My name is not Natalie

[MangosteenSoda]

I'm fairly new in my street and don't know anyone well. I got a text from a lovely neighbour calling me Natalie.

I responded to the text and told her my actual name. No fuss, not awkward at all. I now feel completely un-British. I obviously should have gone by Natalie in her presence for ever more.

I actually prefer the name Natalie to my own name

So this is more of a WWYD - did I do the right thing, or should I have embraced the national stereotype?

What insanely British things have you done?

I’d of stuck with the name Natalie, I like it. Prefer it to mine

When I was in my teens, I used to often pass a neighbour in the street or out and about who always made a point of asking how my mum and grandad were. I always politely replied “oh they’re both fine thanks.” This went on for many years and never once did I correct her and point out he was actually my dad.

Yoga name has made me proper

My neighbour calls me the wrong name every time and then says ‘Your name is ———- isn’t it?’
I say ‘no, it’s (my name)’
She says ‘Oh why did I think it’s ———?’
every time

I’m guessing because you’re always pissed doesn’t help love.

I have an elderly acquaintance who always calls me Anne (not my name, not even like it) and it has gone on far too long for me to correct it now. I wanted to write her a letter recently as she had been ill but I didn't as I didn't know how to sign it.

He's doing fabulous these days, MangoSteen thank you :)

I just sort of stuttered, said it was fine and that Kristina was actually my yoga name (!)

I don't go to yoga, but I want a yoga name

I am a Natalie and a manager in my office calls me Natasha cos there is a Natalie in his team and he doesn't want to confuse us!

I said no!

Haha all my life, people have regularly been convinced my name was Lucy.

I have a 'classic' type name, 2 syllables with an 'l' in there so not a million miles away. I usually correct a person once and if they keep going with Lucy, just go with it!

Recently though, a good friend's friend who I socialise with quite a bit has started calling me Kate for the same reason, it's a short 'English rose-y name' in her words. It has really caught on with that group and nobody will hear otherwise!

Luckily I find Lucy and Kate rather attractive, elegant names so I don't mind answering to them for a change!

These are so funny. My daughter answered the phone a couple of years ago to someone who wanted to speak to her. As we sound quite similar, the person thought that it was me. My daughter then pretended she was me and after a couple of minutes offered to get herself, (is everyone following this) She then went to the stairs carrying the phone and loudly called up the stairs for herself to come to the phone, and then proceeded to talk to the person as herself. I watched all this in bemusement.

I had a neighbour who called me Melanie for years. My name is nothing like Melanie.

I’d have just signed off with your actual name, giving her a chance to see it, noteher error and think no more of it.
I had embarrassment though, but we’re all different.

My friends dad called me Jackie (real name nothing like it) for over a decade until he died..but when talking about me would use my actual name eg is Morporkia coming to the party?...Hey Jackie glad you could come!! 😂😂

When I'm really cross with my husband and I make a pot of tea, I don't put the biscuits out.

The neighbourhood bitch (she really is very unpleasant) calls my father by his father's name. My father has a very unusual double first name (as in, only about five in the country). My grandfather's name has completely disappeared from use. Completely aside from the fact that a) bitch neighbour doesn't know my grandfather's name and b) he died over 35 years ago. Although my dad isn't British and doesn't live in the UK, he's never bothered correcting her, as he quite likes being called by his father's name. I think it's sweet😍

When I was a teenager I was referred to as 'Pamela' by several different people on several different occasions (the name alone will tell you I am getting on a bit!). I got really annoyed about this, as my name is nothing like Pamela. I always corrected people. The last time it happened, my correction was countered with, "Well, you look like a Pamela, you don't look like a (my real name)'" It was nearly 50 years ago, but I still wonder about this comment. Do we really look like our names? (Iyswim)

Well obviously you have to sign it Anne @Astoatora54 it's only polite 😂

This reminds me of something funny that happened when I was a child myself. We were fairly new to the neighbourhood, and the friendly guy over the road always greeted my Dad with "Hello there friend".
The elderly lady next door to use misheard "friend" as "Fred" and assumed my Dad was called Fred (he wasn't) and began greeting with a cheery "Morning Fred".
The guy across the road heard this, and assumed his name must be Fred, so changed his "Hello there friend" to "Hello there Fred".
My Dad just went with the flow, too embarrassed to correct either of them and went by the name Fred for the entire time we lived there.
They never did find out his name was Tom!

Nooo Dave that would be so passive aggressive!

Vetti That's as clear a signal as can be

I've lived in the same house for about 12 years. Our neighbor always calls me Samantha and I can't be arsed to correct him. I find it hilarious even though I send them a Christmas card with my name on each year.

Same as above for me 😂

My neighbour calls me Michelle, for ten years, I am not really Michelle, but far too much of an awkward person to correct her. Besides it’s been too long now !

A music teacher sent me out of the room once as she claimed that I was refusing to answer to my name and had lied to her when I told her that it wasn't my name she was addressing me by. It wasn't my name. It was my elder sister's name, who was 3 school years and probably 6" inches taller than me (I was 5). I remain British apart from that.

My uncle has called me the wrong name all my life. I'm 52

I don't know if this is insanely British but if I've not understood what someone's said and have to get them to repeat it, no way can I ask a third time. No chance. I panic. I just smile and nod regardless, maybe through in a little 'haha yeah' and quickly move on.

Years ago my Mum's friend used to call me Karen. I corrected her at first but she still did it so I just used to answer to Karen as well as my real name!

My elderly neighbour has called me the wrong name for more than 20 years. After the first few times it felt rude to correct him. So we go along with the pretence that I’m called Mabel not Milly (for example). He always gets DH correct. We even write our Christmas cards in the wrong name.

Last week we took him his shopping (isolation) and for the first time ever he called me Milly! Except that he did it in the context of calling DH the wrong name . We just smiled and went on our way, bless him.