To get annoyed when parents spell their kids name wrong

[HelloSteve]

...and then they get annoyed when people constantly spell their names "wrong" (aka the right way)? Or buy personalised items with their names spelt their way?

Not really a big deal I know, but I what do you expect when you give your child a name spelled in a way to be yoo-niq?

Over the past couple of weeks I've heard of a Emma-Leigh, a Sophy and a Jordyn. I can't help thinking 'poor kids they're going to have to go through their whole lives having to correct people'. It seems people don't think about that though.

I know a woman who has two grown up daughters called Jemma (I assume they meant for that to be Gemma) and a Hollie (again, I assume Holly) and she always gets annoyed when people don't ask and just assume they're spelt Gemma and Holly, but I don't know why. She should have expected that/be used to that now? I know she would constantly get irritated when the kids were at school and received Christmas cards/party invites with their names spelt wrong but honestly I have little sympathy. What was she expecting when she spelt her kids names wrong?

Your thoughts?

My niece has a misspelled name. But with a good reason- my SIL wanted her name to be spelt the German way (seeing as she has German family and lived there for years). However, the name she chose (which is one that she really loved) would be mistaken for a similar English name and constantly mispronounced over here. Therefore she went for a cross between the English and German spellings, ensuring that it would be pronounced correctly in both countries. It wasn't a yooneek spelling, and she agonised for days over the decision. I try and keep that in mind when I look at other children's names and despair over the spellings.

My daughter has a name that can be conventionally spelled two ways. One way it can be a boy or girl's name, the other spelling is exclusively female. We chose the lesser known but decidedly female spelling. We just give her name and add 'with a 'y'' as a matter of course when giving her details.

"Oh god I teach a Racheal. Takes all my self control not to correct it on the register."

www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Racheal

But using my method, you just think "short for Janet".

www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Racheal

oops

Alys isn't a new alternative. It's Welsh and predates Alice.

I have a name which confuses people. It is quite a simple name but people always call me something else. Like jemma being called jenna.

My dds name gets spelt how you pronounce it by people who dont know the name however her name is spelt correctly the way that it should be.

I dont see how Hollie can be classed as mis-spelt.

I've know a couple of people who have admitted to their child having the spelling they do, because they got it wrong.

Haidee (Heidi) and Harriett.

I think that is a little bit sad, because if in doubt, surely you'd check first.

I also know people who deliberately wanted an unusual spelling to make their child different. It fits with an American trend, particularly amongst African-Americans, where a large percentage of children have unique names.

It doesn't annoy me at all, but I see it as an interesting social trend and one which is often seen amongst those in less affluent areas.

Personally, I wouldn't want my child or myself to constantly have to explain that my child spells their name differently to the expected way. I see nothing wrong with the usual spellings. So would always go with them.

Molliegh you are joking? It looks ridiculous, aside from being unpronounceable.

Hollie just looks wrong.

I know that, Alisvolat. That's why I said it was the older/Welsh spelling in my post.

That would be "they would spell it properly
Even more arrogant.

Names are words, words change over time.

and in answer to the person who thinks its not snobby because children will get laughed at...by who?

I wouldn't laugh at Rubby.

Because that would be rude. Kids won't laugh because they are used to hearing and seeing all kinds of unusual names.

So its just rude and ignorant adults who would laugh at a child.

Perhaps they should stop laughing at children? Radical idea I know

Carmine

It wasn't directed at you! I just forgot who it was who lumped it in with "creative" names by the time I got to the end of the thread

I certainly wouldn't laugh at Rubby. I'd feel sorry for the poor kid.

I teach a Jacub. Now, I'm an English teacher and can 'hear' the difference between to and too when I read them. Jacub just doesn't 'sound' the same as Jacob. I struggle. Always spell it his way, though.

Oh, sorry, Alis! I was feeling defensive because my partner is being mean about my suggestion .

My cousin is Haidee. I've never heard anyone else with the name. Her sister is Millie. I think they're lovely names

Many years ago I visited a mum with a very new baby girl, they were not friends or family, I was visiting in my professional capacity
I duly admired the baby and asked what the baby's name was
I wish I could remember it now - anyway she announced something quite unusual, as I am a tad deaf, I wasn't sure I had heard right, just to clarify I asked - so how are you spelling that? I was rather surprised when she replied - oh we haven't decided that yet!!

I don't think people laugh at the more peculiar spellings, but they do raise an eyebrow. It does send a message immediately and paint a picture about that child (or adult, later in life when it is on their CV)
Yeah, yeah we shouldn't judge by names. But people do. And those that are a clear spelling error (such as Racheal mentioned above) will always look like errors, rather than 'creative' spellings.

I think we should revive some of the old biblical names like Uz, Mash and Dodo.

Although given that (as I understand) there are no Hebrew letters to denote vowels, I wonder how much poetic licence they took when translating the names into English...

I almost forgot- I had a friend called Siobahn. Not Siobhan but Siobahn.

cardi I think I know what you mean- I work with children whose names are the English version of my DN's, and phonetically they are the same. However I somehow 'hear' my DN's name as different.

I dont think in this day and age there is a correct way of spelling anyones name just the traditional way. I think its quite nice, people may want a traditional sounding name but want to give it an edge by spelling it differently.

It's interesting how we have different attitudes to this isn't it.
Some people want to draw attention to their child and mark them out as unique and different by their name or by its spelling.
Other people are against drawing attention to themselves and their children. I wonder if some people see doing this as vulgar or common in some way.
Do you think that is why there is such strength of feeling about it here?

in my case, it's not what I think that's my issue, it's what everyone else thinks. If I gave my child a "different" name, I'd be afraid people would always make snap judgements about them and pigeonhole them. (because yes, people do use first names as an indicator of social background)

I don't want my children to have to go against that all their life, so I gave my dd a lovely but quite common name, that I'm sure many here would think is bland... it's a trade off.

Gemma comes from Roman Jewel Jemma comes from Jemima, from Hebrew warm, or dove.Two different names.

No, Jemma doesn't come from the name Jemima. It comes from the name Gemma, which is Italian for jewel or precious stone. Gemma is the Italian spelling, Jemma is the English spelling. Both are legitimate spellings.

It's all very well saying people shouldn't judge but they do. Why inflict that on a child? Teachers and prospective employers will have an opinion before they even meet the child/person.