Man called Gay changes surname to join the Navy

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A man called Tristram Gay is changing his name because he fears he will get bullied in the Navy for it.

The 21-year-old, of St James, Hereford, told the Hereford Times he had been the target of jokes all his life.

He is applying to join the Royal Navy and has contacted the UK deed poll service to make the change.

Mr Gay said: “In the Navy everyone is called by their surname so I would get a lot of stick with my name being Gay.

“It was different in the old days when gay meant happy.”

He intends to change his surname to Fareel, after a character in the Johnny Depp film Blow.

Mr Gay added: “I decided to change my first name too because although I am called Tristram people always call me Tristan.”