Given that he's probably going to be our next PM, why can't people spell his name correctly?

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

I'm on a number of social media threads, including here on MN, discussing politucs/GE/last night's debate. The number of people who cannot spell Keir Starmer's first name is staggering.

It's four letters. It's not difficult. You don't see people writing Tnoy Blair or Brois Johnson, so why oh why are people writing Kier Starmer.

And before anyone says it's because of the "i before e rule" I've never seen Keith spelled Kieth.

AIBU to think that, if you're going to discuss someone, get their name right. Or should that be thier name?

But Kieran is spelled ie. So, can be confusing

Probably the same reason someone might misspell politics...

🤣

Because we don’t care enough 🙃

If you’re only allowed to discuss subjects you can spell, you need to stay away from “politucs”.

I saw someone commenting on Ritchie Sunak earlier. 🤦‍♀️
I avoid threads like that.

ODFOD no one is buying these propaganda threads.

Love a bit of irony or should that be iriny?

ha ha, fair point!

But that was a typo which I can't edit. The Kier thing isn't as people repeatedly do it.

??? Its not a propaganda thread. Where's the propaganda?

Let’s just hope (pray etc etc) that he won’t be our new PM so we won’t need to worry! 🤞

Your other examples are not at all comparable. I find the mistake a but annoying too, but it's obvious why people make it. Unlike the reversed letters in your other examples, 'ie' and 'ei' often make exactly the same sound as each other, and the 'ie' way around is far, far more common than the 'ei' one. No, I've never seen 'Keith' spelled 'Kieth' either (though I imagine it probably happens), but Keith is a much more well-known name than Keir. Even if it's not popular nowadays, there have been well-known Keiths.

I teach German, which has gazillions of words with 'ei' and 'ie'. It's by far the most common spelling mistake. I reckon they don't even get it right more than half the time - and the two don't even sound the same in German, unlike in English!

Blame the construction company who spell it Kier.

ie/ei is notoriously difficult though!

I've seen lots of examples of people not spelling names correctly. I've a friend, Michael. So many people write Micheal, it drives him mad.

I thought it was like the construction company! It’s not a name I have come across often. It’s a fugly name IMO.

Also tbh I don’t really care whether he’s going to be the PM or not, it’s an unusual name and people will spell it incorrectly all the time. I’m sure he’s used to it.

😁

🤣🤣

Oh gosh.. I'm doing my cosmic ordering .. asking for him NOT to be our next PM.
God help us all if he is.

Well, Sir Keir IS going to be our next PM..........

I know one and still can't get it right. Mental block with that name.

It's not a very common name and sounds like it should be spelt Kier to rhyme with Pier. That's why.

Haha, poetic justiss 🤣