I think having a cute stage name is something people accept after you’re famous.
I’m gonna come in with maybe an unpopular hot take. I have no problems people being trans or choosing a name that suits your preferred gender, but–perhaps because of the repression earlier in life–it seems like the transition and name choice spout an… aggressively creative search for names?
I know about 8 MtF people (0 FtM for some reason?), and they are not picking mainstream names like Mary, Samantha, or Norah for example. Eris, Athena, Cybelle, Malice, and Laika are 5 of the 8 names chosen. It’s not a problem, you pick it and I will use it, but it IS jarring. I’m not making excuses for transphobia because that’s stupid, but it is strange to me to ostensibly want to blend in with everybody else, but then choose a name that obviously marks you out? It’s like the line between choosing a name for your heroine DND character and for yourself is suddenly completely erased and it’s absolutely your right, but as an outsider it’s honestly kinda weird.
I support a parents right to pick names for their kids, but aeslyn and breeleigh and brandaeden are weird names. Same for people who pick their own names regardless of gender identity, but if you pick a name that is kinda weird… well it’s kinda weird.
Furbag@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Coming up with a stage name is usually something that agents will tell their clients to do if their name sounds “too ethnic”. Happens when they are auditioning for roles, not when they get famous.
Random fact I heard the other day: Leonardo DiCaprio almost sent out headshots with a stage name at the advice of his agent, but his dad talked him out of it and told him to be proud of his name. I forget what they told him his stage name should be, but it was way more generic and forgettable than his real name.
dream_weasel@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
Dang, we could have had Longboy DiCaprio. Or like Lyman or something.