Renaming Myself
When I was born, my parents named me Charlotte Denise Gray. Put it on my birth certificate and everything, as parents are wont to do in these situations. But even in bestowing my name, they decided the name Charlotte was too big for a baby, so until I grew into my real name, I would be known as Christie. The first few years of my life, Christie was my name. Family, friends, everyone who knew me called me Christie, as people will do when that’s how you are introduced and known.
Around first or second grade was when I decided I was “big” enough for my real “big girl” name. So I began to introduce myself as Charlotte instead of Christie. Seems simple enough, right? Until new friends would call me Charlotte in front of old friends or family who knew me as Christie. “Who’s Charlotte?!” they’d balk in confusion. I explained the story of my name on endless, tedious loop for easily a year, but the fun sparkly sheen of mystery and intrigue wore off after a few short weeks.
When I married my husband, I adopted his name, as is tradition. Also, I kinda loved the sound of his name, Lacey, at the end of mine better than my maiden Gray. Loved it so much, in fact, that when we eventually divorced, I kept it. All of my professional licenses were already established, and going through the painful name change paperwork while I was already under the duress of the divorce process felt unnecessarily cruel. I’ve been Charlotte Lacey for almost 26 years even though my marriage only lasted 15.
And here’s where I turn another big corner in my life and, subsequently, in the name game. I am writing a book. It’s been a long time coming. I always knew I was supposed to be a writer, and yet I let life and naysayers dissuade me from living my life’s purpose. I hold zero ill will. My life unfolded the way it was supposed to unfold. The stories I will tell, the insights I will share wouldn’t have existed to be told and explored if my life had gone any other way.
So I introduce myself to the world in yet a new way. I introduce myself to you, dear readers, as Charlotte Denise, the only name that has ever been authentically, totally, truly my own. I hope you’ll join me on my journey, the newest chapter. I promise it will be an entertaining, almost definitely bumpy ride.
