FAQ
Did you change your name?
Yes. In May 2014 I changed my first name from Corry to Clyde, dropping the suffix “III” from my name in the process.
WTF prompted you to do such a thing given your age?
Glad you asked that question. My age, among other reasons.
Let’s hear ’em.
That’s not a question but this isn’t Jeopardy so I’ll let that slide. Here goes:
- My birth name Corry is a surname turned into a first name, pronounced with a short “o” sound according to my family. The only common word that rhymes with it is “sorry.”
- In March 2014 I settled on this name which shows up occasionally in my family tree. Clyde has unambiguous spelling and pronunciation. It results in the same initials CLS and it even starts with “Cl.” I go by C.L. Smith more than 50% of the time anyway.
- The “III” in “Corry Lee Smith III” gives the impression that I am the heir to some great fortune or legacy. I am neither. In fact, the “Smith” in my family tree comes to an abrupt halt with my sister and me, and I have considered dropping that too. A little ancestry dot com research strongly implies that a great grandfather took the name Smith upon arriving from Ireland — on the lam!
- Finally, my life has taken a path far different from the paths of my father and grandfather. Sr. died in 1955 and Jr. died in 1982. My given name is simply a burden I must lay down now.
- There is another reason that I should keep private, at least from the Internet.
How long have you been planning to do this?
I’ve wanted to do this since childhood. I finally decided to carry it out in March 2014.
Did you talk with anyone before you decided to do this?
No. I consulted nobody. Neither friends nor family. I told one person after making my final decision.
Do you know what a hassle it is after you change your name?
Yeah, I did my research. Thanks for asking.
Was it easy to apply to Probate Court for this?
Yes, almost too easy. You have to come up with something really stupid to have a name change petition rejected, so it’s important to choose well and brood excessively before filing a petition. I took almost 50 years. That’s about par for me.
Again, why Clyde?
Because my first choice, Optimus Primate, was taken. So was my second choice, Osama Bin Login. See above questions for actual reasons.
You sound a little chippy. Regrets?
No.
Will you object if your friends or relatives still call you you by your birth name?
Absolutely not. It’s never going to be a test.
What are you doing back on Facebook? I thought you hated it.
I signed back on to Facebook specifically to let my friends know about what I’ve done with my name. It seemed more efficient than bringing it up all the time to individuals. The page should be deleted by mid-late June 2014. Being Facebook-free agrees with me.
Update January 2018: Not on Facebook. Don’t plan to return unless circumstances demand it.
Update November 2018. Fell off the Facebook wagon. People I care about stick with it, so there. I blame peer pressure. And Society.
Obvious keywords hidden 1998-style: “Corry Lee Smith” , Corry , Corry Lee Smith III”, “name change” , Clyde , “Clyde Lee Smith” , Smith , 2014 , “May 2014” , “Madison County” , Alabama , “first name” , “Changed name from Corry to Clyde”