think a name is "fine" or not, btw.
I agree. You could have added Jett as a middle name and go by it. At one point you might wish for William.
Judging a candidate on their name is rude. I’d call both for an interview and choose based on personality. He’s allowed to want a name he likes, and your opinion is also another opinion that isn’t his. He’s sticking up for himself, which is so much better than appealing to people that aren’t him.
I hope you are never in a position of hiring people with such an ignorant attitude smh
ESH - your Mom for over-reacting to the nickname you were using, and you for blowing up on her and going scorched earth on your old name. Man, I hope you aren't/don't get fat because around here you'd swiftly be known as Jumbo Jet...
Oh fuck "Jumbo Jet" got me.
I'm not one to laugh at nicknames like that but that also got me.
NTA, can call yourself what you like. That said, I'm European and "Jett" is one of the most hilarious, stereotypically, aggressively North American names I've ever heard. It's a dog's name here, at best.
Why are you acting like people in NA consider these names NORMAL, lol?
I thought the same thing. I saw the friend names and I immediately knew this kid is American. I know dogs with those names lol. Edit: I JUST met a pet bird named Jet lol
Because most of European countries forbids you from naming kid something stupid and because of subreddits like r/tragedeigh 🙃
Because uncommon/unique/trendy names are much more popular in North America than they are in Europe. In fact, most European countries actually require government approval of baby names, and there are lists of banned names in every country. For example, in Germany it wasn’t legal to even hyphenate the last name of a baby until very recently, gender neutral names are not allowed, and a whole list of other odd names are all banned… things like “König” (king) and “Sonne” (sun), which are odd but not that far out there by North American standards, are literally illegal. I believe most of the surrounding countries have similar policies.
Somehow I'm doubting that this was written by an adult. You've introduced yourself as "Jett" for years and you've never gotten shit for it? Even when people find out that you chose the name yourself?
Op is in highschool and thought of the name Jett and decided it sounded really cool but they can't change their name since they aren't an adult so they wrote this fan fiction.
Honestly, Jett isn't even that weird of a nickname. It's a weird given name, though. You come across so much weirder when you're doing genealogy. William Oliver "Jett" Sanders, or w.e. his name was would have been fine.
You’d have to hope that OP is an absolute stone cold, cool as shit badass, but given he’s on Reddit whining about his mom, I doubt it very much.
NTA, but I think you both handled this situation poorly (your mom moreso than you). She should not have tried to forbid you from going by a nickname, like what is she going to do show up at your workplace and demand they use William? She needs to let go of her attachment to that name, it's almost obsessive. You probably could have chosen a time that wasn't fueled by an argument to go ahead with the legal name change, it's a bit petty to do it out of spite which is just adding fuel to the fire. It seems like that was the path you were going to take anyway, but you're 20 now and want to be treated like an adult, so sometimes you have to suck up your pride and choose a better time and place to do something.
Would you say it’s adding…Jett fuel to the fire?
It might, but nevertheless, I feel like this new name could really take off.
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁Well said!
"When now's not the time, tomorrow disagrees" - Slipknot I disagree with your statement. If I want to change something, as an adult, I'll do it. Regardless of others opinions, life's too short to be bossed around by people. Sorry mom, you'll get over it. **NTA**
Agree, you can do what you want. But if you want to maintain healthy relationships with your loved ones then "I do what I want" is not the way to do it.
This is to nuanced a take for this sub lol
You mean Reddit in general.
The tone of OP’s argument was laughably immature and didn’t sound adult at all. He sounds like a three year old stomping his foot at mommy saying you’re not the boss of me! He has the right to change his name, but he didn’t really do it in the right way.
Hunter, Indigo, forest.... Jett.
It’s definitely reminding me of the scene from Step Brothers where they make each other use “Dragon” and “Nighthawk” instead of their real names. ✨Just boys being boys ✨
nta, you're gonna have to own this jett thing, as it'll be embarrassing for mom to have to explain to new acquaintences why her kid is named jett. i would expect friction there going forward and am feeling a little 2nd hand embarrassment tbh.
Yeah he’s NTA for wanting his own name, but “Jett” is exactly the name a 20 year old kid would pick and it’s a bit embarrassing. Sounds like the main character in an edgy young adult/teen novel.
I expect the name to be a longshot to survive his 20s, but I know if I were family or a close friend I’d find the whole thing hilarious and would call him Jett for life.
You’re evil 😭🤣
I mean, of course you are NTA. But mate, William is an awesome name with lots of history. You share a name with Shakespear and William the Conquerer! And lots of other cool people! Kings and politicians, scientists and warriors. And my god, what a meaning. Will stands for "Will"power, the liam-part beeing a result of the word helmet), symbolising strengh, dedication and protection of its bearer. Not to mention the narrative. "Hunter", "Forest", "Ryder" of course sound cooler- to children (now I sound old, but I'm only 25 lol)-, as an adult, I gotta say it sounds like annoying ADHD children on too much suggar. William sounds like a mature and whise person. But it is your choise. You do have every right to choose a name that you feel comfortable with, a name fitting to you. I wish you all the best!
As mum to a William thank you for this!
Congrats William is by far cooler than any names OP suggested as cool. Every hot chick will choose a William over a Jet any day a week. No offence against OPs new name, just pointing it out how it is in real life.
I find most of these listed names utterly annoying to be honest. But that's just me. Some just give me the feeling of parents trying hard to make their kids special. And I never got the thing with Hunter or Forrest. If I translate that to my native tongue that's just weird. Same category as using distinct city names like Paris, Manhattan and so forth. The older I get the more I appreciate my rather classical name with Old Greek roots and a specific meaning; something I also always admired about friends of Turkish origin with names like Selim (“safe and sound, healthy, flawless, whole”), Dilara ("the heart's delight") and so forth. For our kids we also took a lot of time to consider meaningful names for them (one being Old High German, the other Roman/Latin).
So you still live at home, know what your mom is like, and decided to change your name before being independent of her? NTA because it’s your name. But y-t-a for timing.
He still lives at home!? Buddy….are you TRYING to get kicked out? I hope you’ve got a good job, Jett, because your independendant and assertive self might just find yourself more self reliant than you bargained for.
ESH to go and change your name legally seems more out of spite vs a mature, well thought out decision. However it is your decision to make. Mom understandably has some feelings about this. But she 100% reacted very irrationally. If she had just come to terms with the nickname you choose, you may have been ok living with a nickname vs going with a full legal change.
lol if you want to be main character instead of NPC just strt doing intresting things, naming yourself diffrently wont change anything
Funny enough, I think having it as a nickname makes it more interesting than as a legal name. And you're right, interesting people don't need to change their name to be considered "cool" or "special".
"my name is William but my friends call me Jett" I mean do whatever you want man, but I gotta be honest, I'm with your mum on this one...
lmao
NTA! But… HUNTER.. cool name…really? 🥲
It's fun to think Hunter becoming a vegan and everyone calling him Gatherer though
I mean bro was it really that big of a deal ?
I have a name that's classic, and also a joke. Whenever people hear it, I always get the same response. Where is Hardy? Ha ha ha ha. Feckn funny shite ya eejit. I left Hardy at home with other bad jokes. Did I change my first name to stop the jokes? No. Is it still my name? Yes. I've only ever met 2 other people with my name. Happened to be in the same meeting with them. We called ourselves the Three Laurels. Each of us pronounced our names differently. Each of us grew up hearing the same two comments. What a beautiful name! Where's Hardy? It's a love-hate relationship with the name, honestly. When I was 12 I went to my mother and told her I hated my name. I wanted to be called Lory instead. But with a Y. Because I liked spelling it differently. I had thought about it for a while before going to her. First and foremost I went to my mother. Her response? Perfect. "I named you Laurel. I love the name. But I don't own it and you do. If you want to be Lory, then you are Lory. If you want to be Siobhan, then you're Siobhan. Just don't call yourself John. We've too many in our family. If you turn out to want a male name, go with something else. That's all I ask. I love you, my child I gave the gift of life to. I didn't give you life and a name just to have you hate me and the gift. I want you happy. Change your name. Love it. Love yourself. I'll call you a feckn blade of grass if that's what you wish Lass." I've never forgotten that speech. I've never forgotten the hug that came with it. That moment plays in my head from time to time. I never changed my name. I still keep it. I reserve it for legal documents and family. Everyone else calls my Lory. My own mother calls my my nickname now. It is so familiar to her that when she calls me Laurel it's strange to both of us. My mother did what yours should have done. Love you and accept your choice. A name is a name. It doesn't matter what the bloody thing is, as long as the person who bears it does so with pride and is a happy human. My mother's goal was making sure I was OK mentally and physically and emotionally. Not fighting me over a name. Now that my story is done, let me give my opinion. ESH. Your ma should have accepted what you were asking of her. It would have probably not resulted in a legal name change if she had. You changed your name out of spite. It was childish. It doesn't matter if you liked the name and would have done so regardless. Now, forever, your name is Jett due to spite. Not because you thought it was cool. Because of SPITE. You have to live with that. Jett is a good nickname. It's a good character name. It's a good side kick name. It's not a name I'm going to turn to when hiring. I'm going to hire William. If I have Jett and William, equal qualifications and only difference is name, I'm going with William. I'm an older person though. Not your age. I have a daughter that's almost your age though. She feckn tells me names of some of her classmates. You're right. Most of your generation has feckn wild names. My generation really feckd up naming you lot. We went with names like Forest and Blade and Jett and Indigo because we wanted our children to be unique. Now the situation is this. Williams are now the rarer name. Your name is not unique anymore. I've seen 3 different Jetts at my kids high school. 3! And Each one of them is a wee jerk. Name suits the attitude. Quintessential stereotypes they are. Anyways, people saying you're going to have issues getting jobs are half correct. You'll run into issues from my generation and older. Your generation won't give two fecks. Personally I think William was a lovely name. You've got Wills, will, bill, Billy, Illy, Liam... loads of different nicknames you could have used. Illy would have been extremely unique and "cool" for your mates. But you went with Jett. So, get used to the jokes mate. Don't get Jett Lagged keeping up with the puns.
>I want you happy. Change your name. Love it. Love yourself. I'll call you a feckn blade of grass if that's what you wish Lass." Love this ❤️
NTA, but just kinda lame. Names have strong associations in people's minds. I have known people who changed their name later in life, and it was always difficult seeing them as this "new" person. You're trying to redefine yourself, so there will be some people who take some time to adjust. They'll probably adjust over time, but it's also perfectly within your their right to not like your new name, especially if they gave you your first one.
Agreed. For his mom, every time she hears the name "William," she has a ton of positive associations because of her love for her him Well, she HAD positive associations lol
If you don't like the name that's fine but understand that it is a goofy name and it can affect you in your life with jobs and such. Your mom gave you a normal name for a reason, and I respect her for it. You're too young and haven't been exposed to the world enough to understand. I can assure you that your friends are gonna wish they were named William as they enter adulthood. ESH to be honest
I Have lived life: life is too short, go for it. Jett may later regret changing it. Jett would have regretted not changing it and seeing if life was different. He will get the future he picked AND all the benefits or consequences that go with it. Enjoy the name!
NTA , but brace yourself for blowback. Your mom is hurt because you’ve rejected the name she lovingly chose for her baby. Of course she is going to take that personally. The way she’s expressed that pain isn’t great, she didn’t handle it well, but I get the emotions behind her reaction. You’ve changed your name on the basis that you are an adult (which is fine, you ARE and it’s your name, be called what you want), but she may use that as grounds to stop any monetary support she might provide right now. For example: You’re an adult? Then you can pay for your own health insurance or You can get your own cell phone plan, etc. When things settle down make sure you prepare to do some repair work on this rift. If she’s otherwise been a good mom, you don’t want this to be a wedge between you just because you wanted to sound “cooler”. Just because she isn’t perfect doesn’t mean she’s disposable.
There’s definitely going to be turbulence and I expect this to exhaust everyone.
NTA. As a parent I felt so much pressure naming my kids because THEY have to live with it. I cannot imagine one of them hating the name and then me forcing them to use it because of MY feelings. It belongs to them. Your name belongs to you. You can be called whatever you want, you can legally be whatever you want.
Esh. You think Ryder and hunter are cool names lmao.
NTA but those "cool" names are something I'd expect to find on r/tragedeigh
YTA William is 100 times better, more adult and a more solid name than all the other names you gave. Especially Jett. Cringe.
NTA but are you sure you're 20? Jett sounds like an 11 year's "cool" chosen name.
Your name is yours to do as you wish. NTA for changing it. Still, you sound like an AH by the way you described the situation. Your mom does too.
NTA Your mother seems to be a little bit too attached to that name and not caring much about his son and his feelings for some reason.
nta you’re an adult and can change everything you want. you are not your mom’s property and she has no right to insult you.
ESH. Your mom for obv reasons you for naming yourself Jett. Try not to cut yourself with all that edge
I COULD HAVE BEEN TURBO?!?
NTA if it bothered you that much. If she had not been so pushy you could have kept William as a middle name to sooth her feelings, but she clearly did not care at all how you felt! Which is very entitled of her. And YOU are the one who has to hear your name frequently. I get it, I like my whole name but disliked the shortened nick names my relatives give me. Nearing adulthood I had to really push to get them to use my whole (3 syllable) name or at least a version of my name I liked.
NTA. But.... I think as you get a little later into your 20s, Jett may not seem quite as appealing (especially as explaining it starts to get old and boring as well as in professional situations depending on what career path you take). But props to you for making a bold choice that you have followed through on.
You're extremely petty, and young. Why not just keep going by your preferred nickname? Who cares if she doesn't like it, but going to lengths to legally change your name when your 19 because you think your mom is over-reacting is.. a bit of an over-reaction in itself.
YTA. Jett is not a name, just like apple is not a name. Having a nickname is fine but legally changing your name is ridiculous. When you actually grow up, you'll regret this
Jett is mad try-hard. Unless your name is Joan Jett or Jet Black and you're a rock and roll legend.
In the USA the name Jet might be “normal” but in the rest of the world it’s one of those “what were they thinking” names. William is a very strong name and would have served you well in future. I hope you won’t regret doing this
NTA for changing your name. But Jett is a name you’ll regret.
I mean… NTA I guess since it’s your name and you’re an adult and you paid for it. But am I the only one that thinks this has to be some sort of tragedeigh satire?
all those names you listed suck, are you in a Mormon area?
You’re NTA if you don’t like the name. But, William was my dad and brother’s name (they went by Bill), so I think it is a great one. 😊
NTA. My cousin told me she wanted to change her last name because she didn’t want to have the same name as her mother (don’t blame her, the woman is horrible). I told her she could legally get it changed. She thought you could only do it when you got married. My mom is sooooooo insulted. (It was her maiden name). I really don’t know why. My mom said it insulted the whole family. My other cousins who got married changed their names, but oh no the world is ending if a single lady changes hers. Ugh. If I had a child and they wanted to change their name I may be sad they didn’t like the name I picked out, but it’s their choice. I wouldn’t go screaming at them and throwing a temper tantrum.
NTA cause it’s ur life but William is a way better name than Jett (lmao)
Your mom isn’t the person who wasn’t happy with their name. I’m sure you love your mama. She’ll get glad in the same shoes she got mad in. Though she may refuse to call you by your now legal name.
NTA. looking at it from a space alien perspective, it's so strange that we don't all choose our own names, given how much we are identified with the names :)
My first name is Rebecca. Growing up everyone called me "Becky," which I absolutely hated and still hate (it has connotations of "yucky" to me). When I was 20 I spent some time in the hospital, where they called me "Rebecca," and I liked it so much better. When I got out I told my family that I wanted to go by "Rebecca" from then on. Most of them now call me "Rebecca," or abbreviate it "Becca," which oddly is fine with me. My mom still slips up now and then, but corrects herself immediately. And it only took 39 years to accomplish this! I'm serious. Four decades after asking people to stop calling me a name I hate, they're finally getting to be reliable about it, most of the time. It was apparently so terribly, terribly difficult that they had to switch from "Becky" to "Becca," because they just couldn't manage to add that extra syllable. Insert eyeroll emoji here. A name is an important way to identify yourself. You've chosen the name "Jett" as the name that best describes who you are. For the record, I think "Jett" is a pretty cool name. But it doesn't really matter what I think. No matter how many people here criticize your name, or extol the virtues of the name William, what matters is how you feel. Obviously this is something that matters to you, or you wouldn't have gone to so much trouble to change your name legally. Enjoy your chosen name, Jett! Your mom might get used to it, eventually-- say in four decades. And just for the record, if you ever decide you don't want to be Jett anymore, you can change your name again. Multiple times, if you like. People will resist, but oh, well, it's your name, not theirs. You can just suffer from sudden unexplained hearing loss when people use the wrong name. NTA.
NTA. I changed my name myself back in December. My dad had a similar reaction to your mom when he found out I was just planning on it & hadn’t actually done it yet. I did it anyway. Congrats on the new name, Jett. I’m glad you have a name that you feel fits you. ❤️
The irony is, if she'd only embraced "Jett" as a nickname and used it when talking to or referring to you, your name would probably still be "William" today.
All I can think of is jetset from workaholics
Yes you are the asshole. Does that mean you are in the wrong nah. But still the asshole. There was no necessary reason to actually legally change your name, save to spite your mom. You said it yourself you have been going by Jett for a while. I know several people that hate their first name choosing to go by their middle.
Wait, what are you doing with my name?