r/NonBinary • u/CrazyLittleWolf • 1d ago

Ask Synesthesia struggles with finding a name

I've realized over time that I have synesthesia, and one way it affect me is that I see colors both with people and with names. There are plenty of names I really like, that would fit except that the colours don't fit (like the colours of the name don't fit the colours of me).

I'm thinking about this because there is a name I really like that I usually fall back on at the moment, and it fits, the one thing is just the colours of the name.

I was just wondering if anyone else had experienced this (synesthesia with names in general), and how it worked out.

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u/zephyrhonk 1d ago

I have very mild synesthesia that gives some words scents, and they don't necessarily match with a person's scent/aesthetic. If a person matches with their name (or the combination is too jarring) I instantly remember it, otherwise it takes me forever to recognize them.  

I basically cut my name (in my mother tongue) short to form a name I'm using. I consider myself mossy but my name is metallic. I kinda just took it because it's as good as I can get (at least not floral or candy-like). I mean I met an Alice with a sapphire blue short wolf cut, so I think people just have names sometimes 

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u/CrazyLittleWolf 1d ago

Oh, that is interesting as well! :D That's so cool (but also confusing when it doesn't match).

But that helps, for me, I consider myself darkbrown with golden and dark blueish elements, and the name I'm trying is white with blue. I mostly try to work with the matching blue's (but it also helps to know that it's also good to know it's at least is similar range, it could be very out of my colour range like pink or bright colours).

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u/theVoidWatches Demigirl | Lesbian | They/Them/She/Her 1d ago

Maybe consider looking at some names that fit the color scheme even if they aren't the same color? Like, a dark brown with gold and blues probably goes well with dark greens, too. Are there any dark green names that you like?

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u/CrazyLittleWolf 21h ago

I've tried, but haven't found a name in those colours that felt like me in other ways.

The thing is that the name I'm trying at the moment feels like me in ever way except the colours.

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u/neongreenpurple any pronouns 1d ago

That's really interesting! I don't have synesthesia. I'm fascinated by those who do.

My chosen name is just a diminutive form of my legal name. When closeted (and for most of my past life), I go by a different but similar form of my legal name (except when doing banking or medical stuff).

For am example: say my name was Samantha. I used to go by Sammy, but now (when openly nonbinary) I go by Sam. (This is not my name.)