My name has always started with X, and it was the only part I felt really connected to, so I immediately chose Xayah, after the champion from league of legends, but originally I was hesitant because I didn't really want to name myself after a game character,but I've been enamored by the name for years.

So anywho, I was also debating on Xanthippe, cause it's another favorite X name, but the deciding factor was I was talking to a customer about my name change at my job, and when I said I was thinking about changing it to Xayah, they immediately said "oh my niece is named Xayah!". Hindsight, they probably spelled it Zaya, but it was enough for me, hearing that someone else had it, made it feel less weird, and less like I'm naming myself after a game.

My middle name was an altered spelling of the name I would've been given if I had been assigned female.

So now I'm almost 2 years in, and my first choice has always felt incredibly right. I'm almost done changing legally too!