Chosen Name

A chosen name is the name a person picks for themselves that affirms their gender identity or personal sense of who they are. Chosen names carry particular weight for transgender, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming people, whose birth name may not match their identity and can unintentionally out them. Using someone's chosen name is a basic act of respect, and refusing to do so is a form of deadnaming. Many people also pursue a legal name change through their local court, which does not require proof of surgery or medical treatment in most places. Research links using a young person's chosen name to lower rates of depression and suicidal thoughts.