FAQ: Adopted or changed names

Q: I am adopted - but I know my real name given to my at birth. Is it more appropriate to use that name - or the name my adoptive parents gave me and that I grew up with? I was only about 2 months old when my adoptive parents got me. My intuitive sense told me to use the name I was born with - even if it was for only 2 months? Any thoughts? Thanks so much.- N.P.

PS: Using (birth name) seemed pretty accurate - as far as an analysis of who I am <smile>.

A: You are right. Your birth name is the most accurate name to use. It defines the tools and talents you have innately as well as the types of people and experiences you are likely to attract. Your adopted name is important too, as an overlay of additional vibrations that can assist you in life. I also have an adopted last name. It's much the same as a married name in that it's important as an indication of what I'm choosing to learn and what aspects of my essential nature are being emphasized with the use of this new name.

More about name changes:

The birth name, represents the "original blueprint" for you in life. Much valuable information can be derived from it. The adopted name represents a sort of "overlay" of vibrational influence which your soul chose to *amend* your original blueprint. So an adoptee benefits both from the genetic contribution of the birth parents and the special addition of the adoptive parents influences. I have met people who's birth name was very "earthly" - that is, very focused on day-to-day life, who's adopted name had a very spiritual-mindedness and focus. This naturally would create friction due to the contrast but eventually creates a deeply compassionate individual, able to be rooted in the earth and understand pain, while also being aware of the spiritual "big picture" and the evolutionary process. The reversal can happen too of course, and the adopted name is the kite string that grounds the too higher-minded individual (this was the case for me and my adoptive father's contribution.)

If a person does not know their birth name, or if they were adopted "nameless", this is perfect for their life-process as well. It's not mandatory that you know the birth name, just important if you do :) It works in a similar way for people who change their names by choice or through marriage, though the influences will take time to be felt. You have had your adopted name most of your life so it's effects will seem prominent and your birth name attributes will be felt as an underlying theme of either hidden desires or areas of resistance and denial... That part only you can determine and work with if you wish.

The full name at birth is the name that holds all of the juicy information about who you are, what you're doing here, how your aptitudes are balanced etc... Your changed or shortened names tell you more about what you are attracting NOW in your experience. You can look at what was going on in the past by analyzing a past nic name or shortened or married name as well. You are correct, the longer you use a name, the stronger the name will effect your overall life. It's wise to make sure though, that your shortened name reflects your strengths and supports your Destiny too. I have found that the names we ourselves "prefer" to be called are generally the most supportive to our Destiny and reflect the Challenge, Cycle and Pinnacle period we are going through. By this I mean that we "subconsciously" know what is right for us. We feel comfortable, more of a vibrational match to the prevailing energies. Whereas when a name is forced upon us as in a child who is called "Johnny" (because it's more comfortable for his family) in spite of his wish to be called "John" now that he's a teenager - John is going to feel a lot of inner turmoil. He is being moved vibrationally to align himself with a more appropriate name (which is his radio signal that determines what he will attract) and his environment is pushing against this change in him. Ultimately the environment must obey because John will take himself to a more harmonious place.

The birth name is always 'You'. The vibration of your total birth name and each component (first, middle, last) create your original 'Cosmic Blueprint'. It's like the various ingredients that collectively make you - uniquely you. As we evolve in life we do seek to find a means to express more of who we are wanting to be and our modified names, whether it is just our first and last name or a married surname, nick name or alternate spelling as you have done, serve as a sort of vibrational beacon that keeps those modified vibrations surrounding us and therefore attracting like vibrations (people, experiences etc..) to us. There is a lot of interesting information found in both our birth name totals and our modified name totals but the birth name influence is always deeper and our modified names always more superficial. By superficial, I mean that when we attract a person, job etc.. from it's resonance to our modified name, it never feels completely real or permanent. But when we attract from the more 'primal' birth name vibrations, these are are truly significant relationships and experiences in life. They are the experiences that effect us deeply - for better or worse. Name changes can do much for attracting all sorts of transient 'goodies' into our lives and they can also help to bring more balance to our lives if our birth name vibrations are particularly challenging and as I said before, if your Destiny number is out of synch with your birth name Expression, changing the vibration can help that too.

Q: My entire first, middle, and last name has been changed to something different from my name on my birth certificate. Actually, the name on my original birth certificate is Baby Girl Hawkins because I was adopted. I was then named by my adoptive parents, and I then changed my name completely at the age of 23. I do feel that my life is different now after the name change, so I am wondering if I shouldn't use my current name for a numerology reading, and if not, which do I consider my birth certificate name?I would like to find this out before I order a report. Also, what if someone has four names? Please help.

A: As outrageous as it might sound, your 'Birth Certificate' name is "Baby Girl Hawkins". This is the name that you arrived on this planet to.. So you would read that description to find out about the original 'you' - which plays on, however silently, under the currents of your outer life. Your Birth Name will always have it's effect on you no matter how many times you change your name. In the case of someone adopted very near to birth, I would weigh the adopted name as next in importance. Adopted names, nick names, married names and intentionally changed names all have a powerful effect on 'how your life plays out' and how you grow and develop through life. Your adopted name would show you what talents and traits were being called out of you and developed in order to get you through that portion of life. When you changed your name at 23 (a powerful number of 'change' in itself) you were actually giving birth to a 'new you' - a totally new set of traits that would in turn, attract the experiences of your life from then forward. Interestingly, any time a name is 'legally' changed, as in: adoption, marriage or legally changing your name yourself, it holds a more powerful energy than if you just begin to use a different name. I'm not sure why that is, except for maybe it's deemed to be 'recognized' by a "Higher Power" (at least in society) if it's a 'legal' act. As below, so above? So I believe that all names are important to look at and understand, but the actual 'Birth Certificate Name' is the only name that will give you your 'Core' essence numbers and it's the name I use initially for my Soul Mate Synergy reports. I compare the deepest selves of each to find the deeper connections drawing them together. Many people also get a report using their current names too and that tells them a lot more about their 'day-to-day' compatibility. If you have more number-synergy with a person using your current names, for example, than your Birth Names, that is telling you that you have a relationship that is based more upon the outer expression of your developed social personalities that you have developed throughout life and this type of connection is obviously not as 'soul-stirring' as if you shared equal or more synergy between your Birth Names. "Nurture vs Nature" so to speak. Both are important and play a key role in all relationships.

Q: If someone has altered their name, for example Tim to Timo or Rachelle to Shelle, should you also figure the changed name as an added influence? If so, would you just do the changed first name, or would you recalculate the whole name?

A: You would calculate your "current name" - first and last as you use it in everyday life, i.e.: "Shelle Smith". If you always use a middle name for everyday use too, as in "Shelle Belle Smith", you would calculate that in there too.

Q: Hi! On those soulmate reports, what if you didn't know if you had someones full birth name? could you still get some correct information?(with their first and last name?)

A: When you look at the 'Current Name' - just the first and last names used currently - you can get accurate information about what is called your 'Modified' or 'Minor' aspects. These describe how your current names have been modified and the parts of yourselves you are expressing right now - as opposed to the total you, inside and out. You can get accurate information about compatibility and day-to-day relations by doing a Soul Mate Synergy report using your Current Names, but to really check out the true 'Soul Mate' connections, which can explain the deeper reasons why two people are attracted to one another as well as how they get along over the long term (which is influenced by our deeper nature -found in our birth name- rather than our changeable, modified self - defined by our current name - you have to look at the full names at birth (birth certificate names).

Many people think of themselves, as their 'Current Name', ["i am Rick Smith"] however, our original name sets up our life experience and details who we are, what we want and how we get it. ["I AM Richard Andrew Smith"]. It can be a valuable 'blueprint' for learning about who we really are and what our purpose is. When we look for a partner, it is our deepest self that is searching and too often, our outer personality who is 'finding'. When we meet someone who resonates with our Soul, and our deeper self, there is an inner 'bell' that goes off inside. That 'bell' is what people refer to when they say, "I just 'knew' she was the one I was going to marry"...   So the Soul Mate Synergy report can be useful for understanding important dynamics between both; the Birth Names and the Current Names when you keep the correct perspective about each.

Q: I am getting married on July 17, 1999 and have been trying to decide whether or not I should change my name, I have several reports but would like some advice in general. I would appreciate any help you can give me.

A: Changing your name can alter your life-attractions for better or for worse (as they say). If you like the way you feel and the way your life is going, I would not change my name. But if you have checked out your 'new' potential name on NumberQuest and it sounds very good to you - that is, you would love to be that person, then it may be something that your inner-being is choosing to 'grow' into and this marriage is a way to incorporate these new traits into your make-up.

Remember that there's absolutely nothing wrong with not taking on your husband's name and in fact it can be a real way to draw out the best in the relationship because you have not symbolically merged your 'self' into his. There is plenty of merging that still goes on, and symbolically trading your family name for his is a very old tradition which still has a profound and very 'real' consequence.

Your last name (surname) represents your family 'inheritance' - all of the talents and traits bestowed upon you from your family lineage. The US is a patriarchal society so only the father's lineage is valued, however, in the native american society the mother's lineage is most highly valued. Many other societies use both parent's family names. Keep in mind that by taking on your husband's family name you are taking on his family 'karma'. In other words, you will also have access to his family vibration of success or failure and while this won't be strong enough to blank out your birth name vibration, it can attract experiences and 'thought patterns' (attitudes) that you may or may not want to claim as your own. So, I'd look into that for sure and in the same way, see if your own family 'attitudes' are something you want to keep around! Hyphenating both names is another option.

Q: It is amazing to me how accurate your numerology program is in determining the personas of I and my friends. If anyone has the time, I would like you to answer this question for me. When calculating your soul urge, persona, and expression numbers, should the Jr. (for junior) be calculated in the name as well?

A: Jr.Sr. etc. is not calculated in the name because it is a title added to delegate order in a family and not a true part of a name.

Q: I recently became interested in numerology trying to find answers to questions surrounding events that have taken place in my life. I am divorced with a 3 year old son and I am looking to change our last name. I do not want to keep my married name, nor do I want to take back my maiden name. I am looking for a new name that will not adversely affect out destinies, but rather put us onto a more positive path. What is the best way to go about selecting a new last name for my son and myself?

A: Well, there are two of you who you are dealing with now so you will have to make sure that the new name is supportive of both of your Destines. The very basics of a positive name change are: make sure your new name total is the same "gender" (odd or even) as your Destiny. A whole name total that adds up to a number larger than your Destiny is supposed to make your Destiny 'easier' to attain. The reason for this is that the name will then attract qualities including and exceeding the requirements of your Destiny. Please remember that the original core numbers (from your son's birth name) will not change, but you would be adding a new influence that will steer him in a new direction. If he's a happy little boy now, you might consider just 'rearranging' his current surname to create a new name with the same letters (you can add *i's* and *r's* to keep the same core vibration as they vibrate to 9 and therefore don't change the final number). Make sure to really analyze his name numbers and his Destiny so that you understand why he came in (was born) with that combination.