That bank cards should fit our names on per our preference

[RainbowTash]

Just set up bank accounts for the children. They have a double-barrelled surname (but no hyphen).
The cards have just arrived, but the bank has chosen to format the names on the cards as first name, initial of first part of surname, last part of surname.
I can’t stand the surname being chopped up like this; it’s not their name. I’ve asked for new cards with First name initial, then full surname, but bank computer says no.

The names aren’t crazy long, but fitting first name plus both parts of the surname exceeds the allocation of letters the bank allows on the card. I know people with longer surnames than we have.

e.g. name is Amy Smith Jones
Bank card reads Amy S Jones
We want them to read A Smith Jones

AIBU that I think the bank should print the cards with the names on correctly?

YABU - it doesn’t matter
YANBU - yes, banks should be more flexible/accommodating.

It’s like they really want everyone to conform, and to fit into little boxes.

I wanted my children to have cards, it felt like a rite of passage, plus one doesn’t have a phone, and I wanted them both to have the ability to pay for something on their own.
Their names in the app are correct, at least.

Thank you for getting back to me. That is VERY good to know.

Are people only allowed one problem?

Good plan. I’ll go change their names by Deed Poll.

Yes, I may well do that, if it can’t be resolved.

Sorry, can you clarify. Is your first name on your card in full, or just an initial?

My df, born in County Leitrim, added O' in front of his surname when he married my dm in London. So Donovan became O'Donovan. Both my dsis and I had this surname, mine changing when I married. When computerised statements came out my dsis became Odonovan. No the banks couldn't add the apostrophe. Then they could so she had O'donovan. No they couldn't use a capital letter for the D.

A few months before dad was due to retire my dm sent off for his birth certificate, which was just Donovan and he'd used O'Donovan all his life on the UK and during WW2. Unfortunately dad didn't make his 65th birthday so my dsis and I ended up sorting it out. I've set up loads of accounts at work for clients and liked to ensure spelling was correct - especially as we often had to check medical records. But if you use Smith Jones most systems will search it as Jones. Say I'm Bella the Basset my debit bank card says Mrs B T Basset whereas other accounts say Mrs Bella T Basset.

There are thousands of people with such names - O’, Mac, de, van etc. or double barrelled, with or without the hyphen.
There has to be flexibility with naming on documents/cards etc.

@RainbowTash it has:

Firstname firstsurname Secondsurname

However my first name is verrrrry short (2 letters) so it fits.

Which brings me to another name rant: my first name has 2 letters on my birth certificate. It's a contraction for many other people, but for me it's my whole name. SO many computer systems flag it as an error and recently a job application portal refused to accept it and said 'name must have three or more characters'. WHY?! There are people with one letter (rarely) and two letter (more common) names. Who programmed that?!

Thanks for info.

There definitely needs to be more allowances for a variety of names on computers.
Am intrigued by your two-letter first name!

UPDATE

Heard back after my complaint letter. They can’t budge, computer can not be overridden. They gave me £50 by way of apology.

I think I'd actually raise this with the banking ombudsman. If you're asking for their legal names to go on a card and they won't put them on, that's just idiocy on the banks part.
Sadly you may have to find another bank that are more in tune with the 21st century.

I'd take the money and move banks.

Other banks can and do manage to have full legal names on cards and accounts .

They did include the link for me to raise this issue with the financial ombudsman. I do find it idiotic, when other banks clearly manage it.

I think I’ll find new accounts for my children, yes.
Might keep the r e v o l u t cards as an emergency back up for them (always good to have a second card, right?!).

£50 is a nice help though!

Out of interest why are you writing revolut like that?

And your name, which is what the card says (NAME), is Bella the Basset, not with Mrs inserted and then your name. Mrs is a polite form, a courtesy title for addressing you, for instance when they write to you or speak to you, when the form is Mrs Basset, not Mrs Bella the Basset.

She likes and wants spaces in her name but they won't let her. Their name is spelt without spaces so she's giving them plenty.

I kind of like the "up yours" it conveys even if op didn't mean it that way 😅

Some obscure IT person or department decreed that people must have three letters in their first name. Why? It's totally arbitrary and dictatorial. Anyone could have a single letter name. Madame X comes to mind. And the famous Secretary General of the United Nations whose name was U Thant. That was before computers took charge of us. They have no authority to dictate people's names. This is the presumption of some clerk or programmer in companies who are supposed to be providing a service to customers. All they know is systems and technical language.

YABU

I'm double-barrelled (always have been) and yes, it's often a pita but you just get on with it.

It can be annoying though so I sympathise.

Out of interest having been on this thread yesterday I went into my system today to see if I can override it - I can't. I can enter a double barrelled surname up to 14 characters which includes the hyphen, but not a space. As this is for marriage certificates it's rather concerning. This problem hasn't arisen since getting the new software but thank you op for highlighting it, I have put a ticket into the tech team!

I think it's useful for children or teens to have debit cards. Mine had 'Go Henry' (don't know whether it's still about) but I was wallowing in credit card debt so my friend told me to do a budget, set up an account with Revolut and transfer my weekly spending money onto that account/card. It was fucking amazing (and soul destroying) to discover how very little money I have to spend ever week 😔

My children are very good with money now. They know what they have and have not! I think it's wise to give them debit cards as everything is virtual these days.

I've noticed that I am far more likely to spend £40 on a simple white top online while in person, in a shop, with cash, I'd struggle with justifying £5 for a similar top! Don't ask me why!

Just to reduce chances of my post being found referencing them.