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AIBU?

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Original poster

Unwarranted shortening of people's names

85 replies

Tiredallthetimeneedsleep · 10/06/2024 23:56

I work for an agency and people call me by a shortened variation of my name. I feel it's rude to shorten people's names without checking with the person concerned. AIBU?

OP posts:
AmelieTaylor · 11/06/2024 08:50

My name is 7 letters. 3 syllables (in the north, routinely 2, missing out the middle, but still sounds vaguely like my name)

People rarely use my name & shorten it to the first syllable, which isn't a name. But most bizarrely then double up on it! Like Benjamin to Ben, then calling me Ben Ben. And my shortening isn't a 'name' like Ben

it surprises me a lot more if someone uses my actual name. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️im in my 50's, it's been this way since I was a child so I'm used to it (my Dad used to go mad)

AGodawfulsmallaffair · 11/06/2024 08:47

I have a fairly boring name that has several pronunciations / variants / shortened versions. I’ve been called them all at work. Doesn’t bother me, it’s normally affectionate. But if it did, I’d happily correct them.

Catsmere · 11/06/2024 08:44

I hate it. I tell people who shorten it "I paid good money to have this name, if I'd wanted people using a shortened version I'd have chosen that." (Deed Poll in the '80s.)

Notthisshitforthehundredthtime · 11/06/2024 08:43

Correct them everytime.

My friend is called Gabrielle which is quite a mouthful but she won't entertain Gabi at all, ever. She doesn't care if people get irritated by her refusal to respond to it.

Hateam · 11/06/2024 08:42

I once had a long argument with a football fan who insisted the Giggsy was short for Giggs.

Tulip32 · 11/06/2024 08:40

AlohaRose · 11/06/2024 00:24

Just tell them? “Oh actually I always use Rebecca, I probably won’t recognise that you are speaking to me if you call me Becky”. And then ignore them if they continue to shorten your name!

This is what I do - they get it eventually.

AlohaRose · 11/06/2024 00:24

Just tell them? “Oh actually I always use Rebecca, I probably won’t recognise that you are speaking to me if you call me Becky”. And then ignore them if they continue to shorten your name!

beckybarefoot · 11/06/2024 00:21

my name has 5 letters... i hate people using the shortened version of it. i sign off all my emails with my full name and yet people still reply with the shorter version.

i call people by the name i am introduced too them as.. so if i met a David, i would always call them David, if i was introduced too a Steve, then it would be steve.

there one bloke at work who knows i don't like my name being shortened but does it on purpose as it amuses him... it really pisses me off

Screamingabdabz · 11/06/2024 00:18

Yep. I loathe it when people who don’t me shorten my name - I feel it’s such a liberty.

Equally I can’t stand being asked to use people’s shortened name when I’ve just met them and it sounds too familiar ‘Boo’ or ‘Tatty’ or ‘Jules’… can’t I just call you Belinda, Tatiana and Julia?

Whentheboatcomein · 11/06/2024 00:07

I absolutely hate people shortening my name. It’s only 6 letters as it is!