“ChatGPT picked my name.” Yup… Because that’s totally normal, right? Who needs hours of pondering or meaningful discussions about identity when you can just ask AI?
How it all started
It was one of those days where you don’t really know what to do with yourself. So, I thought, “Hey, why not ask ChatGPT what my name should be?” (Sure, totally logical step). And then it throws out Yuri.
Why Yuri, of all names?
Well, why not? I don’t really understand the whole “Why? What? How?” myself.
Besides, I don’t know much about AI
BUT: How many people can say their name came from an AI conversation?
All the paperwork
Here’s where it gets interesting. Changing a first name sounds harmless enough. Just go to the office, fill out a form, done. Nope. Not in Germany. Here you need a “good reason.” And who decides what’s good enough? Right, the authorities.
So it began: Two court hearings, a mountain of paperwork, and a lawyer who somehow had to try to sell “because ChatGPT said so” as a legitimate reason.
His approach? He pulled out all the stops. First came the psychological angle: The name “Julius” emotionally burdened me as it reminded me of “difficult chapters in my life.” When that didn’t fly, he played the creative card, claiming “Yuri” was an integral part of my professional rebranding. I mean, who wants to stand in the way of a potential influencer?
The second hearing was even more absurd. I had to explain why I couldn’t just use a nickname. Meanwhile, I sat in a room full of people who seemed either annoyed or amused.
Spoiler: It worked. The “good reason” somehow passed muster.
What makes it even more complicated: Now when someone calls me “Yuri,” I sometimes need a second to even realize they’re talking to me. It feels strangely detached, almost like a nickname that never really suited me.
But hey, I’m Yuri now, and the name is here to stay.