You make good points. Also, my roommate in college was legally named ‘Ann’. She went through a phase where she asked everyone to call her ‘Anna’. (We complied.) Later she reverted back to Ann. It happens.
Fantasywriter,
Exactly!
Many times someone who hates their first name will use their middle name. And as you pointed out, vary it (Ann/Anna)
Back in the early sixties people would use the more liked middle name, even on forms.... despite instructions on forms saying ‘ use your full name’.
That caused them no end of grief later on, when requirements tightened up and things be American computerized.