I grew up with a surname that everyone found difficult to spell and pronounce, and worse yet was bastardized on Ellis Island arrival from a much cooler name.

I changed it when I was 20 and have never regretted it for a moment. I love my singular, quite unusual, one-syllable, easy to pronounce, spell, and remember name. I wish I'd had children to pass it onto.

Yes, my parents were a little miffed ... but my annoyance with name mangling for all my childhood came to an end ... to my everlasting happiness.