'I changed name after marriage only to find it's exactly the same as adult star' – The Mirror
A woman has shared her excitement to change her name after she got married, but when she realised she shared the same name as an adult star, she was totally mortified
Having a unique name can be a blessing as well as a curse at times. It will be memorable, but you may find yourself constantly spelling it, explaining it, and correcting people on the pronunciation, and with unusual names on the rise it's becoming common to hear names you may never have heard before.
One woman is only too familiar with the struggles, but after getting married and changing her surname to her husband's, she was excited to no longer have a complicated name. Because her first and last names were unusual, she was more than willing to take his surname.
However, she soon realised she shares the same name as an adult star, and when googling her name, some extremely X-rated images appear, much to her horror. But she didn't want people to think the pictures were her when applying for jobs in the future.
When she searched her new name after updating her CV and sending it off to potential employers, the woman was horrified by the images she saw, but just put it down to an unfortunate Google mistake. But when she did some more digging, she found out she did indeed share the same name as someone in the adult entertainment industry.
Wanting to change her name as a romantic gesture to her new husband, she had no idea of the troubles to come. Sharing her dilemma on Reddit, the woman wrote: "Ok, so I have a very weird first name. I like it well enough, but I have spent a good chunk of my life explaining pronunciation and spelling. I had similar problems with my maiden name and considered changing one or both for the sake of simplicity.
"Enter my husband. He has a lovely, easy-to-spell, very common last name. So when he proposed, I decided to take it. I figured, hey – I get a name that is easier to spell and pronounce! Plus it meant a lot to him, and I thought it would be a nice romantic gesture. And at first, it was."
But after her realisation, she's been forced to use her middle name so she doesn't get mixed up with someone she doesn't want to be associated with. She continued: "Once we were married, and the name change became official, I began to modify my CV and my more general-use resume. I was newly married and now, at least half my name wouldn't make the hiring coordinator's eyes cross. I was excited.
"Fast forward to a perfectly innocent presentation on job hunting. The presenter suggests the old trick of Googling yourself to check your web presence for any old, embarrassing relics from social media. I realised I had never Googled my new name, and smiled as I popped open a new search tab on my phone.
"Imagine my horror as I sat in a crowd of my peers, and the first thing to pop up was a thumbnail of a woman with two d**ks in her mouth. I figured it was a fluke or an advertisement, and scrolled hurriedly. But to my growing dismay, I found page after page of porn websites, cam sites, an OF, and forums, all tied back to my brilliant new name.
"Now, this presented a long-term problem – resumes don't generally include a photo. I had to find a way to convey to potential employers that I was an entirely separate person from this taller, admittedly far more attractive woman. I did not intend to insist on constantly being called "doctor" or including my credentials wherever I put my name. Changing my name again would require a whole court proceeding, goodness knows how much money, and another visit to the dreaded social security office.
"In addition to employment, though, my husband is Catholic, but he has an earthy sense of humour and would laugh this off. His family, though? They are kind, pious, and a little sheltered. They are also very proud in-laws who have Googled me every time I appeared in the completely boring campus newspaper.
"I knew they would understand, but I had to either allow them to stumble blindly into a literal hurricane of d**ks and fetish material, or warn them as kindly as I could. Needless to say, our next visit was profoundly awkward. Now, I insist on using my middle initial in professional settings. I am rather particular about it."
One Reddit user was quick to share the same name pain as they wrote: "I was born with a porn stars name, a movie name, and a TV show characters name. Meh, you get used to it," and another jibed: "This can only work in your favour. Anyone who knows your name is a porn star will undoubtedly bring you in for an interview to find out."
Do you have a story to share? Email Niamh.Kirk@reachplc.com
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