Cherrybim: I thought Shpesel was just a nickname
Wolf: You are correct. I did not transmit that paragraph correctly.
Originally, the minhag was to name the shevet name with its animal. And YES, there were names Dan Nachash and Yissachar Chamor. Later the minhag changed to drop the shevet from the animal. i.e. the name Aryeh given by itself (Kesser Dovid).
The Chida is quoted in this sefer as saying that in ?????? (Italy?) the minhag was to give boys animal names, cause they had a kaballa that this saved them from ?????? . And therefore names were given like Zvi, Ayal, Zev etc.
The Keser Dovid by the way, vetos the names Nachash and Chamor.
As for the question about Shinui HaShem, that is an entire Perek on its own. If there is a specific question perhaps I will see what I can do, but a general “What about Shinui Hashem?” is a bit too much.
FYI R’ Chaim Kanievsky does state that when changing the name, one should use the closest equivalent possibly. E.g. if a Ba’al Teshuva says his name is Victor, he should be called Avigdor (and Ofir should be Efraim).
One should never change a name (e.g. Choleh), rather one should add a name.
The new name is always in front of the old name. (i.e. Rina becomes Chaya Rina and not Rina Chaya)
If one was given the name of a Rasha at the naming (e.g. Nimrod, Amalek, Jezebel), we change the name and do not add a name.
The minhag is to add one of the following names to a sick male: Chaim, Shalom, Refoel, Ezriel, Yerachmiel, Yechezkel, or Chizkiahu for a segulah for a refuah sheleima.
The minhag is to add one of the following names for a sick female: Chaya, Chana, Sarah or Yocheved. We do NOT add Rachel, Bas Sheva, Tamar or Leah (Chida)
A Shinui Hashem is only done for a Choleh, not for someone who has R”L gone off the derech. (R’ Chaim Kanievsky)