Help Amiel Get His Name Legally Changed

Hi, I was named Amiel. It's not a name I ever felt comfortable with using. Since birth, my family members decided they didn't like to pronounce it and instead used a demeaning nickname that continues to this day. It has no family meaning, it was picked out at random from the book What To Name Your Jewish Baby. I am not a practicing Jew, and my family has never been religious.

I've had difficulty finding and keeping work my whole life, and as a hard worker I've only had the smallest suspicion that antisemitism regarding my name play a role. This article only confirmed those fears, and I realized: my first name and the Jewishness it betrays has come up in every single interview I've ever had, even the positive ones that led to a job. I do not deserve to be hired purely because of the implied religiosity of my name just as I do not deserve to be rejected.

The world is not going to get any less antisemitic anytime soon, and hiring managers aren't going to magically become good people overnight, so I need to be proactive. However, I lack the funds to do so, and am looking for help.

The name change application fee is $165, and I'll need a bit extra to help with getting my driving license and passport updated. I am not entirely sure my new name will be, but I will let everyone who contributes know! Any extra funds will be extremely helpful in paying rent, buying groceries, etc as I work to get my life back on track.

Thank you so much for reading!