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If you add random extra letters into a name, don't be pissy when people mispronounce it!

308 replies

BoobsOnTheMoon · 27/05/2025 20:08

I met someone recently who has a young child with a name that is actually quite a old/traditional English name, rare but not unheard of. Almost the perfect sweet spot, you'd think.

When I heard the name I immediately said oh how beautiful, I love that name. Which then set the mum off on a big rant about how nobody can ever pronounce it. Strange, I thought, it's not that unusual and tbh it's pretty phonetic when written down.

Except I found out later via FB that the mum has added two letters to the name (a consonant and a vowel), in two different places, that make it look like you pronounce it completely differently to the way she wants it pronounced. It's not an alternative spelling (which the name does have a couple of, both of which are completely obvious how to pronounce). If you were to see it written down you'd add an extra syllable when reading it out! And probably mispronounce the one of the consonants because it's had a random other consonant put next to it for...no reason? She must just like how it looks Hmm

I can't say what the name is because this child is literally the only person in the world with the name spelled that way, I've googled it and got the total of 2 results (both of which refer to this child, via their hobby). The closest examples I can come up with would be calling a baby Phetier when you want it pronounced Peter, or Elixzabieth but wanting it pronounced Elizabeth, or Dharrien and expecting everyone to know you say it Darren.

Anyway I don't particularly care how people spell names but to then be huffy that it gets mispronounced is just silly, right?

OP posts:
Dahliasrule · 28/05/2025 14:17

That’s interesting, trainboundfornowhere and steppemum.
Netaporter,

trainboundfornowhere · 28/05/2025 13:54

Dahliasrule · 28/05/2025 13:08

I have a friend called Alicia but pronounced Aleysha. I would have pronounced it Alissia. Has anyone else come across this unusual pronunciation for Alicia?

Frequently both Aleysha and Aleesha. I’m in Scotland.

steppemum · 28/05/2025 13:54

Dahliasrule · 28/05/2025 13:08

I have a friend called Alicia but pronounced Aleysha. I would have pronounced it Alissia. Has anyone else come across this unusual pronunciation for Alicia?

yes
3 pronunciations I have found
Aliss -ee --a
Alissa
Alee - sha

In the past I would have asusmed the first, but I think the last is now more common

Netaporter · 28/05/2025 13:38

Dahliasrule · 28/05/2025 13:08

I have a friend called Alicia but pronounced Aleysha. I would have pronounced it Alissia. Has anyone else come across this unusual pronunciation for Alicia?

My Spanish friend has a child with the same spelling. She is an ‘Al-lyth-ia.

My uk friend with the same name is an Alissia. She prefers Lisa tho.

Cherrysoup · 28/05/2025 13:23

x2boys · 28/05/2025 12:53

My friend is from a French speaking African country she's an Aimee and pronounces the same as Amy ,apparently it's also common in France to pronounce it the same as Amy .

While it doesn't really matter, the new GCSE requires students to read aloud and French phonetics are not straightforward! The acute é is something I reinforce with my kids big time.

BobbyBiscuits · 28/05/2025 13:09

feelingbleh · 28/05/2025 05:34

I was replying to the spelling Kaighleigh and I was basing it on the the first 3 letters the name Kai would be pronounces ky

Ah, ok, I get you now. I guess Kai can be pronounced 'Ky'. In fact it always is when it's a stand alone name. But just not usually when it's just the first syllable.

Dahliasrule · 28/05/2025 13:08

I have a friend called Alicia but pronounced Aleysha. I would have pronounced it Alissia. Has anyone else come across this unusual pronunciation for Alicia?

BobbyBiscuits · 28/05/2025 13:04

Eenameenadeeka · 28/05/2025 08:37

I don't believe they changed it "because they believe it looks naff", I think it was an accident because it was a name that generally has one "correct" spelling, which is what the school wrote. I do think they should be more careful and get the spelling right, but I just think it's a little silly when people act like there's something wrong with everyone else when they've misspelled something that has a clear and commonly understood spelling.

A school should know the correct spelling of all the pupils. If the parents chose a weird spelling, then so what. If they're that crap at record keeping and attention to detail then they can't be brilliant teachers?

x2boys · 28/05/2025 12:53

Cherrysoup · 28/05/2025 12:48

Aimée-loved/beloved. Should be pronounced m-a. My friend called her dd this, it just bemuses me when her other dc have very standard UK names.

My friend is from a French speaking African country she's an Aimee and pronounces the same as Amy ,apparently it's also common in France to pronounce it the same as Amy .

Librarybooksandacoconut · 28/05/2025 12:49

x2boys · 28/05/2025 07:59

I had a manager called Karen pronounced Kare on ,bu she waa south African.

I also worked with someone with the same pronunciation, apparently it was the Norwegian way. Which would be fine if she had any Norwegian heritage, but she and her parents were all English. She used to get really cross when it was pronounced incorrectly.

Cherrysoup · 28/05/2025 12:48

x2boys · 28/05/2025 07:57

Aimee is the French spelling.

Aimée-loved/beloved. Should be pronounced m-a. My friend called her dd this, it just bemuses me when her other dc have very standard UK names.

LlynTegid · 28/05/2025 12:46

I care about it. Stupid spellings are not the action of a loving person. Give your child a name spelt sensibly, spare them a life of correcting people or comments.

Cherrysoup · 28/05/2025 12:43

Tenducks · 28/05/2025 05:15

Also knew a little Micheal. Pronounced Michael. Never understood that one. 1️⃣

Dad went to register and spelt it incorrectly? I know one too, plus my dad registered my brother and spelt his middle name incorrectly by adding in a pointless extra consonant. Mother was not pleased.

JudgeJ · 28/05/2025 12:27

Supergirl1958 · 27/05/2025 21:15

I went to college with three girls called Amy spelt three different ways! 🤦‍♀️

I once had three Siobhans in one class, none were spelt correctly, Chevonne, Shivorn and one I forget.

ThrowawayAccount29 · 28/05/2025 10:54

Unique spellings are one of my pet hates. It makes the parents look as though they can’t spell and dooms the child to a life of ‘nope, not Cassie, it’s Kassyeeie’ 🙄 🙄 (or similar!)

Grammarnut · 28/05/2025 10:46

Believerinbiology · 28/05/2025 09:03

Yet again on this thread with a lot of the names mentioned people don't seem to have an understanding that English isn't the only language. Spelling and pronunciation vary depending on the country/language of origin but also on where the name has travelled to and how long it's been in use there. Lots of Irish names mentioned on this thread....some families try to retain the pronunciation but Anglicise the spelling e.g. Seán becomes Shaun/Shawn, some retain the spelling (minus fadas) but Anglicise the pronunciation e.g. Mícheál becomes Micheal but pronounced Michael. Over time the names spread in their new area to others and so many change further. I have a name listed on the thread and yes I have to spell it, yes I've heard/seen a hundred variations of it written down but that's just because people either are not familiar with the language of origin or do not want to make assumptions about which way it's spelled.

My name never turns on threads like this but it is rare (so rare owners of it will be either my age or my daughter's age and none in between as it also goes out of fashion quite fast) and has a variety of spellings - and some very famous legendary owners as well as the star I was named for. I usually have to spell it, even its diminutive (or at least the one I use, it has several, depending on the spelling). Its origins are probably Celtic.

Grammarnut · 28/05/2025 10:42

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 27/05/2025 21:28

The book Freakonomics by Levitt and Dubner showed how OTT or deliberately way out names and odd variations actually influence a child future. It shouldn’t be the case but we live in a world which determines class and advance decides ability through clues such as naming conventions.

Sadly true. If a teacher you always know the difficult kids will be the ones with the off-beat names. Emma and James are rarely a problem but someone named after a famous city, or owning to a street-wise name almost always is.

Navyblueberries · 28/05/2025 10:38

I know of a mabel spelled mai belle, poor child.

QuinionsRainbow · 28/05/2025 10:31

GarlicPile · 28/05/2025 04:36

YY. It's a topic-related diversion, so why not 😄

Thorough
Through
Trough
Rough

Thorough / through flummoxes me even now, as they're etymologically the same word (see thoroughfare and throughway) and I don't know why 'through' is pronounced like 'threw'. You'd need a fuckton of rules to make sense of it all, and still have another fuckton of outliers!

I love language 😂

If it's a topic-based diversion, how about:

The rough, tough dough-faced ploughman went coughing and hiccoughing through the boughs of the borough of Loughborough.

BunnyLake · 28/05/2025 09:33

sahmahnthah
Ptabeether
Mykhhuhl
Bendgahmihn
Soohshahn

chaosmaker · 28/05/2025 09:23

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 27/05/2025 21:52

@BoobsOnTheMoon what about Morpheus?? all I can think of is a wee plasticine character!!

The Matrix

Believerinbiology · 28/05/2025 09:03

Yet again on this thread with a lot of the names mentioned people don't seem to have an understanding that English isn't the only language. Spelling and pronunciation vary depending on the country/language of origin but also on where the name has travelled to and how long it's been in use there. Lots of Irish names mentioned on this thread....some families try to retain the pronunciation but Anglicise the spelling e.g. Seán becomes Shaun/Shawn, some retain the spelling (minus fadas) but Anglicise the pronunciation e.g. Mícheál becomes Micheal but pronounced Michael. Over time the names spread in their new area to others and so many change further. I have a name listed on the thread and yes I have to spell it, yes I've heard/seen a hundred variations of it written down but that's just because people either are not familiar with the language of origin or do not want to make assumptions about which way it's spelled.

MCCN · 28/05/2025 08:42

HonoriaBulstrode · 28/05/2025 08:34

Also knew a little Micheal. Pronounced Michael. Never understood that one.

They probably meant Michael and got it wrong. It's often misspelled like that. I always notice because I have a relative called Michael.

I knew someone who followed the career of an actor whose name was Michael. She spelled it Micheal every time she mentioned him online. Set my teeth on edge.

Micheal is the Irish spelling. It's pronounced differently (softer) although when people are in the UK they often just pronounce it the same as Michael.

AgentCooperdreamsofTibet · 28/05/2025 08:41

I know an Aayvvah

cwfen · 28/05/2025 08:40

ExercicenformedeZ · 27/05/2025 20:29

I find it annoying when people start these threads and then refuse to give the specific name. Just spell it with spaces!

Do you think this is a soap opera for your benefit?

The OP is talking about a real person, a child, who would be outed by her doing that.

That's hugely unfair on that child, and to demand the OP does that purely for for entertainment is pretty shallow IMO.