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Nursery keep spelling child’s name wrong

189 replies

QueryAutism · 16/04/2024 14:59

Child has a name that has multiple legitimate spellings, at least 4 that I can think of, but it’s a name that’s popular across Europe and tends to be spelt slightly differently in each country. We have used the second most common UK variant, which is only slightly less commonly used than the most common variant.

It’s spelt wrong all the time by family, friends and strangers. Fine, a tad annoying when it’s family or close friends but whatever.

Nursery persistently spell his name wrong. I’ve told them this multiple times. It was spelt wrong on his peg and I had to tell them 3 times before they finally changed the label. It’s spelt wrong on his drawings. Then today we had an assessment report from them and it was spelt wrong throughout. He’s been going there for almost 2 years.

Aren’t they supposed to be the ones helping him to learn to recognise and write his name? Surely it’s going to confuse him seeing it spelt wrong all the time.

I think I’m going to send a polite but strongly worded email in response to the progress report. Surely his key worker should be able to spell his name at the very least? Am I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
DuchessOfPaddington · 21/04/2024 12:12

saveforthat · 21/04/2024 11:35

Really? Isaac was a really popular name when my son was at school but I don't know any Josiahs so I would expect the opposite to be true.

I’m sorry, I have no idea what you mean. The opposite of what?

saveforthat · 21/04/2024 11:35

DuchessOfPaddington · 21/04/2024 10:44

Isaac was on our shortlist for DS2 and the national inability to spell it was a major reason why we didn’t use it. We used Josiah instead, which usually spelt correctly but very very regularly sight-read aloud by highly educated professionals as Joshua 🤦🏻‍♀️

Really? Isaac was a really popular name when my son was at school but I don't know any Josiahs so I would expect the opposite to be true.

HonestPinkDuck · 21/04/2024 11:06

But for a place frequented often it's not OK. A nursery should know the children in it.
----
I quite agree with the person who wrote the comment (above). A nursery SHOULD know the children in it, and so should a school deputy head! Nor should they publicly berate the child who politely tells them how to pronounce it!

DuchessOfPaddington · 21/04/2024 10:44

Isaac was on our shortlist for DS2 and the national inability to spell it was a major reason why we didn’t use it. We used Josiah instead, which usually spelt correctly but very very regularly sight-read aloud by highly educated professionals as Joshua 🤦🏻‍♀️

ForestFawn · 21/04/2024 10:34

AuntMarch · 21/04/2024 10:22

I immediately thought of how many colleagues I've seen write "Issac" on pictures. Not even my kids (several Isaacs over the years), and it would give me the rage!

Edited

OMG do you know me?! 😂😂

It’s misspelt all the time! We even had clothes gifted with “Issac” on it! Everyone gets it wrong - my good friend with a PHD in geophysics, DH’s aunt who was an English teacher, and so on. What makes it even more funny is that my side of the family and extended family all have English as a second language, yet they have never misspelt it (though I suspect it’s because they always check before writing!).

AuntMarch · 21/04/2024 10:22

ForestFawn · 16/04/2024 15:17

My son has a name with only one spelling yet a common misspelling. It’s misspelt a lot. We’ve even had personalised items of clothing with the wrong spelling! It’s annoying but at nursery stage, we let it go.

I immediately thought of how many colleagues I've seen write "Issac" on pictures. Not even my kids (several Isaacs over the years), and it would give me the rage!

Needmorelego · 21/04/2024 10:18

@HonestPinkDuck that's awful she got told off for correcting his mistake 🙁

MooseBreath · 21/04/2024 08:57

I have this with DS at preschool as well. There is only one spelling of his name (Nikolai), but a very similar, more popular name is constantly used on his drawings, etc (Nicholas). Recently, DS has been correcting the staff when they spell it incorrectly, but I have previously requested that they use a shortened nickname if they can't ensure it is spelled correctly (Nick).

*DS' name changed for anonymity

SleepingStandingUp · 21/04/2024 08:53

Daphnis156 · 16/04/2024 16:15

This is why it really is best to choose names which will tend not to be misspelt.

Did you read the message from the woman called Charlotte? Sharlotte, Charlot, Sharlet, etc. people can mangle anything

RebbieO · 21/04/2024 08:45

That is very rude of them and I would keep insisting on them spelling it correctly.

People occasionally spell my name (Rebecca) wrong but the incident I was most offended/amused by was when my SIL, whose daughter's middle name is Rebecca, spelt it Rebekerr in a birthday card!

I also had a neighbour once whose daughter was called Cherie, or so I thought, until we received a Christmas card from them and I realised it was spelt Shiree! That explained a lot as after that I could 'hear' the spelling when she called out her name.

Ukrainebaby23 · 21/04/2024 08:33

QueryAutism · 16/04/2024 14:59

Child has a name that has multiple legitimate spellings, at least 4 that I can think of, but it’s a name that’s popular across Europe and tends to be spelt slightly differently in each country. We have used the second most common UK variant, which is only slightly less commonly used than the most common variant.

It’s spelt wrong all the time by family, friends and strangers. Fine, a tad annoying when it’s family or close friends but whatever.

Nursery persistently spell his name wrong. I’ve told them this multiple times. It was spelt wrong on his peg and I had to tell them 3 times before they finally changed the label. It’s spelt wrong on his drawings. Then today we had an assessment report from them and it was spelt wrong throughout. He’s been going there for almost 2 years.

Aren’t they supposed to be the ones helping him to learn to recognise and write his name? Surely it’s going to confuse him seeing it spelt wrong all the time.

I think I’m going to send a polite but strongly worded email in response to the progress report. Surely his key worker should be able to spell his name at the very least? Am I being unreasonable?

Not being unreasonable at all, but maybe go Pa witha Tshirt with his name emblazoned on, or less prominently, embroidered on his hood etc

starrynight009 · 21/04/2024 07:54

My daughter also has a name that can be spelt multiple ways. I picked the most common way it's spelt in England but her preschool teachers used to constantly spell it a variety of different ways. It annoyed me a bit but I never said anything as she was going to a different school anyway. They spell it correctly in reception. I definitely would have said something if they spelt it wrong in reception.

I constantly get people spelling my name wrong in emails, they use the male version instead of female version. Even though I literally sign the email and it has my email signature on it, people still email me back spelling it wrong! It is annoying. I always make sure I spell people's names correctly. I feel it's disrespectful not to.

Barney16 · 21/04/2024 07:38

I have a name that can be shortened a couple of ways and is quite similar to other names. Think Diane, Diana. I have a preferred shortened version which I use and everyone uses it too except MY MOTHER. which is quite irritating. However I have spent my entire life being called all sorts of versions of my name and now I generally can't be bothered and just answer to anything.

RampantIvy · 21/04/2024 07:10

It's annoying and disrespectful to not make an effort to spell someone's name correctly.

It's more difficult when there is more than one way to spell a name. I know a Lynn, a Lyn and a Lynne, and I have to keep checking my contacts list to make sure I spell them correctly.

I have an unusual name that I have had to spell for lots of people and, when DD was born, I gave her a name that people had heard of and that they could spell. There is only one way of spelling her name so there is no ambiguity.

I'm not a fan of creative spellings of traditional names - Konner anyone?

Zanatdy · 21/04/2024 06:58

the spelling was wrong of my daughters name, there is more than one spelling and hers is less common in the U.K. we did know people would spell it wrong but the spelling we chose is reflective of her culture. She’s 16 now and I asked her recently if she would have preferred the more common U.K. spelling and she said no. I just kept telling the nursery and they changed the peg - it still happened on her art work etc

AnImaginaryCat · 21/04/2024 06:55

InAMillion · 19/04/2024 09:47

Well that's what you when you choose an unusual name unfortunately

It's down to your choice not others that can't spell it

Some quite standard names can have a variety of spelling. Especially if different countries have different spelling for the name or at least a name that sounds close to the same. Such as Eoin / Eoghán / Owen / Owain (feel like I've missed a few there).

And it's fine if a name is spelt the wrong way the first time another person writes it down - maybe the second time too. But for a place frequented often it's not OK. A nursery should know the children in it.

HonestPinkDuck · 21/04/2024 06:25

Daphnis156 · 16/04/2024 16:15

This is why it really is best to choose names which will tend not to be misspelt.
-----
Re the above, I disagree. Why should any name be chosen just to make it easier for other people to spell? Choose the name you want!

Alalalalalongalalalalalonglonglilong · 21/04/2024 06:18

I agree OP and would find this an issue. If the name has variants she will have to endure this for the rest of her days but there is zero excuse for nursery and I think it's really disrespectful. Is it the key worker making the mistake or other staff? There might be a lot of rotation and people get it wrong but its still keyworkers job to oversee it. If it's the keyworker I'd ask management to check how it's spelt on the system and explain your concerns.

Also your child can learn it. I work in childcare and a little one of three says 'my name is 'name' spelled ie and not y'.

HonestPinkDuck · 21/04/2024 06:15

Re the message from OP who suggested buying Tee Shirts with the child's name on - not a good idea in this day and age - there are some odd people about ...

pinkstripeycat · 21/04/2024 06:11

CelesteCunningham · 16/04/2024 15:25

YANBU.

As your DC gets older, I'd try encourage them not to be bothered by it because it'll just be easier for them if they don't get wound up every time.

But the nursery definitely should be spelling it right.

Easy to say but if it’s not dealt with official docs and certificates will end up wrong. Yes it does happen

pinkstripeycat · 21/04/2024 06:07

My DS is Aaron and mostly teachers can’t spell it!

HonestPinkDuck · 21/04/2024 06:06

Re message from NeedMoreLego my daughter has an unusual name too. She had been at school for I can't remember how long when the deputy head pronounced her name wrongly at assembly. She stood up and corrected him, with the result that he told her off in front of the whole assembly! I wish now that I had torn a strip off him. It's one thing not to be able to spell an unusual name, but surely a deputy head teacher should know how to pronounce it. Anyway she's married to a foreigner now, and living abroad, and they don't have any problem with either!

Stephenra · 21/04/2024 01:55

It's common mindfulness and respect. I would have quite, polite but firm words, and request acknowledgement.

I once worked for a non-profit educational org. I volunteered to help out with a position. They printed name cards, and misspelt my name as 'Steven.' Nobody seemed bothered about that so I withdrew my offer to help.

Tallulah1972 · 21/04/2024 01:44

Although staff should be spelling his name correctly, you are responsible for teaching him how to spell & recognise it.

ChellyT · 21/04/2024 00:25

My name has a few variants and is also a common name. If anyone misspells or pronounces my name I passively misspell and miss pronounce their name until they get my name right. 99% of the time the very next time they get my name right. For example if their name is Chris, I will call them Callum, Carly, Channing

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