Fri rørsle for namn?

Abstract

Combining autoethnographic methods with close observation of the use of personal names in identity documents, this article considers affective dimensions of personal names. Focusing especially on psychological aspects behind a decision made by the author at a young age to change his first name, the article suggests that Carl Rogers’ concept of conditions of worth offers insights into personal naming practices, while the notion of incongruence provides a useful framework for understanding some typical reasons for changing a name. The author proposes onomastic dysphoria as a term to encapsulate the extreme mismatch that an individual may experience between their own name and their self-concept. Analysing the bureaucratic implications of the name change and a subsequent naturalisation application, the article makes a case for free movement of names at an international level.