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?

I used to know someone called Kier. Plus it's a construction company and I'm more familiar with that spelling as I'm in the same industry.

My iPad underlines Keir as a misspelling but is quite happy with Kier.

I can even prove it…..

Why?

Call him Sir Starmer and you won't have any issues.

He is the man who says his father was a toolmaker but omits that his father was actually the owner of the toolmaker factory.

Why is it a silly name? That's quite and offensive comment.

Well I hope he doesn’t get in! We are going to have bigger problems than the spelling of his name.

I think thr most that can be said right now is he’s the man running for prime minister. Past that I’d not bet money on it. Ask me again in a month.

I'm so used to transient PMs it's barely worth learning their names, let alone how to spell them

I know loads of people with this name, both English and Scottish, both are correct in spelling.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keir

Not this thread again.

Far bigger fish to fry than Starmer's first name.

😂

I haven't seen another thread about the spelling of his name. If I had I wouldn't have posted.

I've engaged in lots of discussion, both on MN and other sites, about politics, women's rights, Gaza etc. Doesn't make it any less annoying that people can't learn to spell his name correctly.

In what way can it be worse? The Conservatives have destroyed the country.

This was the one I seen OP, that made me realise I would have spelt it wrong, in case you’re interested. Lots of threads on here have been done before so I don’t know why anyone cares about this one being done again. I’ve only seen yours and this one.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5065611-its-keir-not-kier

They're doing it on purpose specifically to piss you off.

Touché

This is so it. He is a damp piece of lettuce and is as inspiring.

But I before E except after C. Maybe Keir has got it wrong? 🧐

😂

You posted on this thread OP. 😂 Did you forget?

Keir Starmer is named after Keir Hardie, founder of the Labour Party. Keir was Keir Hardie’s mother’s maiden name (it was very common in Scotland for boys to have their mother’s maiden name as a first name which is how names like Cameron, Lewis, Stewart etc. became common boys’ names). Keir as a surname with the ei spelling is usually from a link to the Keir estate near Stirling. I live on the Keir estate and it’s definitely an ei spelling and pronounced with two syllables!

Don't believe you. The exact wording was used as in the last thread.

Bots are a scourge on the internet.

It's one of those names that looks right either way so most people probably wouldn't notice if it was wrong

Keir is after Keir Hardie, one of the founders of the Labour Party.

Misspelling a name is something racists do, especially spelling names of people of Asian heritage. I am sure no-one wishes to follow their example.

If this was the case, nobody would put apostrophes in the wrong place or not know their theirs from their they'res. People wouldn't write alot as one word or use I when it should be me.

Just because something is written down and widely accessible doesn't mean people take any notice of it.