(please help) any tips on emotionally navigating a big name change?

At the risk of getting doxxed, i'm going to use my real name(s) but the problem doesnt really make sense if i dont..

My (19F) birth name is Katie and it's a great name for someone who's not me haha. I have never truly resonated with it so I haven't gone by it in 6 years.

When I was a freshman in high school (through a chain of events that is irrelevant), I gained the nickname Beetle. Which I loved! I know it's a strange name but its quirky uniqueness resonated with me so I started going by it by everyone. My whole family, all of my friends, coworkers, and the majority of my classmates know me as Beetle, which again, I am fine with.

As much as I like and resonate with Beetle, I grew pretty sick of the unfair assumptions and reactions I was given when introducing myself. while some of them were "Woah, that's a cool name!" or (my favorite) no reaction at all. I have become painstakingly aware of the comments and disses about my name. also, since I'm becoming a real adult soon, I thought it might hold me back in some social and professional settings to go by this name.

now, before you say, "Well, you should have thought of that before going by that name 🤡"... I get it, but it's too late for that, isn't it...

since I'm transferring to a new school at the end of the year, I put my preferred name on all the documents as "Kait." Now, I also love this name! just as much as Beetle, but with the obvious avoidance of social obstacles if ykwim.

now here's what I want advice on:

I have decided that the people who already know me as Beetle would continue calling me that and I just introduce myself to new people as Kait. I have since changed my name on Instagram to Kait but keeping my username with Beetle in it in the hopes that people would get it.

Now, I'm not surprised at the reactions I've gotten from some people, none have been meann per se but they have made me feel uncomfortable.. My name is unfortunately a touchy subject for me filled with imposter syndrome (is that the right phrase?) and I feel like I'm perceived as a coward for changing it and i can't disagree :(

if there isn't any advice you could give maybe offer you/someone you know who went/is going through a similar thing? Anything to get my head screwed on right

Thanks!