Reason to change first name?

Posted: Sun, Jun 24 2012, 5:33 am Post subject: Reason to change first name?

One of our kids teachers announced mid-year that she will now be called by her middle name instead of her first name. So we all started calling her a new name. (In Israel, the teachers are called by their first names rather than Mrs. so and so.)

Of course we didn't ask and just accepted it. But I can't help wonder why she would make a mid-year change like that.

I hope I am not offending anyone, and certainly hope she isn't on this forum. Really I am just asking out of curiousity.

Posted: Sun, Jun 24 2012, 5:37 am Post subject: re: Reason to change first name?

If she's single, maybe she's seriously considering a shidduch with someone who's mother shares her first name. Many people won't marry someone who's mother shares their name, but I think some say you can get out of it by changing the name you're called by.

That's what occurred to me, reading your post. Just a thought.
_________________
"Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."
- G.K. Chesterton

Posted: Sun, Jun 24 2012, 5:39 am Post subject: re: Reason to change first name?

She is married with two young children.

Posted: Sun, Jun 24 2012, 5:45 am Post subject: re: Reason to change first name?

This is a fashion in Israel, particularly among Sephardi traditional/ religious circles. You have a problem? You change your name and everything works out. No need to work on yourself, daven etc, just hocus pocus. There are "mekubalim" who advise on this.

Nothing to do with this, but I know Reb Chaim Kanievsky (sometimes? always?) advises changing names when it wasn't a real Jewish name to start with.

I know three children who changed their names.
_________________
"The problem begins with... their political hangers oners... such as Anat Hoffman. She is a davener like I am a chinese belly dancer." (FS)

Professional Hebrew>English translations - pm me for details.
(Complimentary ad as mod)

Posted: Sun, Jun 24 2012, 5:48 am Post subject: re: Reason to change first name?

So interesting, I never heard of this.

Posted: Sun, Jun 24 2012, 5:51 am Post subject: re: Reason to change first name?

Can I change my name to Victoria Beckham? I want to be very thin and stylish and make a lot of money working as a fashion designer!
_________________
See my ad to buy pregnancy tests and ovulation tests in Israel for a great price. http://imamother.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=136877&highlight=pregnancy+tests

Platinum Member Joined: Nov 04 2008 Posts: 7944

Diamond Member Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 3592

Diamond Member Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 3592

Posted: Sun, Jun 24 2012, 9:17 am Post subject: re: Reason to change first name?

Ditto Shalhevet... it's arriving here too, and (to me, imho), so very odd. And most of the time the person still complains of the same thing after...
_________________

"You will have many many children and make successful shidduchim beh", rebbetzin Esther Jungreis
"It's all cultural, disagree respectfully", me

Posted: Sun, Jun 24 2012, 9:41 am Post subject: re: Reason to change first name?

Out of interest: there are also those who have the name of their parents changed, without asking or even without consent, either because they are ashamed of their Judeo Arabic name, or "for mazel", "for health", "so they do teshuva"...

Diamond Member Joined: Jan 19 2006 Posts: 4428

Its not changing your name to decide to use your middle name. Your middle name already is your name. It is odd to do it in middle of the year while teaching pre schoolers, it would have been better

Posted: Sun, Jun 24 2012, 9:54 am Post subject: re: Reason to change first name?

I know people told by a rav to use their full name ("Chaya Mushka" instead of Chaya or Mushkele).
I know of people told by "mekoubal" to use another of their names (Chaya instead of Mushka) to open up other energy channels or say use Chaya to have more "life" or whatever.

Executive Member Joined: Apr 09 2008 Posts: 288

My DHs aunt changed her youngest sons name when he was diagnosed with diabetes. The names are not similar at all, but I know she did consult a rabbi about the change. They are sephardic and the kid was 8.

another cousin changed his name... when he was looking for a shidduch and just had major surgery. he was 31 at the time.

I thought it was really strange at the time... in fact I still tend to call both of them by their original names. I was told it was to combat the evil eye... DHs family is HIGHLY superstitious. So maybe the teacher is undergoing something difficult, and was hoping this would help?
_________________
DD 05/09
DD 06/11

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 12 2007 Posts: 20496

OMG. I wanted to post this am that I had never heard of the trend, but didn't post. Now, just an hour ago, my son whose been out of the country for a few months told me: "you won't believe this: my friend mentioned his son "Idan" and I said to him: Idan? You don't have a son by that name." It turns out the friend changed his son's name from Bar to Idan. As Popeye would say "well blow me down"!. Yes, Sfardim but not religious.
_________________
The future simply isn't what it used to be....

Posted: Mon, Jun 25 2012, 4:46 am Post subject: re: Reason to change first name?

I know 4 people who changed their names (or their dc's names) at their rav's advice. Some were told to do it to increase chances of getting a shidduch, others to cure infertility. One person I know did it "stam" (just didn't like her name).

Diamond Member Joined: Feb 21 2011 Posts: 2693

nothing wrong with changing your name. I know people who changed their name either because they didn't like their name, or because they were unlucky so far in life. a name is hugely important. it contains your personal strength and other qualities. but there are some names which are much luckier than others, therefore people can adopt a new name, because every time one is called by their name, it imparts strength onto them. hence why people when they are G-d forbid sick change their name. apparently you shouldn't name someone a name ending in "it", like Margalit, or Yehudit, because the "t" at the end makes their luck closed. it should be a name ending in a or e or something. that's what someone told me.

Posted: Mon, Jun 25 2012, 6:01 am Post subject: re: Reason to change first name?

And who says the new name is better and will bring you more 'luck' than the old one? Maybe you are giving yourself worse mazel?