Becoming Antone Hempstock: Why I Changed My Name

For most of my life, everyone knew me as Andy — short for Anton Dabbs. My family called me Andy, my friends called me Andy, and for years, that was just who I was. But as time went on, the name started to feel like it belonged to another chapter of my life — one that didn’t tell the whole story of who I really am.

A few years ago, I took a DNA test and found out the truth about my biological father, a man I never had the chance to grow up with. I met him only once before he passed away, but that meeting changed everything. It gave me answers to questions I’d carried for most of my life and connected me to a part of my story I didn’t even know was missing.

When I changed my name to Antone Hempstock, it wasn’t about erasing who I used to be. It was about stepping into who I really am. The name Hempstock connects me to my real roots — to a family I never knew, and to a truth that finally made sense.

It wasn’t a branding move or a fresh start. It was personal. It was about identity, honesty, and claiming my own story — finally, and fully.