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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!

274 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:
BlueEyedBogWitch · 27/05/2025 20:32

Is it Booby? Pronounced ‘Bob’?

ZippyPeer · 27/05/2025 20:35

Aetheehal?
(Ethel)

ZippyPeer · 27/05/2025 20:36

Gaerthude?
(Gertrude)

YesThatsATurdOnTheRug · 27/05/2025 20:38

YABtotallyU to start this thread without name changing so that you can tell us the name!

BruceAndNosh · 27/05/2025 20:38

Tradjdeigh

x2boys · 27/05/2025 20:39

Hoogey · 27/05/2025 20:32

Its Marillion...unless you were being clever?!

🤣 no just an error I wasn't paying attention ..

SeriousFaffing · 27/05/2025 20:39

Copiousamountsofpulses · 27/05/2025 20:28

I read somewhere that people who add extra letters to their names are psychopaths, I wonder if this applies to the parents who impose it on their kids.

@Copiousamountsofpulses

Wow.

My sister actually did this for a long time; adding an extra letter to her name to make it a slightly different name that wasn’t hers. And she is DEFINITELY a psychopath.

LesMisSaigon · 27/05/2025 20:40

Arrahminntah

Pricelessadvice · 27/05/2025 20:40

What’s the normal version of it? Then you aren’t giving the actual name away.

Rickrolypoly · 27/05/2025 20:42

BoobsOnTheMoon · 27/05/2025 20:13

Well at least I'd know how to say that!

I'm not posting the name. Even with spaces.

You might as well just say the name. If the person reads this post they will know it's about them regardless.
Really no point posting about a name and then not saying the name!

Grammarnut · 27/05/2025 20:45

feelingbleh · 27/05/2025 20:14

I wouldn't that could be kayleigh or Kylie

Kay Lee?

Goalie55 · 27/05/2025 20:47

It’s fine as it will be mispronounced for the rest of her life, you won’t be the only one. so she can be angry at lots and lots of people.

CaptainFuture · 27/05/2025 20:47

Bhaallloonzh?

CoraPirbright · 27/05/2025 20:49

Nah it’s Bob. Pronounced Kate. Only those of a certain vintage will get that joke 😂

OP - the parents are fucking morons. Plain and simple. And they have subjected their daughter to a life time of mispronunciation and misspelling.

MrsEmmelineLucas · 27/05/2025 20:52

Wwrenne.
Pronounced "Ren"..

Tulipsontoast · 27/05/2025 20:53

I know an Amy whose name was spelled Amme. Her mum was called Emma.

OonaStubbs · 27/05/2025 20:54

There should be a set number of names that parents from choose from. Giving parents free reign just leads to chaos.

Tulipsontoast · 27/05/2025 20:54

Can’t you just say the proper spelling and not the ‘creative’ version?

FortyElephants · 27/05/2025 20:54

I came across an Arauxbella. I posted about it on a worst baby name thread on here once and Arauxbella's mum found it and got offended. I ASed the poster to check and by details of other posts it definitely was her. If you're still here Arauxbella's mum it's still a heinous offence against names.

MrsEmmelineLucas · 27/05/2025 20:55

OonaStubbs · 27/05/2025 20:54

There should be a set number of names that parents from choose from. Giving parents free reign just leads to chaos.

"Wreignne and Kaueos, our new twins"

Shawlshare · 27/05/2025 20:57

I just find ‘unique’ baby names sad. Don’t you aspire for your child to be unique for something they do rather then something you do for them?

JudgeJ · 27/05/2025 20:59

feelingbleh · 27/05/2025 20:10

Yanbu people really do need to think about their child when they are picking these weird and random names

I think that some parents have heard a name but never seen it written so they come up with these odd variations rather than finding the correct spelling.

ZippyPeer · 27/05/2025 20:59

LesMisSaigon · 27/05/2025 20:40

Arrahminntah

Too phonetic, you've got to add some more consonants in there

TY78910 · 27/05/2025 21:03

This thread is killing me 😂
I went out with a guy once that was the opposite. Started removing letters from his conventional name that were redundant ‘as you don’t pronounce them anyway’ - he thought he was being edgy.

Where I’m from you’re legally not allowed to name your child anything that’s not the ‘usual’ name as the registry office won’t approve it 😂