Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

If you add random extra letters into a name, don't be pissy when people mispronounce it!

284 replies

BoobsOnTheMoon · 27/05/2025 20:08

I met someone recently who has a young child with a name that is actually quite a old/traditional English name, rare but not unheard of. Almost the perfect sweet spot, you'd think.

When I heard the name I immediately said oh how beautiful, I love that name. Which then set the mum off on a big rant about how nobody can ever pronounce it. Strange, I thought, it's not that unusual and tbh it's pretty phonetic when written down.

Except I found out later via FB that the mum has added two letters to the name (a consonant and a vowel), in two different places, that make it look like you pronounce it completely differently to the way she wants it pronounced. It's not an alternative spelling (which the name does have a couple of, both of which are completely obvious how to pronounce). If you were to see it written down you'd add an extra syllable when reading it out! And probably mispronounce the one of the consonants because it's had a random other consonant put next to it for...no reason? She must just like how it looks Hmm

I can't say what the name is because this child is literally the only person in the world with the name spelled that way, I've googled it and got the total of 2 results (both of which refer to this child, via their hobby). The closest examples I can come up with would be calling a baby Phetier when you want it pronounced Peter, or Elixzabieth but wanting it pronounced Elizabeth, or Dharrien and expecting everyone to know you say it Darren.

Anyway I don't particularly care how people spell names but to then be huffy that it gets mispronounced is just silly, right?

OP posts:
WorstPaceScenario · Today 13:30

I read something this morning where a woman wanted to name her child Kaitlyn (her spelling) but with a more unique spelling. Her DH suggested inserting the Roman numeral for 8 into it, and they actually went ahead and named that poor child KVIIIlyn

randomchap · Today 13:30

Holdonforsummer · Today 13:27

I’m a midwife. It came from the midwife who delivered Car-ian.

It's an urban myth going back years. Did she also tell you about the child stealing a penguin from the zoo?

x2boys · Today 13:47

WorstPaceScenario · Today 13:30

I read something this morning where a woman wanted to name her child Kaitlyn (her spelling) but with a more unique spelling. Her DH suggested inserting the Roman numeral for 8 into it, and they actually went ahead and named that poor child KVIIIlyn

Pretty sure this is also an urban myth
I have read this a few times...

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · Today 13:51

It’s very mean to put up a thread where of course everyone will be dying to know the name but not tell us the name!

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · Today 14:26

OP has had eleven months to ponder this and may not even be on MN any more, so I wouldn't hold your breath.

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · Today 14:46

Completely agree. It does my head in when I see Kaighleeegh, and Jaydunn, and Saffffrooonnn (I may be exaggerating the last one!) Grin But yeah, I know someone with a son called 'Deacon,' and he/his DP spell it Deekonne. I mean FFS! I have tried Googling this, and it comes up 'did you mean Deacon?!' 😆

His daughter is called Emileigh-Jayde. I mean, what the actual fuck! 😂

They both (him and her) whine constantly that people never spell their children's names right! I wonder why............?!!! 😜

I don't mean to be a snob, but it's just bloody farcical. My 2 have just normal 1990s names that are spelt normally! (eg; Emily, Sophie, Lily, Emma, Charlotte, Hannah, Amy, Rebecca, Lucy, Katie, Alice, Olivia.....)

trainboundfornowhere · Today 16:50

Almost 25 years ago when I was 18 I worked in the children’s play area of a now Brewers Fayre (it was Brewsters then) restaurant. Two of the girls were called Emma Leigh and Jo Anna. All the parents have done is given their daughters perfectly normal names Emily and Joanna except that the girls will have to spend their lives spelling their names.

BoobsOnTheMoon · Today 19:17

WorstPaceScenario · Today 13:30

I read something this morning where a woman wanted to name her child Kaitlyn (her spelling) but with a more unique spelling. Her DH suggested inserting the Roman numeral for 8 into it, and they actually went ahead and named that poor child KVIIIlyn

This has brought back to me that my oldest went to nursery with a Kaitland. Pronounced as spelled, and in a heavy Brummie accent no less!!

OP posts:
BoobsOnTheMoon · Today 19:20

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · Today 14:26

OP has had eleven months to ponder this and may not even be on MN any more, so I wouldn't hold your breath.

OP has been here over 20 years and isn't going anywhere 😂. But also really isn't sharing the name - it's so yooneek that if I post it, it'll be only the 4th appearance of it on the internet and all 4 would refer to this child!

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread