Just some odd questions I have about epithets...

Can epithets affect themselves? Or can an epithet be used to change itself? As an example of what I mean by this, I was brainstorming ideas for a character with the epithet "ugly" when I thought of the story of the Ugly Duckling. Could someone with this epithet potentially use the power of this story so that their epithet changes into something like "beauty" or "swan" when they reach adulthood? Also, since epithets are tied to the soul, would a permanent change in someone's epithet affect their entire being as well?