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?

@Ginfordinner
In NI the emphasis is more likely to be on the 'Ro', not the 'Sheen'.
Also in NI some people pronounce the Ro as Roh like in Romsey not Ro like Snow.
So one name, three valid pronunciations.

I know someone called Lean. So many people call her Leanne. She introduces herself as Lean, like Lay An Egg. People don't forget it then.

Thank you Percy. I only know one Roisin and she is English. Her name is pronounced Roh-sheen, with the emphasis on the "sheen"

Correct them. Someone at work called me "Frank" instead of "Fran" for two years because I didn't have the heart to correct them. Someone broke it to them eventually that my name is Fran. They were mortified, I felt daft for not saying something in the first place...

Yes Gin, I think most English people would pronounce it that way. Do you ever watch 8 out of 10 Cats does Countdown, Roisin Conaty is on there sometimes, and the way most English people pronounce the name is how many people in the Republic of Ireland say it too.

Speaking of names your username is makimg me thirsty!

@BigusBumus I'm surprised people don't just call her Lean to rhyme with clean. Do you know where the name originates?

It's Aoife isn't it?

It's Aoife isn't it?

Definitely Deirdre/a.

Áine is not Onya, more Awn-ya.

OP says it's not Deirdre which was my first guess.

I have a name that in Ireland has the emphasis on the first syllable. Whilst working in England everyone I met put the emphasis on the second syllable - regardless of how many times I corrected them. (Not an Irish name but fairly unusual)

However there was one senior manager there who used to call me Carleen - no idea where he got that from and again no amount of hints/ highlighting my name on email signatures would convince him of my name.

Yes do, otherwise the mispronounced version sticks. Very few people get my name right first time, and rarely know how to spell it, so I've always had to correct people. I don't see it as an issue and equally make the effort to get other people's names right!

Ni has a few different pronouncatins like Mary would be merr-ree and my favorite was a guy who introduced himself as Gerard like turd not gher-ard. Absolutely would correct them, I have a standard phonetically pronounced name and still have to correct people 🙄

Yes true, perhaps Onya is another different pronunciation. Apology if so.

In situations like this I ask myself 'what would Karen Brady do?'.
Well, she wouldn't let someone mispronounce her name. So toughen up. Big smile, introduce yourself and correct people. No-one will mind at all. And if they do?!? X

OP says it's not Deirdre which was my first guess.

In the words of Christine Keeler, she would say, wouldn't she?

Áine is not Onya, more Awn-ya

Those both sound the same in my accent 🤷‍♀️

I think the Awn-ya pronunciation is more south of Ireland and Onya the north?
They don't sound the same to me....on has a shorter sound, whereas awn rhymes with yawn. But accents vary so much of course.
I say Awn-ya for Áine myself.

Yes, I think it's fine.

It might be different if it was just someone in passing.

I have found that you will sometimes find a person that just can't get it right, often then it is best to leave it. One of my daughters has a name that people often mispronounce, even some family members. I've realised over the years that some actually can't seem to hear it properly, they can't pick up the distinction between what they say and what I am saying.

Most people will learn your name by hearing it not reading it though wont they?

Absolutely correct them!

I would be embarrassed to find out I'd been mispronouncing a colleague's name over a long period of time. I certainly wouldn't think they were being precious for correcting me. You are allowed to want to be called by your proper name.

Oh yes correct them... Don't make the mistake a dear colleague made. For 20 plus years she was known as Elsie, when she retired she had a big party, obviously invited family and friends along. It was so bizarre as when we her work colleagues arrived and saw the Happy Retirement Enid banners and cards and gifts. All those years she'd answered as Elsie, and had cards gifts addressed as such too. Poor woman, she'd never said a word.

Ooh - is it Naomi? That one always gets people riled up! The most common NI pronunciation is Nigh-OH-me, but I know that in England it is often pronounced NAY-oh-me.

I worked for years with a Cheryl with a hard ch (as in the first ch of church). Went to a new job and there was a person doing a similar role, who even looked similar who was Cheryl with a soft ch (as in chef).
God that took a long time for my brain to get right. So yes gently remind people when they get it wrong as sometimes they need to rewire their brain!

I once taught a student who had a name like (for example) Rachel, that was pronounced "Rachelle". I'll never forget how assertively she corrected my pronunciation the first time I'd ever taught her, in a new school (for her).
I remember thinking how impressively assertive she was. In your situation, I reckon I'd correct and mispronunciations and make a joke of it too x

I’d really love it if you can say my name this way, it’d be great 👍🏻

I worked years ago in a hairdressers with a Karen who pronounced her name carun

Is is Colleen? Cannot stand how the English pronounce it as Killeen.