I legally changed my name in 2006 and I have been living my best live so far ever since.

That is why I say changing your name changes the game of your life – because it did for me. I was introduced to this idea in 1996 when I met someone who had legally changed her name (and her life as a result) through the Kabalarians.

At that time name reports were NOT free but they had a special free name report offer going on when I checked their website so I took advantage of that way back then.

I was quickly amazed at how accurate the report was describing my life with all three of my legal names:
Carolyn Margaret Carter from my birth in 1956 to 1978
Carolyn Van Cleve from 1978 to 1990
Carolyn Brent from 1990 to 2006 (the photo to the right is me at age 43 in 1999 when I was Carolyn Brent)

NOTE: I legally changed my name in 2006 to Cayelin K Castell and I love the name I chose more than ever!

As I read what the Kabalarians said my life would be like with these names I had a powerful sense or knowing that I needed to change my name. It wasn’t practical then (I was married and a busy Mom with four children) so I let it go but on the verge of my 50th birthday in the midst of my second divorce I realized it was the perfect time to change my name to something I was choosing for my self.

I was ready to energize a name that felt alive for me having been given names by my father and first two husbands as part of the old dominator cultural paradigm set up to own women and how they were idenitified in the world. Changing my name to one of my choosing was one of the best things I ever did as I feel my name invokes who I really am and not what someone wanted me to be.

I also know name changing isn’t for everyone. Around the same time I got the insights about how my name was affecting my life (back in 1996) I was realizing I was living my parents life and not my own. This was a startling revelation. The story they loved to tell me – was how Carolyn was a combination of both their names.

My father went by Carter for his first name and my mother was Merilyn. If you take the CAR from Carter and the LYN from Merilyn and add an O then you get CAR-O-LYN. I had a clear vision of carrying their names in my name and how so much of my life reflected that. Whoa. Still it was 10 years before I had the right time and space to make the change.

Back in 2006, I decided I had been Carolyn (through three different last names) long enough and I was already in the process of changing my life so why not change my name? I also decided it was important to choose as consciously as possible.

The only living family in my life at that time were my four children (and they were mostly grown – the youngest was 16, my twins were 21 and my oldest was 24). When I asked them how they felt about me changing my name they all said go for it because they would still call me MOM!

I was inspired to add to this article in May of 2020 because I was asked how I chose my new name by someone considering doing their own name change. The short answer is I considered several options and finally decided to go with suggested names from the Kabalarians. Link is listed below.

I had studied some numerology and knew it was a great tool – so working with the Kabalarians and their focus on choosing a name based on your numerological birth path to find the best names that would work in harmony with that made total sense to me.

When I got the name recommendation report from the Kabalarians it had about 50 first names to choose from and about 30 last names. My first pass through the list of first names they sent me was discouraging because I did not resonate with any of the names I was seeing.

However, I had this inexplicable knowing my name really was on the list. So I allowed myself a few deep belly breaths and with focused intent I began to re-examine the list more carefully. That is when the name Cayelin leaped up from the list and I knew I had found my new first name. The list included another spelling (Caylen) but that spelling didn’t sing to me in the same way Cayelin did.

Partly because the spelling of Cayelin was similar to Carolyn. It started with a C and ended with N just like Carolyn. Had 7 letters just like Carolyn. However, the name Cayelin had a completely different feel to it than the name Carolyn and it felt so right. I also love that choosing to spell it as Cayelin ultimately adds up to the master number 33.

I hadn’t been attached to having my new name start with the letter C but once I had Cayelin for my first name I knew my last name would also start with the letter C so I could return to my original initials of CC. When I looked at the list of last names 2 stood out for me. One was the name Canfield. I thought it was cool to consider living in the field of CAN, but even with that perspective it didn’t quite have the spark I was looking for.

The second option was Castell. When I learned that Castell was the old English spelling of Castle I knew I was on to something because as I child I frequently dreamed about living in castles and exploring cool secret passages. I had this feeling that maybe my future self had been talking to me through my childhood dreams. Then, I asked my children what last name they like best and they all said Castell. That was all the confirmation I needed.

When I looked up the name Cayelin in a name book and online back in 2006 – that specific name wasn’t there. I did see that Caye was a form of Kay or Kaye and it meant PURE. Then a week or so later I was doing an I-Ching with a few others at a sacred site. I was stunned when the 19th hexagram appeared – LIN. the subtitle for the hexagram was Profound Joy. That is when I knew why this name was so alive for me because the name Cayelin meant PURE JOY and that was the life I was choosing to live and my new name would further invoke that intent every time it was said and every time it was written.

I also imagine that my middle name – the letter K only – no other name goes with it – stands for Kindness. A quality I love that I can now use in healthy ways rather than being taken advantage of as was the case with my original birth name as described below.

Want to know more about the influence of your name? You can get a free name report here https://www.kabalarians.com

Even if you don’t use the Kabalarians to choose a new name any name you are considering can be put into the free name report to give you a sense of what the energy of the name holds for you…

When I went to the Kabalarian Website to get the link to share in this article I decided to get a new FREE name report to remember more of what Cayelin Castell means and also to get a reminder about my birth name. I am sharing it here in case its helpful to anyone considering a name change?

Your name of Cayelin is a well-balanced name when combined with a balanced surname and harmonized to your date of birth. This name will create natural outlets for your inspirational, creative, and practical nature. It enhances mental focus and concentration. Whatever you set out to accomplish you do your very best to complete in a responsible way.

In the home you assume your responsibilities capably, having the self confidence to form your own opinions and make your own decisions. Others rely on you and once you have given your word you will do your utmost to fulfill a commitment.

This name ensures greater equanimity within you and allows a natural expression for your inner potential and that will bring out your true individuality determined by your date of birth. Self-confidence and positivity are traits of this name that will give you greater focus and ability to complete your undertakings. This name strengthens reliability and dependability.

Some of the keynote characteristics of this name are cheerfulness, patience, quick-mindedness, and perception of the needs of others. It is a stabilizing, positive influence and will allow you to organize, direct, and to follow through with your decisions. This name creates competence and flexibility to consider ideas and plans from any different angles to arrive at the best conclusions.

It will give you a greater sense of responsibility and permit you to make your decisions with greater decisiveness and clarity. You would sense a need for settled conditions in your home and business environment. Your name opens up greater freedom of thought and action, and brings a natural contentment to create consistency in your life.

This name creates a studious quality, the desire for understanding, and a keen interest in any subject of interest. You could express your creativity along practical lines, such as in interior design, and you could excel in musical or artistic expression. You could also be successful in public office where you are diligently looking after the rights of others.

The family name is the influence of your background, your home environment, the quality of thoughts of the family, the desires, ambitions, strengths and weaknesses, and the hereditary traits.

Surname qualities are modified or intensified depending on the first names given and used.

The surname of Castell produces a family of people with very fine qualities on the whole. Their generosity and kindness extend beyond the confines of family. Towards their family they feel a great responsibility and will sacrifice much for the sake of their loved ones. They are inspirational people who must find an outlet through some form of self expression, either through drama, art, or music, or through service to others in some capacity.

They are humanitarian and are concerned over the welfare of others; they could become involved in institutional work where they feel they can alleviate suffering. With a balanced first name, and provided a person is awakened to his duty of living a life based on the spiritual ideal of service, this is a good surname and is conducive to living such a life.

The surname influence plays an important part in the development of a successful family or hereditary influence. This surname creates a natural harmony with the balanced first name you have selected.

This surname will balance ideals of service to others with practical application of those ideals. Whether a person is inspirational or practical, this surname allows the expression of excellence in the choices of one’s occupation and goals in life. It brings out a natural compassionate influence and a greater sense of well-being in one’s background qualities. It adds a natural refinement of thought to develop higher aspirations and specialization in your efforts.

It brings a natural harmony and balance in your home and business environment. Stability and reliability are keynote qualities. It brings out maturity of mind and a natural humanitarian quality.

Your Combined Names(s) Create Your Destiny

Your combined names sum up your life – your financial status, successful accomplishments, the environments you attract, and the state of your health. You combined names create your destiny – your experiences and the circumstances that become part of your life.

Cayelin Castell

Your combined names of Cayelin Castell create the natural balanced relationship between your first name and surname. You will attract stable conditions into your life with opportunities to achieve your goals.

These names give you the desire for greater self expression and a more optimistic, positive outlook on life. You will experience greater relaxation in handling your commitments and responsibilities. These names assist in creating the natural opportunity for success in your undertakings.

Cayelin K Castell as a business signature allows the natural follow through and accumulation for your goals and ideals. It will support your business efforts to bring about success in your financial undertakings..

CKC as a business signature assists you in creating greater stability and accumulation in your business affairs. It will create high aspirations in your efforts and bring about greater consistency in your financial returns.

Your Life Purpose/Birthpath  (Based on Date of Birth)

With your first breath, your purpose became a part of you. Your purpose has specific universal qualities that should be developed through your mind. We call your purpose your birthpath. It is measured from the month, day, and year of your birth.

Whether your birthpath fully expresses depends upon your names, for the names create your personality and are the compelling forces that shape your life. The birthpath is the purpose to be understood and consciously expressed through a mind harmonized to that birthpath.

According to the date of your birth the potential expression within you is to develop a positive, confident nature leading and guiding others. This quality has given you a strong urge to be independent, to initiate activities, and to make progress. Your potential to be self-sufficient can develop confidence in your ability to work with and guide people.

To be successful as a leader, you would have to learn to understand the ideas and opinions of others, to assume responsibility, and to create harmony and cooperation.

The strong independence of your inner nature has led you to learn mainly through your own experiences. You should not disregard sound advice, or otherwise some lessons could be bitter.

You have the potential to be creative and inventive in practical ways. Your originality, resourcefulness, ingenuity, and creativity would allow you to pioneer ideas Your inborn independence gives you an appreciation for time alone in nature such as camping, hiking, and exploring the out-of-doors as an escape from the artificialities and pressures of city life.

Also, participating in athletics would offer a similar release. You tend to view life in practical and logical terms without being swayed by current trends and beliefs.

While there is a natural confidence to work independently, you can gain from the stimulation of interacting in a group.

Here is what the Kabalarians had to say about my Birth Name Carolyn Carter (I found this was so true it rocked my world back in the mid-90s).

Your name of Carolyn has given you depth of mind and a studious, philosophical nature. You are interested in the deeper aspects of life and invariably are attracted to mystery, the occult, and religious concepts. You have a clever, quick, and analytical mind and you could enjoy and excel in music and drama, or along scientific and mathematical lines.

You are a solitary person, reserved and sensitive. You seldom allow others to get too close until you are sure you will receive understanding. In matters of the heart, you must guard against jealousy and suspicion. Others find it a challenge to get to know you and although you want affection, friendship, and understanding, your aloof, shy qualities rebuff the attention of others.

Because of the sensitivity of your nature, you are easily hurt and offended. You are constantly on guard for fear of being criticized or ridiculed. Even in being reprimanded, you tend to take a haughty attitude and refuse to be advised. You then feel misunderstood and lonely and your thoughts can become turbulent and despondent, occasionally morbid. If you feel that anyone is prying into your life, you try to steer conversations away from yourself.

You do not find it easy to articulate your deeper thoughts and feelings; it is much easier for you to pen your thoughts. You could be very creative in composition or poetry. Although you would give anything to be spontaneous, fun-loving, and natural, your name makes you very serious and self-conscious instead. You are not the argumentative type, but you can admonish a person by saying nothing, your silent disapproval being felt by others.

You love books, especially mysteries and romance. You find companionship in novels and can become so absorbed in your reading that you are unaware of what is going on around you. Your vivid imagination places you right in the story and even if someone calls you, you may not hear.

You intensely love the outdoors and all the beauties of nature. A quiet walk in the outdoors, where you can listen to the sounds of nature, the wind in the trees, the lapping of water against a shoreline, the chirping of the birds, become your companions and allow you to experience peace and freedom.

The extreme sensitivity of this name and the inner turbulence that is often felt may create weaknesses affecting the nervous system, heart and lungs.

Carter

The family of Carter have a fine sense of responsibility but are not intense in their pursuit of the material things of life or about making a notable impression in their chosen field. As refined, sensitive people, they find it difficult, in fact, to meet the challenges that are presented in the sometimes cold and callous world of business.

They are well-liked due to their generous, congenial natures, and do best in the business world if their work calls upon them to be diplomatic rather than decisive.

Although the name offers many fine qualities, it does not give those using it the strength of their convictions, and procrastination interferes with decisions being made and carried out. A physical weakness could centre itself in the fluid functions of the body, through circulatory problems, weak kidneys, or soreness across the back.

Carolyn Carter

The combined names of Carolyn Carter give you the desire for stability and settled conditions, and for an orderly life free from turmoil and confusion. Unfortunately, they cause you to give far more than you receive, and show that those things and people that mean the most to you could be taken out of your life.

Your kindness and your endeavours to help others are taken advantage of, and you are led into emotional situations and involvements detrimental to your personal happiness. These names attract losses in business through the dishonesty or delinquency of others, and in personal affairs through tragedy, separation, or divorce.

Highly emotional conditions come into your life presenting many obstacles to be overcome, and creating resentment and inner turbulence from frustration. As a result, you could suffer from tension affecting your entire nervous system.

Use your balanced name of: Cayelin Castell

Cayelin Castell was recommended by the Society of Kabalarians, and is the best name combination for you and your birthpath, created by your date of birth.

More to the Story

In the future I will share how my name as Carolyn Carter played out in my life because it was so right on. I was recently identified as a Highly Sensitive Person (a term I didn’t even knew existed until 2018) and having the name Carolyn Carter was a reflection of that High Sensitivity. I have learned to more skillfully navigate my sensitive nature in recent years. So its all GOOD!

My name change was soooo helpful as just one of the factors that helped me to change my response to the world. In 2024, I have legally been Cayelin K Castell for 18 years and I have never been happier than I am now as I have been experiencing increasing happiness and fulfillment ever since I legally changed my name! Woohoo!!!

All that said I will say its not easy to change your name. I did experience a few people who were down right mean saying: “well who do you think you are to change your name?” I am sensitive so that did sting at first but it didn’t stop me.

The other challenge was getting use to a new first, middle and last name but I got such a positive response from others when I went to Social Security, my banks, driver’s license and passport places to get the updates! Most everyone said how much they loved that name and one person even asked if they could suggest the name to their daughter who was about to have a baby.

In 2006 at the age of 50, I legally changed my name from Carolyn Brent to Cayelin K Castell as my second marriage was dissolving. About a year and half after I legally changed my name I was reading the book Message From Forever, by Marlo Morgan. There was a passage that explained how aboriginal cultures choose or are given different names at different times in their life.

“It is our way to learn from our names. We outgrow each name as we gain wisdom, and select a new one periodically that better describes who we are.”

I felt this was true for me as I considered taking on a new name to better describe the new me and the new chapter of my life that was beginning.

It took me 6 years to complete the name change process.
This was due to two published works with my old name. In 2011 the Twelve Tribes CD got a new look and was republished with my new name. In 2012 with the update and republishing of The Shamanic Astrology Handbook the last name change was finally in place. YAY…

It took me 6 years to complete the name change in all areas of my life but was so well worth it as I still loooove my – now not so new name!