Many young people are choosing new names for themselves. They refer to their birth names as dead names or government names.
These name changes are an example of Erik Erikson's need to establish ego identity in young adulthood. It's a declaration of control and ownership. What could be a better example of making your own identity than changing your name to what you want it to be? Erikson is a terrific example. He changed his last name from his stepfather's name (Homberger) to Erikson as an adult as part of an effort to establish his own identity.
Name changes may encounter some resistance, especially among family members. What can be done to persuade people who resist name changes? The strategy that has been most successful in my limited experience is to point out that name changes are not rare. Many people have done this, going back generations. My grandfather went be a nickname instead of his real name. There are at least three other family members in my parents generation changed their first names. Married women often change their surnames to their husband's name.
If you encounter a name change denier, ask them to think about how many of their family members have changed a name. When they count these up it might surprise them and change their thinking.