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Original poster

How child's name is pronounced

170 replies

OnlyAThought · 04/09/2024 15:39

Hey all

Just a quick opinion, my LO started school yesterday. When I asked how his day went, the first thing he told was, they are saying my name wrong.

I advised him to correct them, but he feels he can not.

Again, today, at pick up (only part time for the first couple of days as he is in reception), the same sort of conversation and he tells me his name is pronounced incorrectly and stamped his feet said it's not my name.

Should, I ask/tell his teacher, I don't know?

Let me know your thoughts

OP posts:
saraclara · 04/09/2024 20:20

I worked in a school where more than 50% of the children were from Muslim families. Added to that, many were non-verbal or had other speech and language issues so wouldn't be able to correct me themselves. So the first thing I'd do would be to check the pronunciation with their parents.

In the early days a non-verbal child who'd already been in school for a year, joined my class. The previous class team had been calling him Sho-ab, so we did too. Until some visitors, including a Muslim woman, spent time in my classroom. Before they left, she gently tapped my arm, smiled gently and said "I think, sho-abe".

I was so grateful to her, and from then on we pronounced his name properly. That's when I decided to check with the parents at the beginning of the year, in future, whatever previous teachers had called my pupils.

WearyAuldWumman · 04/09/2024 20:20

PhilosophicalCheeseSandwich · 04/09/2024 18:03

Why wouldn't you suggest speaking to the teacher? It must be easier to verbally demonstrate pronunciation.

Show quote history

Fair enough, you can speak to the teacher...but if you send a quick email to the office, then there's a note on record for anyone who covers the class or takes the class in future.

There's certainly nothing wrong with the belt and braces approach.

7catsisnotenough · 04/09/2024 20:19

And @BarbaraHoward !

Not unusual at all (unless @Billcosby and I actually attended the same school...?)

7catsisnotenough · 04/09/2024 20:18

Sorry, should probably have tagged @KirstenBlest rather than @Billcosby as I was agreeing with Bill!

BarbaraHoward · 04/09/2024 20:17

SquigglyNonsense · 04/09/2024 20:14

DS came home saying the same thing. The issue was, there was another boy with the same name in his class so he was now called Sameff and the other one Sambee, whereas he was used to Sam or Samuel. His first school Christmas card was signed "love from Sam F."

DD used to have a friend known to all as JohnnySmithFromBrighton (names and location changed to protect the innocent). He hadn't even moved from "Brighton", that's where we lived, they were all "from Brighton".Grin

7catsisnotenough · 04/09/2024 20:16

@Billcosby we were given French names to use during French lessons too - it's not unheard of!

BarbaraHoward · 04/09/2024 20:15

I use a short A in the middle of Alexander and pronounce the R. If I used a long A and no R for just that one word I'd sound like I was taking the utter piss. You can't correct accent. That's very different to a Naomi, Helena, Caoimhe type situation where there's multiple very different versions.

SquigglyNonsense · 04/09/2024 20:14

DS came home saying the same thing. The issue was, there was another boy with the same name in his class so he was now called Sameff and the other one Sambee, whereas he was used to Sam or Samuel. His first school Christmas card was signed "love from Sam F."

KirstenBlest · 04/09/2024 20:14

@CaptainMyCaptain , I'd probably lengthen the a but my natural accent is rhotic. I feel silly saying Barth for Bath.

@Billcosby , FFS.

BarbaraHoward · 04/09/2024 20:05

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CasperGutman · 04/09/2024 20:05

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Possibly, if it's an English name and the teacher is English then they should. If they don't, then what?

Moier · 04/09/2024 20:04

Yes definitely.
I had to do it 35 years ago with my daughter . She has a silent J... and kids ( even teachers pronounced the J)
The name wasn't popular then.
It is now .. but most spell it without the silent J so they pronounce it the altered English version and not the Norse version.
( Freyja)

Billcosby · 04/09/2024 20:04

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CaptainMyCaptain · 04/09/2024 20:03

KirstenBlest · 04/09/2024 19:54

If he said it with a rhotic accent, then I would too. Having said that, I already have posted that I'd struggle to say Alexander with a long a.

I would be the other way round. I think I'd sound like I was taking the piss if I pronounced the 'r' even though I was doing it with good intentions. I don't think that ever actually came up in my teaching career. I did wince when a colleague always dropped her 'h's so e.g. Hayden became Aiden.

HeyPrestoAlakazam · 04/09/2024 20:02

I had a five year old berate me once for pronouncing Beatrice "wrongly".

I said "Nice to meet you Bee-ah-triss"

She rolled her eyes and said in her best Hermione Granger,

"Um actually it's BUHHHH-triss!!!"

Conniebygaslight · 04/09/2024 20:01

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Billcosby · 04/09/2024 20:00

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Conniebygaslight · 04/09/2024 19:59

Which is preferable to you OP…..an awkward conversation with his teacher or your LO feeling distressed?

KirstenBlest · 04/09/2024 19:57

Define a sensible name.

Billcosby · 04/09/2024 19:56

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KirstenBlest · 04/09/2024 19:54

If he said it with a rhotic accent, then I would too. Having said that, I already have posted that I'd struggle to say Alexander with a long a.

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/09/2024 19:45

Cyclingmummy1 · 04/09/2024 18:37

Just tell them. Though I'm a bit baffled by the 'wrong' accent comments. Who decides which is the correct accent?

Someone gave the example of Cormac. A rhotic accent would pronounce the 'r' but I wouldn't. I would feel as if I was faking an Irish accent if I did. It's not about being wrong.

AtomHeartMotherOfGod · 04/09/2024 19:44

Eviolle · 04/09/2024 15:40

I would get on top of it straight away. Polite, but firm. "LO has been upset that his name isn't being said correctly, it's not helping him settle in and start his school journey well. This is how you say it."

I agree. I'm a teacher; it's central to him forming good relationships and not something for anyone to be getting wrong.

HeyPrestoAlakazam · 04/09/2024 19:43

ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs · 04/09/2024 19:37

I heard from an old teacher about a child who came to school. Name written "Guy". Child adamant his name was "Gooey ". Mum confirmed. She'd read it in a book. Also heard a Siobhan (Shi-von) called by her mum the way it's written.

I'm an ex-teacher...

Have taught a Shuvorne (Siobhan)
And a Sigh-oh-ban (also Siobhan)
And a Pheobe (Phoebe)

And (as it was mentioned above) Keef-uh, Kweeva and Kwayva (Caiomhe) - nothing wrong with that mind, all legit regional Irish pronunciations, so always checked.

KirstenBlest · 04/09/2024 19:41

@Billcosby , it's Balonz. Pronounced Jim.