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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Unusual name spellings

148 replies

00100001 · 04/06/2015 10:59

AIBU to think that people who give their kids unusual name spellings should not get upset at 1) incorrect spellings and 2) incorrect pronunciation.

For example: There is a child I know called Leyah. (pronounced 'lee-uh' as in Leah)

Now, the mum get upset when something had 'Leah' on it, and also upset when someone, upon seeing the name, pronounces it "lay-uh" or "lee-YUH"

AIBU?

OP posts:
ChuffinAda · 04/06/2015 11:58

Me, DH and the dc all have names that have variations available by changing just one letter. DH gets irrationally angry, the rest of us not so much

tilder · 04/06/2015 11:59

Loving the Cark too.

I sometimes get 'how are you spelling that today' over my unusual name, which is a bit Hmm.

It's unusual, so yes I have to spell it. People still get it wrong. That's fine. I wouldn't assume anyone would know how to spell it it. Would be nice if my boss of 5 years could get it right though.

NinaSharp · 04/06/2015 12:00

YANBU. There are plenty of common names with different spellings anyway - Clare/Claire, Katherine/Catherine, Anne/Ann. It's easy for people to spell a name wrong if they aren't looking at it written down, they just default to the way they know how to spell it.

Chose a more unusual spelling and it's going to happen even more.

AugustaGloop · 04/06/2015 12:04

My name is a common name (for my generation) with 2 standard spellings (think Ann/Anne). I would say that in a work context people use the wrong (very slightly more common) one in emails about 30% of the time, even though my email address includes my full name and even if they are replying to an email I have sent. So I will send an email ending "best regards Ann" and get a reply saying "Dear Anne". This includes colleagues I have known for years, and they will not always spell it the same way but will get it right sometimes and not others.
I didn't used to mind, but in the last couple of years I have decided it is extremely rude, although have not yet pulled anyone up on it.

weebarra · 04/06/2015 12:10

I have an Alasdair. People always ask how it should be spelt as they are aware of the many variations. It is pronounced a little differently too.

DisappointedOne · 04/06/2015 12:10

My OU tutor has a name that can be spelt one of 2 ways. I've noticed over the year that she uses both!

Igneococcus · 04/06/2015 12:17

That happens to me as well AugustGloop. I sign with my version of my name and they reply using the English version of it. It's only a very small change. Someone I have known work-related for more than 20 years has recently started using the correct version but is now misspelling it in a different part of the name.

Igneococcus · 04/06/2015 12:22

And now I misspelled your username AugustaGloop Blush

ScorpioMermaid · 04/06/2015 12:31

pleasebenice I have the same with my Millie.

were calling our baby Cassie and no end of people think it's Casey.. I dont see it myself Hmm

ScorpioMermaid · 04/06/2015 12:32

disappointedone Cark.. that's hilarious Grin Grin Grin

AndyWarholsOrange · 04/06/2015 12:44

YANBU. I have an Owain (Welsh version of Owen) and I don't expect people to know how to spell it. My Dad is called Ieuan - Pronounced Yi-un ( also Welsh) and he considers it a miracle if anyone spells it correctly!

Fudgeface123 · 04/06/2015 12:48

I went to school with a Nyckey, why they couldn't just spell it as Nicky I do not know, it was pronounced exactly the same.

mamalovebird · 04/06/2015 12:50

Both DH and I have names that have a few different variants. We both constantly have to spell our names to people.

Precisely the reason we gave the DCs names that only have one spelling.

I don't mind spelling my name out on the phone although sometimes I spell it out and people still put the wrong letter that is used in the most common variant.

Getting it wrong on an email when replying to me is just plain rude. It's right there, in front of you.

Arsenic · 04/06/2015 12:50

Cassie and Casey aren't pronounced the same are they? Confused

People are weird Smile

tilder · 04/06/2015 12:57

Does word automatically correct the spelling to the English version sometimes? I've had some really weird autocorrect things before.

ScorpioMermaid · 04/06/2015 12:59

No they're totally different arsenic that's why it baffles me so much. Confused

Charley50 · 04/06/2015 13:04

Disappointed Grin that tickled me too. I snorted into my tea.

Halsall · 04/06/2015 13:10

tilder I'm afraid I would have to reply 'the same way I spell it every day' Grin

fourchetteoff · 04/06/2015 13:11

Cark! That is the first time MN has actually had me almost spit my coffee at the screen (having seen that many people do this frequently and never knowing who the hell would do that.)

Original poster
00100001 · 04/06/2015 13:28

Arsenic

Cassie: pronounced KASS-EE
Casey: pronounced KAY-SEE

OP posts:
Arsenic · 04/06/2015 13:35

Yes, that's what I'd have thought.

MrsRossPoldark · 04/06/2015 14:09

I know someone who has 4 kids. They all have unusual names anyway but she can't spell for toffee so all their names are phonetically spelled. Makes me wonder why she bothered as no one ever spells them correctly!

NealCaffreysHat · 04/06/2015 14:20

DD1's best friend is Pheobe and her DM hates people spelling it correctly Phoebe. It is obviously a spelling error and poor Pheobe will spend her life correcting it. I reckon she should wait a year til she is 16 and change it by deed poll.

MrsSchadenfreude · 04/06/2015 14:29

I knew someone who called their DD Anneoushka. They wanted "special spelling." I thought it just looked like they didn't know how to spell it.

I have a first name that can be spelled in three different ways and pronounced in at least two ways. I have a surname that is not common - there is a similar one that is, and people always "hear" the wrong name.

anon33 · 04/06/2015 14:41

I met a lovely lady called Angel this week. Spelled Aingeal.

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