To ask why people have such a hard time spelling names correctly

[emberflames]

So my name is Bryony. the 2 most common ways to spell it are my way or Briony. I have my full name in my email address and of course always sign off with it but after 34 years it still amazes me how many people will respond with "hi Byrony/Bryany/bryoni" etc etc. I mean my name is right THERE on the email- twice !

My mum also has a name that can be spelt two ways and she constantly receives emails with it spelt wrong. Even some of her friends she's known for years don't get it right.

Another example is a Latvian lady I work with named Liisa. Of course we would naturally be inclined to spell it Lisa, but that's not her name. After 8 years of her working for the company so many people still get it wrong.

I really don't understand how this happens. I can understand a typo but when it happens over and over again I struggle to see how just looking at how the email was signed off or the name in the email is so difficult.

And I feel awful for my brother as we have a surname that's also a first name , and his first name can also be a surname. So he's constantly getting called by his surname. I know in the grand scheme of things it's a minor issue but it's just befuddling to me.

thecraftyfox

The island is spelled Arran.

It’s the woolly jumpers that are Aran.

Yep find it pretty annoying. My name can either end with a Y or an IE. Mine ends with a Y. People I've known for 30 years still occasionally spell it wrong and I often get emails with my name wrong even though it's right there in the email

There was a massive thread about a year - 18 months ago started by someone whose DS was called Aaron and, iirc, she was in the 'Air-ron' camp while everyone else insisted on calling him 'Arron', to her despair. Debate raged long and hard with no conclusive answer.

FWIW I’d say it’s a regional and generational thing. I’d always say 'Air-ron' because that’s how I grew up hearing it said, but the modern way is 'Arron' and that seems to have taken root now, whether you like it or not.

Air-ron to me suggests American!

Lots of people are just lazy and rude essentially.
"oh but I'd have to think about how to spell Phoebe/Michael/Briony correctly" = your name isn't important enough to me to think about.

My friend's name is Jennifer and I was out with her one day when someone asked her if it was spelt with an F or a PH

Never have I ever come across someone called Jennipher before!

@Gremlins Ed.

My colleague has the surname Gillman - her first name is entirely different and starts with a different letter, and yet she regularly gets email replies saying THANKS GILLIAN! from colleagues she's known for years.

My name is Anna - I never once had a problem until I moved to Derbyshire and people started putting Hs at either end. It drives me UP THE WALL.

I think some people are more bothered by this than others! My name is very often spelt wrong! But I couldn't care less!

Shiny I have a colleague surname Gillman who has the same problem!

Also PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks hate to break it to you but I know two people who go by Harri. One is short (though not that short...) for Harris. The other is a Harriet.

I also have a friend who used to be Edith, which she hates. She always went by Edie and eventually changed her name by deed poll. The amount of people who refer to her as "Eddie/Eddy" when replying to emails and are then surprised when she turns up to meetings and is not a bloke is astounding.

I am in my 50s and I have friends who have known me 30+ years and they still pronounce and spell my name incorrectly! It drives me crackers. New friends remember and I'm sure it's because when I correct them for a third time I say "it's pronounced..... please remember as a punch on the nose will offend you as much as the wrong pronunciation offends me!"

so because there's not a massive difference between the spellings it's fine for people to misspell and not make an effort to get it right ?

You’re presuming they do not make an effort because it’s spelled a different way to the way your parents chose. There are bigger problems in life to get worked up about. My name is five letters and very easy, and very common. I have had people miss spell it, I shrug it of.

Ds is Zachary. The amount of people who never spell it this way is ridiculous!

If i dont spell his name out people will automatically write.. Zackery, Zachery, Zackary.

I always say its spelt the proper way!

Off, not of. Grr auto correct. ( which may be part of the reason people miss spell your name)

I have a common name (not so much now, but was for a long time). It's a classic name and as far as I'm aware there has only ever been one spelling. It's spelled exactly as it sounds.

But people STILL get it wrong. God knows how.

i went for a greek maiden name with an unusual spelling to a very simple english 2 syllable surname and i still get asked does it have an "e" on the end.
One of my best friends dictates all her texts and that doesnt spell my commonly spelled christian name right either

I have, over the years, been called Easter, Ester, Esthar, Esta and even Hester.
My name is a traditional name, I don't know why it is so many people seem to have an issue with it.
I did get annoyed with someone who kept pronouncing the silent h though.

Hester 😂😂😂

Gosh why do people struggle so much with words? I assume it's to do with how many people struggle with simple dictionary words. When you add in the fact names can change in spelling from one person to another all bets are off and they just give up even trying.

I have a very normal ordinary 1970s name. It can be spelled with an additional letter. I started a new job and was puzzled that I wasn't receiving emails. Asked IT who said there were no issues with the server etc. I then saw how they were spelling my name. I said it was spelled wrong. I was told "No, that's how that name is spelled. You're wrong." "I'm wrong about how I spell my name?" "Yes." Yep...

My mum used to have a friend who'd always spell my name wrongly. So, as an example - my name is Briony, she'd always spell it 'Brianie'. Even though mum would exchange written correspondence with her frequently which had our names on, clearly written. Every time, without fail, she'd get my name wrong. She didn't have dyslexia or other learning-related problems.
In fact, I have several friends who do fall into the latter category and they ALWAYS spell my name correctly.

I have a 1st name and a middle name that is sometimes hyphenated and used as one name - but mine isn't. For some reason my council tax bill comes with the hyphen in it.
I also have a first name which has 2 possible spellings - one with 3 letters, the other with 4 letters - mine is the 4 letter version. Even though it is in my e-mail address, people get it wrong constantly.
They also get my surname wrong frequently - both in the written version and verbally nearly every time. It is a 6 letter, 2 syllable name which is pronounced as it is spelt - but because it is not a common name. people constantly change the middle letters to something else and come out with a completely different name. This happens at hospital appointments and virtually every telephone call I ever have from someine who doesn't know me personally. I very quickly correct them.