r/asktransgender•
Kooji888

How to "get" parents to use my preferred name?

I noticed some things in the last few months, where I already started introducing myself as my preferred name.

I can get away with making it fun. I quoted the "my name is Pibble" meme and my parents actually started calling me Pibble. I tried it with a name that really sounded like my preferred name and they even started calling me that but once I got them to call me my actual preferred name, they resisted. I assume it's to do with them having power over me.

My parents are conservative so I can't just flat say that my legal name is giving me dysphoria. I told them if I've been ignoring them when they say my legal name, it's because I don't really recognize it anymore which is half honest and half to get them to start calling me something else. As a Vietnamese person, my mom does default to calling me con (under context, it's similar to "my child"). My mom did agree to call me that more but my dad isn't used to calling me that.

Moving out right now isn't an option as I'm not financially stable but I do plan to move out as soon as possible.

I've already changed my contact on their phones to my preferred name and I even have it on my bedroom door.

Suggestions to get them to call me my preferred name or maybe ways to cope while I'm still under this roof?

Thanks!

Posted Feb 26, 2026, 3:21 AM UTC

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