Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not use proper spellings when naming your child

934 replies

Catterpillarsflipflops · 19/03/2025 18:17

Am I being unreasonable to think it's ridiculous to use a funky spelling of a normal name. I spent today dealing with lost paperwork for a child as the person that took the details didn't think to check the spelling as there is no other spelling of the name.

It looks silly and just causes no end of problems for the child. It also disadvantages them as straight away people get an image of what the child is like.

I've seen

Jaymz
Ezmay
Lil-leigh

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
Namechangetry · 20/03/2025 07:43

Oh also for people who can't be bothered to RTFT:

we know about Kacper being the Polish spelling

Namechangetry · 20/03/2025 07:42

Topsyturvy78 · 20/03/2025 04:05

There was a couple in the media a few weeks ago. Registra was refusing to let them name their baby boy Lucifer. They got their way in the end but the poor kid.

There was one a few years ago parents were stopped from naming baby Tallulah does the hula in Hawaii.

Show quote history

The parents of Tallulah does the hula from Hawaii were not stopped from calling her that. Poor girl.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/jul/24/familyandrelationships.newzealand

Parents lose custody of girl for naming her Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii

A nine-year-old girl whose parents named her Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii was put into court guardianship in New Zealand so that her name could be changed

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/jul/24/familyandrelationships.newzealand

Jobs4kids · 20/03/2025 07:40

DC went to school with a Conna and a Tayla. London innit!

When I first came across an Aimee, I originally thought it was a wacky way of spelling Amy. Was puzzled as her parents somehow didn't seem the type until I discovered it was the French spelling.

DazzyRascale · 20/03/2025 07:38

Notsosure1 · 20/03/2025 06:52

If it’s not unique then why is it a problem? Surely the main argument of these weirdly passionately-hateful, snobbish threads are that they are unique? A fair few ‘traditional’ names have different spellings. Where’s the vitriol for Clare also spelled Claire or Clair? Zara and Sara? Aron, Aaron, Aran and Arron?etc. Hugh and Huw? Lesley and Leslie? Mary and Mari? Rosemary and Rosemarie? And dozens and dozens more.

Why do you assume the parents were trying to be clever? Do you often get angry and offended at the choices other ppl make that do not affect you at all? Do ‘alternative’ ppl who dress differently make you inexplicably rage inside? Maybe you should consider counselling.

Show quote history

Those that you mentioned are recognised variants though.

This is about ridiculous made up versions trying to be clever/cool, but actually just sound chavvy

RominaDina · 20/03/2025 07:33

ItsUpToYou · 20/03/2025 06:33

As a card-holding member of the “Caribbeandashdiaspora” who is very immersed in the black British community, the only time I have ever heard “-“ pronounced as “dash” is when white people joke about black names. Common it is not!

Show quote history

Indeed. There was a whole thread about this, and it's use with racist intent. Every single time there's an "unusual names" thread, this gets trotted out again. Someone said that the whole "L-a" thing was made up, and she used evidence. It's all nonsense.

Mydadsbirthday · 20/03/2025 07:30

honeylulu · 20/03/2025 07:09

My daughter used to talk about a little girl at nursery called Oceania. I thought that is unusual, quite pretty though. Then i saw it on her peg. It was O'Sheayana. O'Dear!

😂😂😂

Mydadsbirthday · 20/03/2025 07:29

@Notsosure1 but those aren't "unique" spellings of the kind people are talking about in this thread.
Huw is the Welsh spelling of Hugh for example, not someone trying to be different!
Leslie and Lesley are the male and female spellings of the same name respectively.

Some of your other examples are just personal preferences eg. "ie" instead of "y" which is pretty inoffensive rather than the frankly ridiculous spoiling of perfectly good names like Jacob - JayCub?!!

There is no doubt in my mind that the parents who name kids things like this are the ones causing havoc at the school gates, picking fights with teachers and generally being a PITA.

Mydadsbirthday · 20/03/2025 07:24

Satsuma2 · 20/03/2025 00:08

Someone I know has a great grandson called ’JayCub’. It seems so contrived.

😂😂😂

Philandbill · 20/03/2025 07:10

There have always been unusual names but misspelled ones can't be easy to live with. I'm perpetually having to correct the spelling of my surname, I don't bother if it doesn't matter but for anything official it has to be done.
In Bath Abbey there is a memorial stone to Lieutenant General Sir Manley Powers. What a name!

honeylulu · 20/03/2025 07:09

My daughter used to talk about a little girl at nursery called Oceania. I thought that is unusual, quite pretty though. Then i saw it on her peg. It was O'Sheayana. O'Dear!

CatsForLife · 20/03/2025 07:07

RampantIvy · 20/03/2025 06:51

Ryk is Polish.

Show quote history

But this Ryk isn’t. I know his family. Accepted they may have borrowed it though.

RedOnyx · 20/03/2025 07:07

FondantFancyFan · 20/03/2025 06:07

I made the mistake of calling Iris in the standard way, she pronounced it as Eeeris eventhough it was spelt the usual way.

Edited

That's how it's pronounced in German. My partner is German and one of the reasons I ruled out Iris for my daughter is because I can't stand the German pronunciation.

RominaDina · 20/03/2025 07:01

tulippa · 20/03/2025 06:09

Yes I have already been corrected by multiple people. Thank you. I learnt something new yesterday. 🙂

Show quote history

Did you learn something new yesterday? I hear that Kacper is a Polish name.

RominaDina · 20/03/2025 06:59

Mookie81 · 20/03/2025 06:42

That's an eastern European spelling. So let's keep this to actually ridiculous spellings, and not display ignorance towards other cultures?

Show quote history

I think that was originally pointed out about 12 hours ago, and then fairly regularly. @tulippa is indeed grateful and she's very pleased to have learned something.

PrincessHoneysuckle · 20/03/2025 06:57

The other way round here.
I know a Danielle pronounced Da-Neil

RedOnyx · 20/03/2025 06:55

CrystalSingerFan · 20/03/2025 00:11

Oooh! I have a friend called Anna! So that's English covered. What are the others? Russian, presumably? (Anna Karenina, Anna Netrebko). Italian? French?

Show quote history

German. I know loads of German Annas. I also used to work with a Ukrainian Anna.

Jibberty · 20/03/2025 06:55

Mookie81 · 20/03/2025 06:42

That's an eastern European spelling. So let's keep this to actually ridiculous spellings, and not display ignorance towards other cultures?

Show quote history

RTFT for FFS. 🤦

Notsosure1 · 20/03/2025 06:52

Cumberlandsausagedog · 19/03/2025 18:18

It’s not unique, it’s not clever. It just shows that your parents weren’t very classy or clever.

Show quote history

If it’s not unique then why is it a problem? Surely the main argument of these weirdly passionately-hateful, snobbish threads are that they are unique? A fair few ‘traditional’ names have different spellings. Where’s the vitriol for Clare also spelled Claire or Clair? Zara and Sara? Aron, Aaron, Aran and Arron?etc. Hugh and Huw? Lesley and Leslie? Mary and Mari? Rosemary and Rosemarie? And dozens and dozens more.

Why do you assume the parents were trying to be clever? Do you often get angry and offended at the choices other ppl make that do not affect you at all? Do ‘alternative’ ppl who dress differently make you inexplicably rage inside? Maybe you should consider counselling.

EmpressaurusKitty · 20/03/2025 06:52

Mookie81 · 20/03/2025 06:42

That's an eastern European spelling. So let's keep this to actually ridiculous spellings, and not display ignorance towards other cultures?

Show quote history

Yes @tulippa has already been corrected by multiple people. Thank you. She learnt something new yesterday. 🙂

RampantIvy · 20/03/2025 06:51

CatsForLife · 20/03/2025 06:37

I’ve just seen a Ryk. Maybe it’s short for Ryitchard lol.

Ryk is Polish.

RampantIvy · 20/03/2025 06:51

Another2Cats · 20/03/2025 00:36

"Fascinating. I knew a British friend of a friend whose wife was Hong-Kong Chinese. IIRC her forename and last names were obviously Chinese, but then she had a European/English/American middle name, to use 'over here'. (Think Edna or similar.) Her brothers were named similarly."

I recall two sisters from when I was at university in London in the 1980s. Exactly the same thing. One sister was Dora and the other was Flora. They came from a very well-off Hong Kong family.

Show quote history

It is quite usual for Hong Kong Chinese to have an English name and a Chinese name.

I had a friend from Hong Kong when I was a student and all of her family had very old fashioned English christian names.

On the subject of creative spellings I used to know someone who called her son Konner.

Mookie81 · 20/03/2025 06:42

tulippa · 19/03/2025 18:34

I work somewhere where there is a sign to contact Kacper if you need a certain thing doing. I spent months thinking that's an unusual name until I realised it was a funky spelling of Casper. Parents obviously didn't know the letter c only makes 's' when followed by i, e or y.

Edited

That's an eastern European spelling. So let's keep this to actually ridiculous spellings, and not display ignorance towards other cultures?

CatsForLife · 20/03/2025 06:37

I’ve just seen a Ryk. Maybe it’s short for Ryitchard lol.

ItsUpToYou · 20/03/2025 06:33

ThisFluentBiscuit · 20/03/2025 00:26

Yes, and the dash (as in -) in a name, to be pronounced as "dash", is pretty common in some Black communities. Might be a Caribbean-diaspora thing, I'm not sure.

Show quote history

As a card-holding member of the “Caribbeandashdiaspora” who is very immersed in the black British community, the only time I have ever heard “-“ pronounced as “dash” is when white people joke about black names. Common it is not!

Cartwrightandson · 20/03/2025 06:31

Reddit group tragedeigh

https://www.reddit.com/r/tragedeigh/s/yqchKGlsYU

To not use proper spellings when naming your child
To not use proper spellings when naming your child
To not use proper spellings when naming your child
Swipe left for the next trending thread