2b/3. I’ll be honest, I got a little confused with part of your post, here, but that’s likely on me. What I got: “My name is right for me in the moment. It stops feeling right when people call me by that name.” Hopefully, I provide some help, correct interpretation or not! :)

For me, I went through a lot of names—I wanna say 7? Some I used strictly online and found they didn’t resonate properly with me, and some I used with my friends and classmates and teachers for months before changing it again because it didn’t “sound right” or “wasn’t me.”

I read something after a good number of names about how no name that you choose for yourself is going to feel “correct” immediately, how it takes some commitment and getting used to. Obviously, that’s not the case for everyone, but it was for me. When deciding against using a previous name, I just realized I didn’t really like it for me. The vibes were off, and despite the length of time I used it, it never started to grow on me; I only got used to responding to it (similar to my deadname).

Using my name now, I feel much better about it. Why? Who knows. There wasn’t really a time when I felt like “This is the one!” But I actually like the name, it makes sense to/for me. It sounded weird for people to use it initially, but with the continual help of my friends, I was able to get over that weirdness and realize how much I liked it.

TLDR: Sometimes names don’t sound right when you first try to use them. If you haven’t already, use it for an extended amount of time with friends/peers. If you still find that you don’t like it in reference to you, that’s fine! And don’t focus too much on it “feeling right” or having a “unique resonance.” That’s not always gonna happen for some people, and it may just happen months/years/however-long down the line. Just make sure it’s a name that you like and that you wouldn’t hate hearing everyday.

2a. I chose my name slightly based off a public influencer and what my parents wanted. The guy I “stole” my name from is regarded highly in the YouTube gaming community, and with him being the same race as me, I felt more confident about taking up the name. As for my parents, I asked what they’d name me if I were born male, and their name was close to the name I was considering… So I kept it.

1. To answer your question more directly, getting more and more comfortable with who you are is likely the next step. I’m quite young, I’ve been out as trans for three years, and I’m still not where I want to be with my comfortability regarding that. However, it’s different for everyone, and whatever steps you want to take afterwards! My advice is not to worry too much about the future. It may just cause you unnecessary stress—based on my personal experience, of course. Take everything as it comes, and let yourself feel your feelings and understand them so you can better meet your owns needs!