How to go by a nickname

[stayathomemom]

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I was wondering what the protocol is for going by a preferred name (nickname) (ie, Bob instead of Robert). On my application, I obviously used my full legal name, but how do I let schools know I prefer to go by a nickname? There isn't an option for it in the contact info in my secondary application. I don't want to get locked into my legal name if I ever get an acceptance.

 

[Xander Cruz]

...you tell people after you start, which is how I presume you started going by the nickname in the first place?

I can 100% guarantee the following conversation will not happen:

Anyone at school - "Are you William Smith?"
You - "Yes, but I prefer Bill."
Anyone at school - "Well on AMCAS you said your name was William, so you can either go by that, or get expelled."

 

[Bonne Nuit]

Change your email options to reflect your preferred name immediately upon matriculation (i.e., so recipients will see emails from "Jenny Thomas" versus "Jennifer Mary Thomas"). That's going to be the big thing, I think.

 

[gyngyn]

I was wondering what the protocol is for going by a preferred name (nickname) (ie, Bob instead of Robert). On my application, I obviously used my full legal name, but how do I let schools know I prefer to go by a nickname? There isn't an option for it in the contact info in my secondary application. I don't want to get locked into my legal name if I ever get an acceptance.

Many schools will ask for your preferred name.

 

[AnMDtoB]

I was wondering what the protocol is for going by a preferred name (nickname) (ie, Bob instead of Robert). On my application, I obviously used my full legal name, but how do I let schools know I prefer to go by a nickname? There isn't an option for it in the contact info in my secondary application. I don't want to get locked into my legal name if I ever get an acceptance.

There was a section for it on AMCAS & a lot of schools I applied to asked about it again on my secondary apps

 

[stayathomemom]

Thanks everyone. I will do my best. I have had bad experiences in the past of not being referred to by a preferred name (despite repeatedly asking) and it was so annoying, so I just wanted to see if there was anything additional I should do.

 

[LizzyM]

I am 99% certain there is a preferred name spot on the AMCAS; we are told when we interview applicants if they have a preferred name (Bob in place of Robert, etc) and it is helpful when calling an applicant in a crowded waiting room.

 

[Sephirakra]

I put my preferred name on my app, but apparently "Skullmaster" isn't an appropriate moniker.

 

[stayathomemom]

I am 99% certain there is a preferred name spot on the AMCAS; we are told when we interview applicants if they have a preferred name (Bob in place of Robert, etc) and it is helpful when calling an applicant in a crowded waiting room.

Your insistence that the AMCAS app has a preferred name spot led me to log in to my primary to double check because I was pretty sure I don't remember seeing one. Sure enough, in the identifying information section, are "Preferred name" and "Legal name" fields. Stupidly, I inputted the same name for both. I clicked to change it (I guess it is one of the few things that can be changed post-submission?) and the prompts in the field change to simply "Name" and "Legal name," which I guess didn't tip me off that it was for nicknames. Oh well, if I run into problems from here on out I suppose it is my own fault, and I'll just have to suffer through all of the stupid jokes related to my legal name (thanks, mom).

 

[AnMDtoB]

Oh well, if I run into problems from here on out I suppose it is my own fault, and I'll just have to suffer through all of the stupid jokes related to my legal name (thanks, mom).

From personal experience I can promise you that people will forget your legal name pretty immediately or never even know it if you're truly using your preferred name all the time. No sweat 🙂

 

[907914]

Your insistence that the AMCAS app has a preferred name spot led me to log in to my primary to double check because I was pretty sure I don't remember seeing one. Sure enough, in the identifying information section, are "Preferred name" and "Legal name" fields. Stupidly, I inputted the same name for both. I clicked to change it (I guess it is one of the few things that can be changed post-submission?) and the prompts in the field change to simply "Name" and "Legal name," which I guess didn't tip me off that it was for nicknames. Oh well, if I run into problems from here on out I suppose it is my own fault, and I'll just have to suffer through all of the stupid jokes related to my legal name (thanks, mom).

At least you only have one school to worry about making fun of you lol jk

On a serious note, no one will make fun of your name. Particularly at your school...It is already in a weird city, why not make it weirder with fun names?

 

[stayathomemom]

At least you only have one school to worry about making fun of you lol jk

On a serious note, no one will make fun of your name. Particularly at your school...It is already in a weird city, why not make it weirder with fun names?

It's less of them making outwardly offensive jokes, but it is a...notorious name for a certain kind of person of ill-repute, and also low-hanging fruit to joke with.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard the same joke surrounding my legal name, starting from when I was a little kid who didn't know why people were saying it. It's disingenuous and sooooo very annoying at this point. People think they're being clever but they are not.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

This is really easy to fix. When you get to school and start meeting people you just introduce yourself how you want to be addressed. And my school has a place on our online portal to write our preferred name.

 

[JoaoMoutinho]

I'm quite curious now, though I'll assume you aren't the famous Marijuana Pepsi since she just got a PhD.

Your insistence that the AMCAS app has a preferred name spot led me to log in to my primary to double check because I was pretty sure I don't remember seeing one. Sure enough, in the identifying information section, are "Preferred name" and "Legal name" fields. Stupidly, I inputted the same name for both. I clicked to change it (I guess it is one of the few things that can be changed post-submission?) and the prompts in the field change to simply "Name" and "Legal name," which I guess didn't tip me off that it was for nicknames. Oh well, if I run into problems from here on out I suppose it is my own fault, and I'll just have to suffer through all of the stupid jokes related to my legal name (thanks, mom).

 

[stayathomemom]

I'm quite curious now, though I'll assume you aren't the famous Marijuana Pepsi since she just got a PhD.

Lol, no, I will say my name is absolutely benign in comparison!

 

[907914]

I'm quite curious now, though I'll assume you aren't the famous Marijuana Pepsi since she just got a PhD.

Had to google her and yup she is real. Got her PhD in leadership in education. Her dissertation was “Black names in white classrooms: Teacher behaviors and student perceptions.” So she appears to have been very empowered by her name.

 

[JoaoMoutinho]

Had to google her and yup she is real. Got her PhD in leadership in education. Her dissertation was “Black names in white classrooms: Teacher behaviors and student perceptions.” So she appears to have been very empowered by her name.

I remember when her name made the news a couple months ago reading that her mom named her sisters completely normal names like Kimberly, lol.

To answer OP's original question, you should be fine. I got made fun of a lot for my name when I was younger, and now that I'm (kind of) an adult doing adult things a lot of middle-aged ladies tell me that my name sounds like I could be a movie star and that I should be so grateful my parents picked such a great name.

I still use a fake name whenever I order stuff at a counter or make reservations just because it's easier than spelling my name every time, and when I lived in Latin America I told my friends to call me Javier because they couldn't pronounce my real name. I'm also totally fine with "boring" names like John or Daniel or Maria for my kids because I hate spelling out both my first and last name and getting people confused every time I need to give my name for something. My wife disagrees, but she is also not pregnant, so that is not a pressing issue for us.

A double edged sword of having a unique name is that I am literally the only person in the world with my name, so I'm not hard to track down once you know it.