For Trans Awareness Week, we asked some transgender people how or why they chose their names, and the stories we received were heartwarming and thought-provoking.

Trans Awareness Week runs until Sunday (November 19) and aims to increase understanding of transgender and non-binary people and the issues they face, as well as uplift the community. It is followed on Monday (November 20) by Trans Memorial Daywhich remembers those who have lost their lives to anti-trans violence and gives people a chance to reflect.

As anti-trans narratives appear ever-present in media and politics around the world—and emerge from behind Donald Trump’s victory on an anti-trans campaign in the US presidential election – this year’s event feels as important as ever to give a platform to the voices and experiences of everyday trans men and women, many of whom have he had to run their homes to escape restrictive laws.

Wanting to create a more positive discourse around one of the unique joys that trans brings, we asked some of them the very simple question of their names.

“Bianca has always been my favorite name, but I wanted to choose one with the involvement of my family, who luckily are also my biggest supporters, and because they loved it immediately too, the final decision was made fast,” one person said. “I also asked my mum what name she would have given me if I had been assigned a girl at birth and it had been Marina, so I chose that as my middle name as I already had two.”

Involving loved ones, another person said she “made my friends vote on a spreadsheet.”

A third revealed: “My name is Alexander because it means protector of men.” This was new to us at PinkNews and we love it.

And one parent of a trans child said they “chose the name we would have given them if they were born the correct gender” – a logical decision.

Many others were inspired by television and film. “I got the name from The L Word: Generation Q: Finley. Golden Retriever energy,” said one.

Another told us: “We chose a gender neutral name. Also, Alex, from Orange is the new blackit was my gay awakening, so that name was right.”

Another said: “I took my name from everyone’s favourite Animal Crossing secretary dog: Isabelle,” while another PinkNews reader revealed: “I got mine from Atlantis: The Lost Empire since I got a lot of gender envy from Milo Thatch.”

Honestly, we all need to talk about how weird that show was: Audrey Rocio Ramirez made at least one of us question some things.

An older choice was: “Merridew, lord of the flies character (Jack). Bad boy, but sounds cool.”

Others told us how they named themselves after Kurt Cobain because “he was an amazing guy” or chose theirs after an astronaut, then “searched for meaning and fell in love.”

Some, however, took a simpler approach. “I picked my first name by simply googling ‘Top 10 Scottish Boy Names’ and my lucky number is seven, so . . .”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below and remember to keep the conversation respectful.