Changing My Name Late In Life: “Doug” to “Douglas”
I have a friend who in his late 50s (and for professional reasons) completely changed his name, both first and last. This transformation caused some serious confusions for him, but he is now happy with his new name, and finds, I’m sure, a certain satisfaction in having chosen for himself the name by which he is identified in the world. The rest of us have to live with (or battle or pervert) the name assigned to us without our consent by doubtless well-meaning parents. My given name is “Douglas John Whaley” and I’ve always been happy with it. The middle name of “John” is in honor of my paternal grandfather, John Alvin Whaley (and I carried on that tradition when my son was born by giving him the middle name of my father). When I was a child almost no one called me “Douglas” with the sometimes exception of my mother when annoyed with me, as in “Douglas John, come here at once!” Everyone addressed me as “Doug” and that has continued until quite recently. There w
