Why did Alice Cullen change her name?

Answer 1

Alice Cullen didn't purposely change her name. when she was human, she had visions, although not nearly as defined as they became when she Changed. At the time, obviously her parents were worried, and secretly put her into a mental asylum, and lied to the world, saying that she was dead. She was put through shock treatments, and other 'cures' like that. One of them was being left alone, in the dark. James, (from the first book) came across her there and smelled her blood. He told Bella in the Ballet Studio that her blood was better than hers. He immeadiately sought to kill her. But her doctor, who happened to be a vampire, felt for Alice, and so changed her. It meant that there was no point in James trying to pursue her anymore. However, because Alice was left alone so long, she couldn't remember anything of her human life. So she named herself Alice, and obviously when she joined the Cullen Coven, gave herself their surname.