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Baby names

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

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:
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Cookit · 09/11/2018 08:50

I’d want to know if it was me.

IStandWithPosie · 09/11/2018 08:45

No my Irish name is not a misspelling of another name istandwithposie
Its an old Irish word
It can only be spelt one way :-)

Confused I didn’t mention your name!

lebkuchenlover · 09/11/2018 08:14

Or even Feebee?

Nobody would misspell that Grin

lebkuchenlover · 09/11/2018 08:14

Maybe eventually it will be spelled Pheebee?

lebkuchenlover · 09/11/2018 08:11

I struggle to remember which is the correct spelling. Pheobe seems right as it's pronounced like people, so has the same ee sound.

In other words, I can understand that some people misspell it.

BakedBeans47 · 09/11/2018 07:18

*If you look through the National Statistics baby names spreadsheet you find Phoebe misspelled “Pheobe” every year.

In 2017, 29 Pheobes were born vs 2000 Phoebes*

This. It is stupid and no doubt she’ll get all indignant in years to come when people spell the name “wrongly” 🙄

I’d probably just leave it but if you do decide to say something just speak to her directly. Putting something like “welcome to the world Phoebe” on her fb is just going to make you look a bit of a dick.

BathFullOfEels · 09/11/2018 07:14

I think Robin for a girl is fine.

winterhappiness · 09/11/2018 02:37

Considering this thread, I wondering what people would think of a girl called Robin (not Robyn)?

I know Robin is generally the male form, but it seems to also be used for girls sometimes? I like the name because of the bird 

What are your opinions? 

RubyPreciousJewel · 09/11/2018 01:00

I know a Linsilee

OkPedro · 09/11/2018 00:58

No my Irish name is not a misspelling of another name istandwithposie
Its an old Irish word
It can only be spelt one way :-)

Shriek · 09/11/2018 00:45

Oh wow, Malarkey!? Eek!
Now that's misspelt!

RebeccaWrongDaily · 09/11/2018 00:37

i had a message a few years ago from a 'mum at play group' friend (so wouldn'th have been the first announcement)
she'd called her daughter Francis - i replied and said 'i thought you were having a girl?! congrats' about 2 hours later got a message announcing the spelling of their daughter, Frances' birth.

she's thanked me since then :D

Didyeeaye · 09/11/2018 00:36

**CaptainCabinets
Lmao Malarkey! Grin That spelling tops any other I have seen thus far!

IStandWithPosie · 09/11/2018 00:28

People can be very odd about names. All names were new at some point. Many off which were a misspelling of another name and just became commonly used to the point that nobody using it was even aware there was a mistake made. Can’t say I understand the fuss. Who does it harm?

PippilottaLongstocking · 09/11/2018 00:25

I know a Rueben. I know it makes sense phonetically but it’s still very much WRONG!

Pemba · 09/11/2018 00:17

Byou 😁

Pemba · 09/11/2018 00:16

They use the spelling Lilly in the USA, I believe. Not sure it's a mistake.

Shriek · 09/11/2018 00:14

Apparently it's Greek originally, sometimes a pet name form of Euphemia.
Rarely used in UK, more commonly its variant Phoebe is used.

INeedNewShoes · 09/11/2018 00:14

On the name Beau, the Beau I know is a girl, pronounced Byou (as in the beginning of the English word Beautiful)...

IStandWithPosie · 09/11/2018 00:06

If someone is named Lilly then it is! Grin

BathFullOfEels · 09/11/2018 00:02

That website also lists Lilly as an alternative spelling of Lily. It doesn’t mean it actually is.

IStandWithPosie · 08/11/2018 23:57

Pheobe

Would you tell someone they’ve misspelt their baby’s name?!
Would you tell someone they’ve misspelt their baby’s name?!
Shriek · 08/11/2018 23:54

Istand knows something you dont then perhaps. We'll have to see I guess

KitchenDancefloor · 08/11/2018 23:51

I've also seen a Phoebe in my family have the spellings Pheobe, Fibi, Feebee and Feebie in cards from school friends. She knows it's not an easy phonetic name so isn't bothered.

They're all still misspellings though!

KitchenDancefloor · 08/11/2018 23:48

It's definitely not. Sorry to offend any Pheobes out there. Just a misspelling, but I guess this is how new names can emerge and evolve.

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