To change my son's name (kind of) at 2 years of age.

[Writerwannabe83]

DS is 2yrs and his name isn't particularly uncommon but nor is it an overly used one either. Prior to having DS my DH was really keen on this name, me not so much but I did agree to it on the premise that we wouldn't spell it in the typical way because that way can lead to a pronunciation of the name which I really don't like.

But anyway, two years down the line and people are still using the typical spelling and it's driving me mad. Anytime he comes home with something from nursery they've labelled it with the typical spelling, they use the typical spelling when writing in his daily journal, when people text me regarding him they spell his name the typical way and I still get birthday and Christmas cards and they have his name spelt the typical way. He received a certificate yesterday after some activity he'd done at a toddler group and as soon as they heard what his name was they automatically wrote it on his certificate but in its default form so now I feel bummed about that because it my eyes it's not my DS's name.

I have told people soooo many times how we spell his name but it's still constantly spelt in its most common form.

It's really starting to grate on me now.

BTW - the spelling of his name is perfectly legitimate but it's just not the spelling that people associate with the name.

I don't particularly blame people because they just spell it as they assume it's spelt but it's starting to get me down now.

As an example of what I'm trying to say, imagine there's a boy called Luke, but instead of his parents wanting to spell it that way they want to spell it Luc but everyone still writes his name down as Luke because that's the typical spelling. That's probably a rubbish example but I just wanted to try and demonstrate it a little

Anyway, despite me really not liking the common way of spelling his name I'm seriously considering changing his name to it because this misspelling of it is driving me mad and I have a feeling DS will be dealing with this all his life and it will no doubt piss him off in the same way it's pissing me off.

"Hanna" is just plain weird, I've never known any Hannah to spell it like that - what a bizarre assumption! Only person I knew called Hanna was Polish and it was pronounced Han-ya.

My friend is a Keri and is always getting emails addressed to "Kerry", "Kerrie", "Kerri", sometimes even "Ceri". As a PP said, it's in emails that it pisses her off so much, because the correct spelling is right there!

OP, sorry, just to clarify - are you thinking of changing the name to something totally different over this, or just changing the spelling?

Apropos of nothing, I've always personally preferred Ralph with the L pronounced. I'm surprised there aren't more little Ralphies running around, with the popularity of the name Alfie.

I agree with Polly I work with both an Arran and an Aaron both pronounced differently

"Bert, it's hardly really a hardship - having people not know how to spell your name though, is it?
I'm sure there are much worse things you could do to make their life 'harder'. hmm"

Of course there are. But having to correct/ spell out your name every single time for your whole life, as Jak and Graci have to, is just tedious. So why do it? The Op's finding it a pain after only 2 years - her son will be doing it for 80!

You have to decide whether you prefer to be correcting the pronunciation or the spelling.

TBH, I'd leave it as it is.

Yeah I would leave it as is his name is his name

Well, I'm a Kate. I've had the full spectrum of possibilities at one time or another. Often get asked if I'm a Catherine. Christened Kate. That's what is on the BC but DH calls me Katie. If I phone up ILs I say "hi, it's Katie" and they say "oh hi Kate"
I call myself Kate to everyone else. Mum puts Katie in my cards. I don't care really, "I've been called worse" is usually my reply to people when they ask which I prefer!

By the by, but my DM is called Jan(ette). Her dad calls her Jane everytime. It is not her name or any version of her name really. I don't think she is at all bothered by it, otherwise she'd have stamped on it 60 years ago!!

It is Aaron

I'm Tricia, and everyone assumes it's short for Patricia. Or spelt Trisha (just need to unteach my autocorrect that's spelling, physically hurt typing that...)
My mum was constantly correcting people when I was little, and I'm constantly correcting them now. Apparently I've always been precious about my name - my mum was told this by the teaching assistant in my class... I had a substitute teacher who wouldn't use shortened names, Chris was Christopher, Tom was Thomas etc etc. Doing the register (me the last one) and she called out Patricia. I ignored her. Repeatedly. My friends were all nudging me and whispering to me that she meant me. I kept ignoring her. Until she was over my desk saying "Patricia Sephipops I am talking to you." to which I replied "Oh, are you trying to speak to me? My name's Tricia, not Patricia." the teaching assistant had to leave the classroom as she was laughing too much. The substitute teacher was in the staff room at break time and was complaining about me to the other teachers as well, and they all stood up for me and confirmed that I was indeed Tricia, not Patricia.

Keep the spelling how you want the spelling. Correcting it throughout life happens, but you won't get the amusing stories from changing it!

So do you like Airon or Arran as pronouciations and how do you spell it?

Hanna is just plain weird.
I know more without the h than with.

writer is it the Air-an pronunciation you don't like?

so how do you spell it? Aaron, pronounced air-on is pretty typical - do you spell it or say it differently?

If I saw Aaron on paper I'd pronounce it Arran.

I know of an Air-on though but not in a way to have ever seen it written down to know how he spells it.

See i would double a Aaron as default how are they spelling it ? I know a few young dropped h Hannahs its just not right

Well you'd be fine with me, I've never seen Aaron spelt any other way.

My Grandma has a very beautiful unusual name that was similar to a very common one. She had 94 years of people getting it wrong, and then using a shortened version of the wrong name. I don't know if it bothered her but it was sad to me to see this gorgeous name changed to something that in the end wasn't remotely like it.

psuedo I really want to know your grandma's name now!

I have a mainstream first name, but the way It's spelt it is a very uncommon variant. It's literally one letter different but it still throws people off. My surname is even worse. I'm very used to having correct people and tell them how to pronounce/spell both now.
If it really bothers you to the extent that you don't think you'll be able to accept it, change it.

My name has a common and a less common spelling; mine is the less common one. When giving my name over the phone etc I always just jump straight in with "that's Jessie spelled J-e-s-s-ie (not my actual name). It really pisses me off when I can tell they've steamed ahead and started to write the other spelling and then h e to ask me again when they realise I haven't said what they were expecting. However I can't have it both ways- my surname is very common and I get annoyed when they ask me to spell it! Like others I get the rage when an email is sent to the wrong spelling despite it being part of the email address and in my auto signature. To me that says the sender couldn't care less about anything else they are writing to me. I usually send my reply with a note at the end saying "please note the correct spelling of my name.".

I think as a result I am extra careful about other people's names.

That said, in the grand scheme of things it doesn't make my life all that difficult, I am just used to it, so I would not advise you to change your son's name, just grit your teeth, politely correct people (don't ever let it slide!) and in time your DA will start doing it himself.

I do admit that the other day I did make a restaurant booking and gave the "typical" spelling, just couldn't be bothered any more for such an insignificant thing. Has taken me 42 years to get to that stage though!

Sorry pseudo. at me misspelling your name on a thread about misspelled names!

Are they spelling it Arran like the place

My name has about 4 different spellings, everyone always how I spell it

I know men called Aaron, Arran and Arun who all pronouce it "Ar-ran"

Personally until told otherwise I pronounced their names:

Aaron - air-on
Arran - ar-ran
Arun - Ar-ion

Just tell the nursery how it's spelt and ask them (politely) to make sure it is correct as he'll start to recognise it soon.

I had the same growing up, my name wasn't that common plus not the default spelling.

Always had birthday and Christmas cards with the wrong version. The worst was never getting any key rings etc with my name on it

Like others have said you get used to spelling my name. My mum did have words to one of my teachers that spelt it wrong.

I'd just keep it how you like it, but tell the nursery to spell it correctly.

My DM constantly mis-spells and mispronunciates my dd's name. Every card she receives has a different spelling, sometimes completely off, eg Alice, Alicia, Elisha, Alexandra. I find it hilarious, we all gather round when she receives something new to find out what she will call her this time

Aaron to me is Arran. I heard one person pronounce it as Erin, which is a girls name to me.