Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Would you tell someone they’ve misspelt their baby’s name?!

259 replies

CaptainCabinets · 08/11/2018 16:02

A colleague has recently announced the birth of ‘Pheobe’ on Facebook and have since referred to the baby as ‘Pheobe’ several times.

Would I be awful to gently suggest the correct spelling or just hope it’s picked up on when they register the birth?!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
CatkinToadflax · 09/11/2018 18:38

I have an aunt whose name is Rachael, as opposed to Rachel. Over the years I’ve come across a fair few other Rachaels too.

Recently though I’ve come across a couple of people with the spelling Racheal. I can’t get my head round it. It’s just wrong! Confused

GummyGoddess · 09/11/2018 18:33

Say something please! I have a stupidly spelt name and it is a total PITA correcting everyone. Think Salli instead of Sally.

Conventional spellings make life easier, I don't understand why someone thinks a 'pretty' spelling is worth a lifetime of irritation for their child (looking at you DM!).

nanini · 09/11/2018 18:33

I recently met a woman named Jennifer but spelt Jenipha.

InfantaSybilla · 09/11/2018 18:27

If the parents are married then either parent can register the birth.

If they are unmarried the father must be present if he wants his details to be included on the birth certificate..

Original poster
CaptainCabinets · 09/11/2018 18:25

I once met a Bikayla

And on today’s episode of ‘Things That Never Happened’ Grin I suppose her sister was the famous La-a?

OP posts:
Mitzimaybe · 09/11/2018 17:59

@Shriek

This was normal years ago. The mum would stay in hospital for a week following the birth (special maternity hospital, not a general infirmary) and the dad registered the birth.

TheDowagerCuntess · 09/11/2018 17:53

I once met a Bikayla. Her mum had told her dad to register Michaela but she had a cold at the time. And she remained Bikayla.

What? If Mum had a cold, so Dad (who presumably didn't) registered her, surely it would have been pronounced Michaela?

And who on earth comes away with an incorrectly spelt birth certificate, and instead of correcting the BC, calls their child a random collection of letters for their rest of their life?

What nonsense.

Shriek · 09/11/2018 17:52

How long ago Blanche ?

BlancheM · 09/11/2018 17:44

It used to be different years ago, my mum sent my dad to register my brother's birth and they had two names they couldn't decide on so she told him to surprise her.

Shriek · 09/11/2018 17:41

Well that's just not real as father would sign with mother present and be able to read, after being told to check it carefully before signing.
Mother has to register excepting certain conditions

TallulahBetty · 09/11/2018 17:40

I once met a Bikayla. Her mum had told her dad to register Michaela but she had a cold at the time. And she remained Bikayla.

Surely he would have noticed when the registrar showed them the form to check it was spelled right!?

Changedmynametoolikeyou · 09/11/2018 17:20

I once met a Bikayla. Her mum had told her dad to register Michaela but she had a cold at the time. And she remained Bikayla.

Shriek · 09/11/2018 17:06

Nah! It's not the law, and many acceptable variations. It's whether the parents have knowingly chosen this variation that matters.
Just ask where the different spelling came from.

toomuchhappyland · 09/11/2018 17:03

“Variant” spellings at least are obviously wrong - Linzi, Kaytee etc. Pheobe is just wrong. Same as non-Irish people choosing Micheal and not pronouncing it Me-hall. I would def say something, tactfully.

DadJoke · 09/11/2018 16:37

Say "I spotted a typo on your Facebook post..."

IStandWithPosie · 09/11/2018 16:36

or Pheobe 😂

RoomWithALoon · 09/11/2018 16:29

Jesus, this thread is making my eyes bleed.

It's not difficult to find an example, somewhere in the English language, of a collection of letters making a different sound in one word than another. That's the infuriating mixed-up beauty of the English language. It doesn't stop the name being Phoebe.

Mitzimaybe · 09/11/2018 16:05

I would have to say something. Use one of the polite replies suggested by pp.

Shriek · 09/11/2018 15:31

It a variant on Phoebe, and Greek, so not English or Latin derivation. Also pet form of another word. She can be ligit spelling, if that's the intention. I have known peeeeple change letters around just to be different!

lebkuchenlover · 09/11/2018 15:24

No I don't have a Phoebe or a Pheobe. I don't really like the name.

I'm just interested in languages and phonetics Smile

LasMeninas · 09/11/2018 15:19

Sorry lebkuchenlover, do you have a Pheobe? Apologies if so. It's not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things.

Yes, the spelling is "wrong" in the sense that it is not how the name is traditionally or commonly spelt. Just like spelling Sarah as Sairah would be "wrong" in English, even though it would be pronounced the same and not a major issue – apart from for the girl/woman having to regularly correct peopleon the spelling.

lebkuchenlover · 09/11/2018 15:14

So all 29 Pheobes born last year alone have all got 'wrong' spellings?

beachysandy81 · 09/11/2018 15:04

She can spell how she likes surely???

DeRigueurMortis · 09/11/2018 14:58

I'd say something- simply because in this case it's likely to be a mis-spelling rather than someone trying to be unique.

She's going to find out at some point and discovering you've been misspelling your child's name would be awful.

I think I'd just say something like, "can I just check to make sure I've got it right that you're naming your daughter Pheobe rather than the usual Phoebe as I don't want to get it wrong if you've decided on a different spelling?"

LasMeninas · 09/11/2018 14:54

If people is pronounced as peeple, then Pheobe can be spelled Pheobe

Well, it's more like "If people is pronounced as peeple, then Pheobe can be pronounced as fee-bee", which is true. But as I said, spellings are usually based on convention, not comparisons to other words. And the conventional spelling of Phoebe is Phoebe.

Swipe left for the next trending thread