The name stuck: Junior changes identity to nickname received at birth
Kat Timpf
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: News
When Ronald Zane Shafer was born, a resident in the hospital room looked at his birth certificate and said, "What are you going to call him, 'Raz'?"
The name stuck.
The junior, formerly known as Ronald Zane Shafer, shelled out hundreds of dollars to legally change his first name to Raz this past summer.
"Ever since I was born, my dad used to call me 'Raz,'" Shafer said. "I've been Raz ever since I got out of the delivery room."
Shafer hired a lawyer to assist with his name change, and filed a petition to his county judge that included basic information such as his driver's license and Social Security numbers.
He then filed a request with his county court to change his name. Law enforcement officials confirmed the name change after performing a background check on Shafer, and Shafer brought his court order to offices such as the Secretary of State to change his name on all legal forms of identification.
Shafer said his parents and his grandparents approve of his decision - even his grandfather, Ronald, for whom he was named.
"We really don't even think of him as Ronald," said Kathy Shafer, Raz's mother. "I got a 'Ronald Shafer' voter registration card in the mail and thought, 'Oh, that belongs to my father-in-law.'"
Shafer said he changed his name to avoid such confusion.
"I go by Raz, and it makes sense to have it on my legal documents," he said.
Senior Jeff Brewer, whose nickname is Buck, said he thought it was fine for Raz to change his name, but that he would never do it.
"I wouldn't change my name to Buck," Brewer said. "Absolutely not."
Brewer explained difficulties that someone with an unusual name might have.
"Raz is definitely interested in politics. He might want to be a congressman or senator when he grows up," he said. "Would I vote for someone named Raz? Probably not. Would I let him work on my car? I probably would."
Shafer said he considered the possible downsides of having a strange name, but is not concerned about it because of recent research that states most people are hired through interpersonal relationships.
Brewer also said Raz should have had more fun with his name change.
"I told him he should make a middle name, like 'Raz God's Gift to Women Shafer,'" he said.
Shafer did not take his suggestion.
"It's just Raz Shafer," Shafer said. "No middle name."
Read about Raz's other adventures here .
Hillsdale College Collegian 2008
The name stuck.
The junior, formerly known as Ronald Zane Shafer, shelled out hundreds of dollars to legally change his first name to Raz this past summer.
"Ever since I was born, my dad used to call me 'Raz,'" Shafer said. "I've been Raz ever since I got out of the delivery room."
Shafer hired a lawyer to assist with his name change, and filed a petition to his county judge that included basic information such as his driver's license and Social Security numbers.
He then filed a request with his county court to change his name. Law enforcement officials confirmed the name change after performing a background check on Shafer, and Shafer brought his court order to offices such as the Secretary of State to change his name on all legal forms of identification.
Shafer said his parents and his grandparents approve of his decision - even his grandfather, Ronald, for whom he was named.
"We really don't even think of him as Ronald," said Kathy Shafer, Raz's mother. "I got a 'Ronald Shafer' voter registration card in the mail and thought, 'Oh, that belongs to my father-in-law.'"
Shafer said he changed his name to avoid such confusion.
"I go by Raz, and it makes sense to have it on my legal documents," he said.
Senior Jeff Brewer, whose nickname is Buck, said he thought it was fine for Raz to change his name, but that he would never do it.
"I wouldn't change my name to Buck," Brewer said. "Absolutely not."
Brewer explained difficulties that someone with an unusual name might have.
"Raz is definitely interested in politics. He might want to be a congressman or senator when he grows up," he said. "Would I vote for someone named Raz? Probably not. Would I let him work on my car? I probably would."
Shafer said he considered the possible downsides of having a strange name, but is not concerned about it because of recent research that states most people are hired through interpersonal relationships.
Brewer also said Raz should have had more fun with his name change.
"I told him he should make a middle name, like 'Raz God's Gift to Women Shafer,'" he said.
Shafer did not take his suggestion.
"It's just Raz Shafer," Shafer said. "No middle name."
Read about Raz's other adventures here .
Hillsdale College Collegian 2008
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