Question about sign names

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Neptune

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I just learned about sign names and that if I get involved with the deaf community that I will eventually get one.

I was wondering what should I expect and what happens if I don't want that name. I don't expect to get one right away. I just thought it was a very interesting part of deaf culture.

If any of you guys wouldn't mind sharing any personal experiences. Like how you got your sign name or how you gave one to someone else, please do share :P
 
Well, be prepared for a name that you probably won't like. Depending on the Deaf person or people, they may ignore whether you like it, perhaps just for the sake of teasing you, and use it anyway. Most people don't have that problem, though, I find. But tell them if you don't like it, don't be afraid to do so. Deaf culture is very open, and so things that would be embarrassing for us hearing people may not be so for the Deaf. A former classmate didn't like hers because it was at her belly, and she's not very slim. Her weight is a matter of contention as a hearing person, but for Deaf (at least here in Jamaica), it isn't so much.

It's good you don't want to rush a sign name. It's something that you get from the Deaf getting to know you.
 
Try to accept the sign name you will be given.
My first name begins with a "B" so I was issued the sign name of "bald."
The truth doesn't have to hurt. :)
 
A friend of mine whose name starts with J asked her friend (eventually) to modify it because it looked too much like the sign for 'jealous'.

When I got my sign name I told my ASL teacher the story behind it and asked if there was any way she thought it should be changed or if it was good as-is (it was given to me by a kid so I wanted to get an adult's perspective). She told me to keep it as-is so that's what I'm doing.
 
It takes time to get a Name Sign - and not everyone gets one.
It's important to understand that it's not a "must have" thing.
There are plenty of Deaf people who are immersed in the Deaf World and don't have a name sign - they may have a stylized way of fingerspelling their name, but not a name sign (people with short names, or names that flow well on the fingers often just fingerspell their names).
 
I once had a name-sign but it was more to do with my old nickname- and the story behind it lol. I haven't really used either that nick name OR the name sign in many years (sadly mostly because of moving around so much- my ability to hang in the deaf community is slim to nil right now :( ). But I do remember that many times at college when I was there others did give you namesigns either based on your nickname, real name or some attribute of your personality, major, body.
 
I had a small group of friends who were deaf and we all went to the same school together for 6 years. In the earlier years my name sign changed three times; the one I finally got (and the one that stuck) had to do with how my name is pronounced out loud.

That being said, Anij is totally right about not having to be assigned a name sign. One of my friends who was born deaf to a completely deaf family had a name that was short so it was always fingerspelled.
 
When i got my name sign it wasnt even a name sign but i sisnt know enough asl yet. I was telling everyone around that i was a bi**h. Why heck she gave me that, idk. So i dony have one at moment, im in no rush for it.
 
Mine's totally boring, it's because have curly hair. My husband's is interesting, people always ask how he got it. I gave it to him, he loves the meaning behind it. I won't share it here because I haven't asked him if I can.
 
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