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Baby names

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Does a different spelling = chavvy???

83 replies

mosschops30 · 23/09/2009 10:46

You know what I mean, when you see some odd spelling of a 'normal' name just so that it looks 'special' but often ends up just looking ridiculous.

Am asking because the name Aidan is on my shortlist, but have also seen it spelt Aaden and Aedan, which I prefer to the traditional spelling.

What do you think of the alternative spellings?

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Marcipex · 31/05/2018 23:37

I was at school in the dark ages with a Shevaun. She was as Irish as can be, and not at all chavvy.
But yes, I was puzzled by Iria (pronounced Ira ) and then there's Dayzee...she is cute though and at least it's phonetic.

BlueJava · 31/05/2018 22:11

I think it looks like the parents cannot spell. There is an Amii at work, she constantly spells her name out when on the phone to people. If it was me I'd have just told work it was Amy.

HarryLovesDraco · 31/05/2018 22:06

This thread is 9 years old!

Joeybee · 30/05/2018 22:36

I can't stand it when people change up a spelling of a name to try and make it more 'unique'. It doesn't make it unique at all, it just looks tacky. I think it would be easy to judge someone as chavvy for changing the spelling of a name - thats what lots of chavvy people do. Also you're condemning your child to a life time of spelling out their name, and having people say "Oh that's an unusual spelling" and them having to answer/explain over and over. It gets really annoying really quickly.

NataliaOsipova · 30/05/2018 22:18

I think there are acceptable variations of names. Think Clare/Claire. Steven/Stephen. Jill/Gill. Katy/Katie. Martin/Martyn.

But anything "way out" just looks ridiculous...and, as others have said, as though the parents are a bit dim and can't spell the name they have chosen, setting up that child for a lifetime of having to spell out his or her name. Choose a name you Iike and stick to the conventional spelling!

Carouselfish · 30/05/2018 22:01

Obsidian, my daughter is Carmen. A year in, I'm still trying to get all the nursery staff to not spell it Carman. Confused

MaybeyBaybey · 30/05/2018 19:48

Maybe.

But it really depends on whether the name is misspelled or whether the parents simply chose an other (still correct) spelling, e.g. the French of Russian spelling...

I've recently been on several name. And there are apparently a lot of people that felt the need to tell a parent / expecting parent that spellings like Mikhail/Mikkel/Michel etc were trashy/chavvy etc...

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 30/05/2018 16:19

I wouldn't say so. My sister is Amy (Aimee)
which was an unusual spelling when she was born (late 80s)
Providing it's not off the scale different and you can tell straight away what it is.
eg. Vyktoreigha for Victoria might be pushing it.

Patienceofatoddler · 30/05/2018 15:55

I can't help but think they don't actually know how be spell...

birdofthenorth · 27/10/2009 18:08

My sister is a teacher and different spellings for the sake of it is her bug bear. She says it takes the kids longer to spell their own name becaue other adults are always spelling it incorrectly!!

KittyBigglesworth · 21/10/2009 23:16

Sometimes, sometimes not, for example as Rachael has said, there are some names, for example, those with Hebrew origins that have many different spellings.

So, I wouldn't read a Hebrew name like Rachael and think "What thick parents" because I know that it could have been closer to the original spelling than Rachel is now however if I saw Chardonae, I would think it was all the more awful!

How new the name sounds, I think, is more of a barrier to our acceptance of how a name is spelt than the name itself.

girlsyearapart · 21/10/2009 21:05

Did anyone else notice Treyc on x factor? classic imo.

niftyfifty · 21/10/2009 20:50

Is chavvy IMO - 'Cortnee' being one of my pet hates! I also rang someone called 'Lyca' once and pronounced it Lie Ka when, oops, she called herself Lisa! Makes me cringe ....

hocuspontas · 21/10/2009 19:30

Worst spelling - Jorja.
Worst mis-spelling - Issac.

mrswoolf · 21/10/2009 19:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MamaLazarou · 11/10/2009 11:40

How is 'Theigho' pronounced? They-ho? Thee-ho? Thee-go? They-go?

MamaVegas - I also know a 'See-Ann'!

I would pronounced Aadan as 'Arden'.

My own name is alternatively-spelt (although it is the original biblical version, not a trendy made-up one). I must say that you do get used to spelling it out all the time, and the benefits of having a name that's slightly different from the crowd definitely outweigh the negatives for me.

Having said that, I dislike unnecessary extra letters in names: e.g, Tobey, Zoey; and anything that doesn't read how it sounds (like Theigho above, which I just can't fathom!)

sweetnitanitro · 11/10/2009 11:36

PMSL @ Pyrocanthus

I once worked with a girl called Shevaun I think it's better to stick to accepted spellings of names. "Alternative" spellings either look like you can't spell or you're trying too hard to be different.

Salonly · 11/10/2009 11:20

I know a Theigho. They're not the classiest of parents.

Pyrocanthus · 11/10/2009 11:17

Rachael Ridiculous is a fab name.

MrsTicklemouse · 11/10/2009 02:39

i can't believe in a thread about spelling a can't spell *ridiculous

MrsTicklemouse · 11/10/2009 02:29

dont do it my name is RachAel which is actually the traditional spelling but is quite rare these days and i have always hated having to say Rachael with an A especially now my married surname is rediculous!!

Fibilou · 11/10/2009 02:14

Aadan immediately makes me think "Swedish village"

pookamoo · 08/10/2009 18:38

A friend is a secondary school teacher.
He says on day 1 of the new school year, you can tell which children will be a challenge because their own parents couldn't spell their names...

Not saying this is always the case, but still, as somebody said above, it makes the parents look thick.

(By the way, my friend is an excellent teacher)

BiteOfFun · 08/10/2009 18:18

Like Shardnay? Don't like deliberate phoneticisms, looks a bit ropey IMVHO.

Jamieandhismagictorch · 08/10/2009 17:52

Yes.

Maybe this is more common since texting became so popular ?

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