I resented my first name from an early age, partly due to the connotations of "Plain Jane." It was boring. I longed for a more exotic name like Cressida and Hermione, two of my classmates. I wanted to ...

People knew me by a name that wasn't actually legally mine. I wanted to have the same name as my children and husband but didn't want to do the paperwork. I finally decided to, and it took nearly $500 ...

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My last name is a very common American first name. My first name, while standard, is not so common. Let’s call it Whitney Joseph. I go by my first name, Whitney. I have always ...

Although I haven't always thought this, one of the best things my parents ever did for me was give me my first name — "Bass." When most people hear it they immediately start to grin. That name alone ...