To correct anyone who mispronounces my name?

[Verbeann]

Hi all,
I’m starting a new job soon; it’s a working from home/ remote working role. I’m based in N. Ireland and the rest of my new colleagues will be based in England so there will be lots of video calls etc with them. The way my first name is pronounced is generally different here than the rest of the UK. Would IBU to correct my new colleagues if they don’t get the way I say it right? (I find people from outside my region generally don’t). Not to be a dick about it either, the UK pronunciation is definitely the more well-known one, but it’s just not my name IYSWIM! I always try to be polite about it but still wonder if it comes across a bit precious/fussy, obviously want to make a good impression with new colleagues. Thoughts?

Agree with the accent thing! You see it all the time on baby name threads - people going nuts about how names are pronounced and being utterly dogmatic about EXACTLY how something should be pronounced and everything else is wrong - and you mouth your way through their step-by-step guidelines and think, um, so you're basically unable to understand that someone might not have a Welsh/Scottish/Irish accent...

Yes correct them, but even better still, try to get in first by telling them as you introduce yourself.

I have a weird name. I sometimes correct, oftne just can't be arsed, though.

Do it. They may not care and ignore you but you should try.

I don't have a questionable name. It's pretty obvious how it it said and spelled. It's pretty well known. For some reason my neighbours decided they didn't like my actual name and gave me another, just related to to my own, however I initially corrected them all the time and my husband always says my name slowly, clearly and loudly whenever he's outside having a chat over the fence.

Imagine my name is Maria. They have decided Marie is my name instead. But not just Marie. But Marie spelled completely wrong too, like Marree.

I write in the clearest, nearest primary school teacher way on Christmas cards and the like.

"From M a r i a, husband and kids"

And will still get "To Marree, husband and kids" on all cards.

I will also talk in the third person too whenever I can, saying things like, "And I was saying to myself, 'Oh Maria, don't forget the bins this week' And what did I do? Forgot them!"

They absolutely will not use my name and I don't know why. It's right there on my email, social media accounts and I even sign off texts to them with my name.
It took a while after moving in before I would use their names just to make sure I had the right ones.

So be prepared OP, you could correct them but I have no idea if it'll stick.

My approach is if you'll see them again correct, if not don't bother.

But do it immediatly.

Yes, get in there early.... the longer the mispronunciation goes on, the more awkward it is to correct people.

YANBU and do it pronto before an incorrect version sticks.

[quote Lalliella]@NeverTalksToStrangers how is the name Âine pronounced? It’s funny, someone of that name was suggested to me for a Facebook friend earlier, and I don’t ever remember seeing it before.[/quote]
Aine = Onya. Very pretty name.

I’m also guessing OP is Marie pronounced Maa-rie not M’ree, or Deirdre pronounced Dear-dra not Dear-dree.

*I write in the clearest, nearest primary school teacher way on Christmas cards and the like.

"From M a r i a, husband and kids"

And will still get "To Marree, husband and kids" on all cards*

I get this so much. I still have friends who constantly misspell DD2’s name and use a wrong abbreviated name for DS. I think they just get something in their head and can’t shift it. They probably talk about you and say your name wrong, so even when you write it for them they probably misread that as the name they think you’re called.

OP, definitely correct them and maybe as suggested above offer an explanation or rhyme or reminder to help it stick in their heads. If anyone gets your name wrong after being told, smile and correct them again.

I’d hate to pronounce someone’s name wrong and would far rather be told how to say it.

@inquietant

My approach is if you'll see them again correct, if not don't bother.

But do it immediatly.

Yes I agree, this is what I do - they always pronounce it the other way at the doctor’s or dentist’s office for example, but I don’t bother to correct them as I’ll most likely never see them again. Just a different situation with people who you will be working with regularly, of course.

A few people have mentioned accent but it’s not an accent thing, people here do use the more common pronunciation as well, and the way I say it might well be used in places in the rest of the UK. It’s a more common N.Irish/Irish pronunciation, I suppose, but is not an Irish name if that makes sense.

Not Deirdre or Marie btw! Would explain it better if I did put my real name on here but wary of doing so. Appreciate the responses though 👍

@YoniAndGuy

Agree with the accent thing! You see it all the time on baby name threads - people going nuts about how names are pronounced and being utterly dogmatic about EXACTLY how something should be pronounced and everything else is wrong - and you mouth your way through their step-by-step guidelines and think, um, so you're basically unable to understand that someone might not have a Welsh/Scottish/Irish accent...

A woman called Helen once started a thread to say she didn't like being called Helin and a load of posters replied that 'Helen' is just pronounced as 'Helin' where they're from and that's just the way it is.

90% of people get my (English) surname wrong. I correct them.

My name is pronounced differently by Irish and Scottish people as they add a long R when there is no R. I accept is as it is not a mistake but the way the say it.

In NI Yvonne would be usually pronounced Eeee-von but I'd pronounce it Iv-onn is it something like that?

People often get my surname wrong - think Wilkinson instead of Wilson.

It's handy when getting unsolicited phone calls because I say "there is no-one of that name in this house"

If the name is actually wrong, correct them. If it is a question of accent or pronunciation I wouldn't bother. I doubt that you are pronouncing everyone elses' names exactly how they would say it themselves.

(I have a Polish friend with a name that contains a consonant some where between a Z and a G. I have never been able to reproduce it. She however cannot quite get some of sounds in my name exactly as I wd say them.)

Do it. I'd be mortified to mis-pronounce someone's name. I do make a point of asking about any I'm uncertain of but I'm very grateful if the owner of the name helps me out!

I once interviewed someone with the same name as me and she corrected my pronunciation before I introduced myself. It was a bit strange in the interview room and I you could tell she felt awkward. I tried to make it light hearted but she had already fell to pieces.

Agree with others - correct them. I have a name ending in a and commonly pronounced without it, it's incredibly frustrating.

But more of a reason is that I once worked with a colleague whose surname was consistently said wrongly, because it appeared to have an obvious pronunciation - it was actually said completely differently and she let us all mispronounce it for three years before saying her own name in conversation one day. It always sticks in my mind because by letting it go all that time, it just became so weird and a bit awkward when the truth came out! The whole team wondered why on earth she'd gone along with it and that created more of a scene than just correcting us would have, I'm sure.

We have a Karen pronounced ‘Care-on’. She does correct people. A lot, as I’ve never known it to be pronounced this way.

I once met a Helene pronounced Hillion.
Missing the point of the thread, I know!

Roisin is my guess!

People will most likely ask you anyway? Or you will be introducing yourself so will be in control.

Worked with a Megan who pronounced it Mee-gan. She was Australian though so perhaps that's why? She corrected me in a not so tactful Australian way but I didn't mind - your name's your name!

A woman called Helen once started a thread to say she didn't like being called Helin and a load of posters replied that 'Helen' is just pronounced as 'Helin' where they're from and that's just the way it is.

Was that the same thread where someone had a daughter called Bridget and got annoyed that people pronounced it "Bridgit" but refused to say how she thought it should be pronounced.

Roisin is my guess!

Isn't that pronounces Ro-sheen?