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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?!

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Shriek · 08/11/2018 23:42

Well it can't be both! If pp knows it is a spelling?

KitchenDancefloor · 08/11/2018 23:39

Pheobe is an actual misspelling of this name though

Shriek · 08/11/2018 23:37

Ah! There you go. You just never know! They haven't misspelt it.

IStandWithPosie · 08/11/2018 23:23

Pheobe is an actual spelling of this name though.

Pemba · 08/11/2018 23:09

It's not a modern phenomenon though, my great aunt who would now have been well over 100, was registered as Gladwys by her father. I presume he was trying to get the authentic Welsh spelling of Gladys, which was very fashionable at the time. The correct Welsh spelling is Gwladys I believe.

Shriek · 08/11/2018 22:52

Yes, maybe they want to spell it that way. Ask, as i've not seen it spelt that way before
You never know the source, as with Michael and Micheal.

Original poster
CaptainCabinets · 08/11/2018 22:48

Also why would you wilfully misspell ‘Phoebe’ Grin

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Original poster
CaptainCabinets · 08/11/2018 22:47

Omg pp with a Malachi, that’s just reminded me of another person I know who has a ‘Malarkey’ Confused pronounced ‘Malachi’.

I don’t think she realises they’re two very different words Blush

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Yeaididthat · 08/11/2018 22:13

The spelling Jaidyn makes me uncomfortable. And Kloe. Im from a generation of Linzi/Vicki/Gemas and alternative spellings still make me wonder what the parents were thinking

VisitorsEntrance · 08/11/2018 21:55

Maybe they want to spell it that way?

Yes but you can’t just decide how to spell things.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=tyQvjKqXA0Y

myotherbagisgucci · 08/11/2018 21:12

I knew a girl called Danyell when I was growing up. Apparently her dad couldn't spell Danielle! 😂

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 08/11/2018 20:57

Maybe they want to spell it that way? It’s hardly the worst spelling of a name I’ve ever seen...

BlancheM · 08/11/2018 20:54

Hmm, some of these are just foreign names or come from different cultures.
Pheobe is hard to overlook, just typing it out then made it autocorrect to its proper spelling! I'm sure someone from the colleague's family will tell her

Rigamorph · 08/11/2018 20:53

Do what
addictedtocrunchies suggested.

PodgeBod · 08/11/2018 20:53

Personally if I was only close enough to find out their babies name on Facebook, I wouldn't say anything. I would leave that embarrassment to immediate family Grin

That said I know a Luice, pronounced Lucy/Lucie.

AwkwardSquad · 08/11/2018 20:53

I made the mistake of pointing out that the spelling of the name of a colleague’s new baby wasn’t quite standard - they’d added an x to the end of a French name, as though the kid was a plural of himself. It did not go down well, I did some rapid backtracking and learnt an important lesson. Which was to STFU in future.

DinoMamasaurus · 08/11/2018 20:49

I’d check with them direct privately. Might even just be a mistake on the FB post. I say this as someone who sent out a WhatsApp group message announcing my baby’s birth in which I managed to spell my own surname incorrectly! To be fair I had been awake and in labour for a looong time. Baby.brain.is.real!

Littlegoth · 08/11/2018 20:48

I know a Jaime, but it’s pronounced Hi-meh (Spanish!)

Worlds0kayestmum · 08/11/2018 20:46

I know someone who is planning to call their son Issac. I did ask about it because I have an Isaac and was told they like both spellings and were deciding between them. As far as I was aware, there isn't a spelling variation of the name

Greensleeves · 08/11/2018 20:45

I taught a Rubeun. Made my eyelid twitch every time I saw it. I never said anything of course (would have been a bit late, as he was 6)

Lottapianos · 08/11/2018 20:43

I have come across Demello (pronounced Dem-ee-lee-oh) and Urbane (pronounced Urban) Shock

Didyeeaye · 08/11/2018 20:42

Incase anyone is curious his name is Malachi. I've seen it spelt Malachai, Malaki, malakai, Malachy and (most obscure imo) Malekie lol

Polkapjs · 08/11/2018 20:39

I’d check how to pronounce it with them as it’s spelled differently to the Phoebe from friends

toomuchhappyland · 08/11/2018 20:38

I have a Phoebe. We were once at a dance show where another mum was handing out the costumes. Got to ours and she gave it me with a very judgy look. I checked the label and the dance teacher had written “Feebie”. Grin

Didyeeaye · 08/11/2018 20:38

I wouldn't automatically assume it's a mistake. My LO's name has loads of spelling options and I went with the one I thought looked best. Every person seems to spell it different though 😞

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