If you had to change your name, what would your new name be?

This is actually a very easy question for me to answer.

In fact, you’re looking at it.

Well, sort of.

You see, I unofficially changed my name years ago when I started writing under a pen name. What began as a practical decision slowly became the name most people know me by.

The full version is Robert Walter Christen, although most people know me professionally as Bob W Christian. I’ve been using that name for the best part of twenty years now, so it feels just as natural as any name possibly could.

Now, before anyone starts digging through birth records and old school registers, no, it isn’t my real name. 

That remains a closely guarded secret. Not because it’s particularly exciting, but because when I first started sharing my scribbles, much of what I wrote was deeply personal. 

Using a pen name allowed me to create a little distance between the writer and the man behind the curtain.

It gave me the freedom to write honestly.

As for where the name came from, that’s the easy part.

Walter Christian was a man I loved dearly and admired greatly. The kind of man who leaves footprints on your life long after he’s gone. Choosing to carry part of his name felt right.

The “Bob” part is far less dramatic.

I’ve always thought Bob is one of those wonderfully ordinary names. No grand expectations. No airs and graces. Just Bob. A simple, everyday sort of name for a simple, everyday sort of bloke.

So, if I had to change my name, I suppose the answer is that I already have.

Not officially.

Not on any important paperwork.

But in the world of poetry, photography, and the occasional ramblings on the internet, Bob W Christian has been me for a very long time.

And honestly, I think I’ll stick with him.

Stay safe 

Bc