Unisexy

Last night I was telling a friend who has known me for a verrry long time that want a unisexy name. Only those who know me personally know what my name is, but all I can say is that my name is boring.

Me: I want to change my name.
Friend: Noo! Why?
Me: It's mediocre and not me.
Friend: But I like your name...
Me: Why?
Friend: Because it reminds me..
Me: Ohmigod don't say it!
Friend:...of you.
Me: Gah! How cheezy...but sweet...but annoying...my personality should not be associated with my lame-ass name.
Friend: What would you rather your name be?
Me: Something unisexy and ambiguous in ethnicity.
Friend: Like what?
Me: Well, I always liked the name Sam.
Friend: Sam?! What the hell is wrong with you? NO!

Granted, it is my name, and I get the final say, but if I were to start going by a different name, then I'd ideally like my friends to be amiable towards it too.

Is this vain of me? We don't get to choose our names, genetic phenotypes, genders. Is the desire to change one's name comparable to the desire to change one's gender or body? All of these things do influence how we are perceived and treated. And people certainly do like to express themselves; the proof is in the number of blogs and people who want to be writers.

But how we act, what we do, and how we treat others also influences how we are perceived and treated. And, at the end of the day, how far can an external change go to make the person feel internally different? This probably varies by person.

I suppose I could try it and report results.