LogFAQs > #877036840

A lot of trans people don't volunteer or answer to their birth names. It's a dead name to them, and it's generally considered insulting (as a denial of their identity) for others to refer to them as such.

The only reason I know my friend's birth name is because I need to in order to help him with medical issues, and he hasn't been able to change his legal name yet. Unless you're a trusted friend and need to know, you don't get to know it. Unless it's absolutely necessary, you don't use it.

There's a character in the new Mass Effect who is trans and reveals their birth name within a few lines of dialogue. It's considered to be a very poor representation.