I think my year-ish long experiment on using my middle name as my preferred name is over. I really have loved the nickname "B" for my handle "BinaryDigit" for over 6 years now and I might just use that in real life for most things.
My family has always called me by my middle name growing up, but my boyfriend and friends don't use it since they've known me as my handle "BinaryDigit" forever. Some work colleagues and old friends use my old nickname for my first name, Elizabeth - "Liz". I've always hated it - it's so boring and corporate, but was easier to use at school and work, so it stuck with it until recently when I wanted to change. "BinaryDigit" was my handle since about 2001 from when I learned what a "binary digit" was in college. It feels like my real name since I've used it for so long. 😆
I'm trying out the name "Bee" as well to see how it feels and when I need to fill out a form online that requires a minimum of 3 letters. I've also read that some people use it as a nickname for Elizabeth, which is super cute. "Liz, Lizzie, Lilly, Betty, Beth, El, Ellie, Eli, Bess, Bea, Bee"... I'm pretty sure Elizabeth is the most versatile (and pretty) name on the planet! But I do love a gender-neutral version of a nickname and B is pretty perfect for it. 🩶 🐝