To want my name said correctly?

Oh, @WhereDoesItAllGo , I really feel for you!!! Names are such an important part of a person's identity, and I think too many people ignore that.
My name is an already shortened version of a longer name, but people still shorten it further despite me only ever introducing myself as my actual name. I even have close friends (of decades) who know how much I hate the shortened version, but still call me it. It's also an unusual spelling and people will reply to emails, read my name, then respond with the more common spelling. My in-laws of over a decade still spell It wrong every single time - they actually use a different spelling for each thing, just never the correct one. 😂 It drives me bloody wild!!!

Unfortunately I've found that there's NOTHING that can be done. Directly telling people, making jokes about it, pulling people to one side... nothing works and people will not change their ways. The only one that can change anything is you, and how you feeling about it.

I know this from many other examples. I'm an adoptive parent and so my understanding of the importance of a name has become even stronger over the last few years. I have a sibling with a hyphenated name and even their partner shortens their name, despite my sibling hating it. People I work with mispronounce service user's names, despite these mostly being quite typical British names. (Think calling someone Ellie instead of Allie.) And don't get me started on the mispronunciation of non-traditionally British names!!! Any staff or service from non-Western heritage with unusual (to us) names are treated so poorly. Staff will ask their name, frown at them, pull faces as they try and pronounce it, literally MAKE FUN, and then end with, "I can't say that so I'm going to call you X (random word that sounds nothing like that person's name, or like any name) instead". I find it so rude and disrespectful. But try as I may to correct staff, it doesn't work.

As a person from the (predominantly white) Welsh Valleys, I have worked in communities with predominantly Muslim Asian heritage, and communities with Black Africa so have had to practise my fair share of difficult names. It's hard, and of course it's easier to just shorten a name or come up with a nickname, but I really believe it's disrespectful. If it's a really unusual name you're bound to get it wrong sometimes, especially if you're talking about something important, it in a rush, or what not. But people should show a will to try! So I do feel for you.

Apologies, @WhereDoesItAllGo ! A very long message to basically say that there's, sadly, not a lot you can do! I'd maybe try a few more times - probably taking people to one side - and if that doesn't change things you have to try and change your way of thinking. 😬 Good luck, Xysss!

If people see your name and don't hear it. Brains can tend to interpret sounds they expect to see not what is actually there. So ob Izzy is quite common so they so issy and brain sees izzy as that's what they are familiar with.

I'd correct the work person who doesn't have the lisp.

I also have a name with an s as in so, but it mispronounced with an s as in oss. I always gently correct with a smile, tiresome but everyone can give people the respect of saying their name correctly.

I have three friends called Marie, all pronounced differently. So there’s ‘Marry’, ‘Mah-ree’ and ‘Ma-ree. I always think first so not to offend.

I completely agree. I find that it goes down incredibly badly when I correct someone, even though I do it ever so nicely, with their feelings in mind.

Correct them. Most would be pleased to know how to say it correctly.
I disagree. IME people don't like being corrected.

When I've met people it's the name they're introduced with that sticks in my mind, so if someone said someone's name was Freja (Freya), I might feel a bit stupid if I'd called her that for a while before being corrected (Fry-a)

My name is a very simple ( to me, anyway ) easily spelt name. It never ceases to amaze me the mistakes in spelling and pronunciation people make, but it really doesn’t bother me. Sometimes I correct them, sometimes I don’t, but they don’t do it with malice. One of my best friends for 20 plus years is called Corinne - she told me recently I’ve pronounced it wrong since day one 😂 it happens.

Correct them. Most would be pleased to know how to say it correctly. Sometimes when you tell people your name for the first time, they don’t fully take it in because they’re focussing on remembering your face, where you’ll be working, your hours, etc etc. They then remember roughly what it is but not always exactly. The sooner you correct them, the easier it will be for the name to embed properly in their head. Suggesting a rhyme is good, eg “It’s not Caz, it’s Cass to rhyme with ‘lass’ - Cass..Lass”.

Like 'Gerra pint' without the 'a p'. Gerr-int to rhyme

If you're northern, just tell them it rhymes with 'is he'. (We like to drop our h's)

In all seriousness, its annoying, but frankly I'd just focus my energy elsewhere. Try to introduce yourself when meeting people so they hear the correct pronunciation. Ignore those who get it wrong constantly, they're the fools.

Geraint rhymes with BARE PINT
The first syllable doesn't rhyme with bare though, it's Ger, rhymes with the berr in berry. Like 'Gerra pint' without the 'a'

I've heard Juh-raint to rhyme with paint before now.

I'm with you. My name is Julia and I've been called Julie all my life. Nothing wrong with Julie, it's just not my name. I correct. If people can't even get your name right what else is wrong with them!

I agree with the poster who said that some people just can’t hear correctly, or maybe it is just nerves. I had a relative called Geraint. This name causes huge difficulties. Despite saying to people Geraint rhymes with BARE PINT - you still get Grant/ Grunt/ Gerant. It is as though the name trips wires in peoples brain and even otherwise clever and considered people struggle.

I have a relatively common name with a less common spelling. I get the more common spelling often, but when it annoys me is when someone has had to see it/click on it/type it correctly in order to write something to me and yet they still spell it wrong! In my pettiest moments, I have replied adding in the extra letter they’ve put in my name (think Allison/Alison type of thing) in their name 😇

I have this problem. Elaina isn't my real name. My real name has given me issues with pronunciation all my life. I try and correct people early on but occasionally let it slide which I regret doing, because if this someone you then get to know well it becomes more awkward to correct! At this stage you probably need to introduce yourself to someone infront of that person and then they'll hear the correct pronunciation. Not that it may work. I've literally introduced myself and then that person has said my name wrong 2 seconds later.

You have every right to be called the right name! Stop worrying about causing discomfort and correct them early on!

You have every right to be called the right name! Stop worrying about causing discomfort and correct them early on!

Just start calling them the wrong name and when they say Its a not b, you say and I'm whatever.

@Clarich007 , not Nottinum?

It is annoying I agree.
It's my surname that people get wrong every time.

It's an unusual name that is also the name of a UK town.

So for example it's similar to Nottingham, but every single time they say Notting.
So I always point out the 'ham' at the end.It's only a little thing but it does become wearing multiple times a day.

@SuePine69 , if it's their name, it's said as they say it, but insisting everyone uses that pronunciation is a bit too much. Some people have no idea that their pronunciation seems wrong to speakers of the language though.

I'd probably struggle to use the anglicised pronunciation if it was a name I was very familiar with.

Some people don't know how to pronounce their names properly. I studied Indian languages so I know the difference between an aspirated and an unaspirated consonant and the difference between a dental and a retroflex consonant.

If someone has an Indian heritage and an Indian name but they have only ever spoken English they will often not know how to pronounce their own names. Yet they might insist that everyone uses their mispronunciation.

I have worked in places, many years ago, where everybody had a nickname whether they wanted one or not. Someone who introduced himself as Karl might be called Charley.

I shorten mine to the initials which some people use. I just dislike being called something totally different!

@Cherrysoup , Hear, hear.

I go by an easily pronounceable, phonetic, diminutive and people get that wrong, and that really pisses me off, because it shows lack of care.

I disagree with pp who think it’s not important In the grand scheme of things. I’ve been called the totally wrong name, had it incorrectly pronounced etc all my life because it’s double barrelled. If it’s someone I’m going to work with lots, I will correct them. I think it’s pretty important to get names right. I’m a teacher and I ask my students how I pronounce their names because it’s just lazy to not care. I have 2 Mias, one is Mee-ah, one is My-ah. It’s their name and who am I to decide how to pronounce it?