Page 3 | AIBU to ask why parents give deliberately unusual spellings of otherwise common names?

Ihateasthma · 2026-08-23T15:19:52+00:00

Why do parents give their DC names which sound normal but differently spelt to the normal way? Maddyline for Madeleine Febee for Pheobe Pheo for Theo You have shot yourselves in the foot from day one as you get angry, roll your eyes when others spell their names the normal way. If you gave DC the normal spelling- you wouldn’t react like this Then when the DC are older they do the same thing and say “it’s spelt ….”

Marroon · 25/08/2026 09:23

Zimunya · 25/08/2026 09:14

I think this is the sadly the case in the majority of outlandish names. A chap I was at school with called his daughter "Mikayla" - he genuinely thought that was how "Michaela" was spelt.

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Mikayla is a fairly widely used spelling, is not an incorrect spelling of Michaela.

Tesremos82 · 25/08/2026 09:20

CaptainMyCaptain · 23/08/2026 16:25

Yes. Shivon or Arron for example.

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How should Arron be spelt?

Zimunya · 25/08/2026 09:14

QuadrupleH · 23/08/2026 16:22

I see multiple examples of this working in education - sadly in a lot of cases it's not being unique, they're just genuinely that thick they don't know how to spell the name.

I think this is the sadly the case in the majority of outlandish names. A chap I was at school with called his daughter "Mikayla" - he genuinely thought that was how "Michaela" was spelt.

Marroon · 25/08/2026 09:12

x2boys · 25/08/2026 09:09

Nerve i assume is neve , Niamh

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Weird to attempt a phonetic spelling with an R in Niamh though!

x2boys · 25/08/2026 09:09

BunkBedsArePeopleShelves · 25/08/2026 09:06

I honestly don't know what Irish names you think those sounds are

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Nerve i assume is neve , Niamh

TheBirdintheCave · 25/08/2026 09:08

Monr0e · 23/08/2026 21:02

I've posted this on previous name threads, but the new trend in the area where I work is the middle name "Bleu"

I have 4 children on my caseload born in the last 12 months with this as a hyphenated middle name, all spelt in the same way (and yes, 2 of them are called Navey)

There’s a boy who lives near us with this middle name. I wonder why it’s trending? 🤨

BunkBedsArePeopleShelves · 25/08/2026 09:06

ArtfulDenimSheep · 23/08/2026 22:48

I've seen Nerve and Sharn. I'm not Irish so don't know the correct spelling of either of these names, both of which I happen to like. Maybe some non Irish Mums like the names but are not sure how to spell them and think that some people wouldn't know how they were supposed to be pronounced if they weren't written down how they sounded.

I honestly don't know what Irish names you think those sounds are

TheBirdintheCave · 25/08/2026 08:55

Sugarnspicenallthingsnaice · 23/08/2026 19:13

I know of Emilia and Emilja, can't think of another 2 variants!

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Amelia and Emilia are two different names with different roots though, despite sounding similar! Cool right? :D 🤓

Missey85 · 25/08/2026 08:34

GrandTheftWalrus · 24/08/2026 22:30

You should all go onto that name is a tragedeigh on fb. That's hilarious.

Edited

I love that page it's hilarious 😂 😂 😂 some of the names the poor kids end up with here in Australia there's a whole list of names that your not allowed to use

MrsBird03 · 25/08/2026 06:35

Reading this thread, I think there is a distinction between judging the name and judging the parent's attitude towards the name (the upset at people being confused or not getting the spelling right first time).

Reminds me when we were sat in the waiting room at our local vet practice when my son approached a lady to ask about her cat. As a curious three year old, he wanted to know the name to which the lady replied 'cat, but spelt with a K' 🤣 why that made a difference to an inquisitive 3 year old I don't know.

In terms of human names, I have had to ask Pious how to pronounce his name which was Piers (his pronunciation) or Pee-us (when I heard the parent pronounce it) and my local paper recently celebrated exam success of a Reign-beau which I presumed must be (Rainbow). I have a common 80s name and for the first time ever was asked if it was one L, 2 L's or 3 L's when I rang British Gas last week.

UhOhRatPoo · 25/08/2026 00:54

LittleGreenShoots · 24/08/2026 22:45

I have three friends called Sian and they are all Sharn's in pronunciation.

See-ann is the most common mispronunciation people make when they see their names written down and they try reading them but they aren't familiar with them though. I guess it's not inconceivable some people might adopt the mistake as their actual name. 😂

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As far as I understand it, that is exactly what happened with Caitlin (pronounced Kate-Lynn). That spelling is Irish and should have a fada on the last vowel and be pronounced something like “Kathleen” but over the years “Kate-Lynn” became a name in itself.

HelenaWilson · 25/08/2026 00:44

No-one has ever called their son PHEO. Come off it.

Pheo appears five times in the Civil Birth registrations on Find My Past, although one of them appears to be the same child registered or indexed twice. One of the Pheos is a girl, judging by her other name.

I very much doubt Febee has actually been used, either!

Febee also appears five times in the Civil Birth registrations on Find My Past. Though one of them appears to be the same little girl registered three times with three different surnames. Or else three little girls with the same two first names born in the same place in the same year.

LBFseBrom · 25/08/2026 00:26

I hate that too.

Tunnocks34 · 25/08/2026 00:15

LittleGreenShoots · 24/08/2026 22:45

I have three friends called Sian and they are all Sharn's in pronunciation.

See-ann is the most common mispronunciation people make when they see their names written down and they try reading them but they aren't familiar with them though. I guess it's not inconceivable some people might adopt the mistake as their actual name. 😂

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My best friend is See Ann but she spells is Sianne.

Funny though — almost the opposite of this thread, by niece is called Aoife and someone asked my brother why he was trying to be alternative with the spelling instead of just spelling it ‘eefah’

TheOriginalEmu · 25/08/2026 00:03

Portmore · 24/08/2026 21:18

Even worse are the names that trans women & non binary choose for themselves. I've worked with a Moon, Forest, Ocean & River

why only trans women? lots of trans men also use those kind of nature names. And I personally know 3 Rivers who are just small kids. 🤷‍♂️

TheOriginalEmu · 25/08/2026 00:01

KnickerlessParsons · 24/08/2026 19:16

It’s a Welsh name Sîan. And it’s pronounced Shaaan.

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the roof goes over the the a - Siân. the roof elongates the letter so changing air from Shan to Shaan. Si-an sounds like someone’s only ever seen it written down and doesn’t know welsh phonetics.

(i just looked them up from the voice, that boy is amazing!)

LittleGreenShoots · 24/08/2026 22:45

x2boys · 24/08/2026 13:54

No she was a contestsnt on the voice a few years ago along with her brother
Sian and Jorden fuller
They both sang beautifully
And she definintley pronounced it Si Ann

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I have three friends called Sian and they are all Sharn's in pronunciation.

See-ann is the most common mispronunciation people make when they see their names written down and they try reading them but they aren't familiar with them though. I guess it's not inconceivable some people might adopt the mistake as their actual name. 😂

GrandTheftWalrus · 24/08/2026 22:30

You should all go onto that name is a tragedeigh on fb. That's hilarious.

PyongyangKipperbang · 24/08/2026 22:24

Namechangetry · 24/08/2026 22:06

Does this win the thread?

Wow.......!

Namechangetry · 24/08/2026 22:06

Does this win the thread?

AIBU to ask why parents give deliberately unusual spellings of otherwise common names?

PyongyangKipperbang · 24/08/2026 21:43

Mushypeasandchipstogo · 24/08/2026 18:56

I agree with a previous poster , some parents simply can’t spell.! Back in the day I had a Suesan and Alisen in my class!

I feel robbed!

All we had was Sarah v Sara and Claire v Clare v Clair! ((although imo it should never be Clair)

PyongyangKipperbang · 24/08/2026 21:40

QuadrupleH · 24/08/2026 20:48

It was in one of the Auf Wiedersehen Pet series as well - Mox didn't know how to pronounce it.

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Thats always what I remember when someone mentions Gooey! Its series three when they go to America!

ETA I think the implication is that Moxy is a bit thick and so is his sister because she read the name in a book and neither of them knew how it was supposed to be pronounced.

momtoboys · 24/08/2026 21:38

My favorite was a boy named Josh in oldest son's year. It was spelled Xjosh. The mother thought she was so clever telling people "the X is silent!". The teachers all started putting random letters in front of their names when corresponding amongst themselves.

Portmore · 24/08/2026 21:18

Even worse are the names that trans women & non binary choose for themselves. I've worked with a Moon, Forest, Ocean & River

QuadrupleH · 24/08/2026 20:48

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 24/08/2026 16:24

The Guy pronounced Gooey was in a novel but I forget which one.

It was in one of the Auf Wiedersehen Pet series as well - Mox didn't know how to pronounce it.