Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Given that he's probably going to be our next PM, why can't people spell his name correctly?

117 replies

EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 13:39

I'm on a number of social media threads, including here on MN, discussing politucs/GE/last night's debate. The number of people who cannot spell Keir Starmer's first name is staggering.

It's four letters. It's not difficult. You don't see people writing Tnoy Blair or Brois Johnson, so why oh why are people writing Kier Starmer.

And before anyone says it's because of the "i before e rule" I've never seen Keith spelled Kieth.

AIBU to think that, if you're going to discuss someone, get their name right. Or should that be thier name?

OP posts:
ElizaMulvil · 05/06/2024 15:43

TeabySea · 05/06/2024 13:56

I've seen lots of examples of people not spelling names correctly. I've a friend, Michael. So many people write Micheal, it drives him mad.

They may be Irish or have Irish friends/relations. I, to my shame, also thought people were spelling it wrong but no they were using the Irish version.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 05/06/2024 15:42

Well on MN spelling things correctly is optional and it is mean and nasty to correct people on it. As long as everyone knows who is being referred to then it's fine.

Not just on MN. In real life, correcting strangers' spelling and grammar is rude, unnecessary and largely pointless unless it's in a professional setting or you've been asked to do so. And yes, getting one's message across is almost always far more important.

Edited to add: unless it's your name they are getting wrong, in which case fair enough!

GasPanic · 05/06/2024 15:42

mixing ie and ei is a common spelling error.

Loose and lose is another common one. Because lose has a long "o" sound and Loose is not picked up as an error by a spellchecker, just a different word.

qpid5tunt · 05/06/2024 15:40

I know the four letters I'd use to spell his name😉

CaptainWentworth · 05/06/2024 15:40

Rishi Sunak is really easy both to pronounce and spell though, because it’s phonetic and there’s not really another obvious way it could be spelled.

I also get mixed up with Kier the construction company - in fact I worked with a lady who has a son called Keir, on a client who had building contracts with Kier, and I’m not entirely sure I even fully registered the difference at the time as they are pronounced exactly the same 😳

Original poster
EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 15:36

Meraas · 05/06/2024 15:32

It's quite funny the outrage at people not spelling a white, British name properly given the sheer number of white people who mispell Asian/black names.

I'd be equally appalled if people couldnt spell Rishi Sunak. It's not about it being an uncommon name, it's about it being the name of (like it or not) someone who is probably going to be our next PM.

OP posts:
SherbetDips · 05/06/2024 15:35

I don’t think how ppl spell his name is the Issue. It’s the fact ppl are gonna vote for him despite him having zero policy.

VickyEadieofThigh · 05/06/2024 15:34

whosaidtha · 05/06/2024 15:18

I'm more annoyed by people who pronounce it wrong. It's not key-a it's one syllable. Keir.

Now, I'm originally from South Yorkshire, where single syllable words are routinely extended to two syllables (road, for example, becomes "rooad"), so I barely notice!

My mother's pronunciation of 'pork' caused me to say not long before she died (and to her amusement), "Is that spelt 'pooerk' or 'pooark'?

Meraas · 05/06/2024 15:32

It's quite funny the outrage at people not spelling a white, British name properly given the sheer number of white people who mispell Asian/black names.

QueenOfTheEntireFuckingUniverse · 05/06/2024 15:31

I wondered if it was a random autocorrect thing.
But my phone auto corrects Keir to Weird so maybe not.

Original poster
EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 15:29

whosaidtha · 05/06/2024 15:18

I'm more annoyed by people who pronounce it wrong. It's not key-a it's one syllable. Keir.

I always say it with one syllable but someone upthread has pointed out that, depending on your accent, it could be two syllables.

OP posts:
VickyEadieofThigh · 05/06/2024 15:28

EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 14:57

@VickyEadieofThigh oh yes, that annoys me too!

I'm not suggesting people are referring to KS by his first name only, but people are using his full name and spelling the first bit incorrectly.

It is interesting how some prime ministers are called by their full name (Tony Blair, Gordon Brown), some mostly by their last name (Thatcher, Cameron) and some mostly by their first name (Boris, Rishi).

Thatcher was very often referred to as "Maggie" (which was bizarre in itself as it was known she was Margaret to her friends), especially- again - by the press.

I'm like a dog with a bone with these things, mind. It annoys me like crazy that since his accession, most people refer to the King as "King Charles". Other nations are free to do this (the Americans tended to refer to his mother as "Queen Elizabeth", for example).

But just as to British nationals his mother simply "The Queen" (HM The Queen if you like), just call him "The King". He's the only one we've got!

TheDogsMother · 05/06/2024 15:21

WingSluts · 05/06/2024 13:43

Probably the same reason someone might misspell politics...

high five 😂

Pieceofpurplesky · 05/06/2024 15:19

My very ordinary name has a slightly different spelling. You would be amazed how many people spell it wrong - and it's not rare!

Lightningrain · 05/06/2024 15:18

I know a Keir and he was shocked to see that I’d written his email address down correctly. Apparently the vast majority of people think it’s Kier.

whosaidtha · 05/06/2024 15:18

I'm more annoyed by people who pronounce it wrong. It's not key-a it's one syllable. Keir.

Original poster
EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 15:16

NoSnowdrop · 05/06/2024 15:13

Given that he’s probably going to be our next PM, why can’t he say what we all know?

No woman has a penis.

That's a whole other thread!

But yes, I agree.

OP posts:
Original poster
EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 15:16

ilovesooty · 05/06/2024 15:10

He's presumably named after Keir Hardie.

Yes, he is.

OP posts:
NoSnowdrop · 05/06/2024 15:13

Given that he’s probably going to be our next PM, why can’t he say what we all know?

No woman has a penis.

ilovesooty · 05/06/2024 15:10

He's presumably named after Keir Hardie.

Naran · 05/06/2024 15:05

It’s obviously because ie/ei is a common mistake.

And the building company is Kier.

Never choose a baby name that people are going to struggle to spell or pronounce!

I hope he isn’t the next PM anyway. Unless Corbyn gave Starmer a cutting from his magic money tree.

Proudofitbabe · 05/06/2024 15:01

Because it's an uncommon name and the Kier spelling sounds right phonetically. Like Frontier, Pier. He's the only Keir lots will have ever heard of so can see why they'd get it wrong.

Original poster
EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/06/2024 14:57

@VickyEadieofThigh oh yes, that annoys me too!

I'm not suggesting people are referring to KS by his first name only, but people are using his full name and spelling the first bit incorrectly.

It is interesting how some prime ministers are called by their full name (Tony Blair, Gordon Brown), some mostly by their last name (Thatcher, Cameron) and some mostly by their first name (Boris, Rishi).

OP posts:
Preparetoturnright · 05/06/2024 14:53

Well on MN spelling things correctly is optional and it is mean and nasty to correct people on it. As long as everyone knows who is being referred to then it's fine.

I don't happen to agree with the above but you see it trotted out all the time on here.

AGodawfulsmallaffair · 05/06/2024 14:46

WingSluts · 05/06/2024 13:43

Probably the same reason someone might misspell politics...

Made my day 😆

Swipe left for the next trending thread