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

[BoobsOnTheMoon]

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

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?

Really? I know a Mhairie who pronounces her name Myrie!

I taught a Shanyah. It was pronounced like Shania (Twain). 🙄 The spelling of Shania doesn’t seem to follow rules of phonics either, though! 🤷‍♀️

My sil had this her name is Carolyn ,but she always got Caroline it's just lazy on other people's part.

I remember listening to their podcast about this one. I love Freakonomics!

I actually agree. I can’t understand why people who KNOW me get it wrong. I never correct them though so it’s partly my fault.

Unfortunately names last a lifetime, not a moment.

Parents treating children like a toy or fashion accessory just lines them up for a lifetime of low achievement and disappointment.

The least you can do is furnish your child with a non-comedy name.

You're not wrong but read my post again. Not everyone is that intelligent, and not everyone has sensible guidance.

I've taught:
Ryeon (Ryan, male)
Byllee (Billy/Billie, female)
Jamyma (Jemima, female)
Jorgye (Georgie, female)

I also once met a baby called Indiana Janes. Not an incorrect spelling but still bloody cruel.

Actually both are correct - Mairi is the name (Scots Gaelic and pronounced Mahr-ee, version of Mary) the pet name of which is ‘Mhairi’ pronounced Vahr- ee. See also Seamus (Scots Gaelic version of James), the pet form of which being ‘Hamish’. Both pet names have become common names without the original name being the official one.

In Scottish Gaelic, it should actually be Mairi (Ma-ri), nominative case. The 'h' is only added in Gaelic in the vocative form - 'a mhairi ' (a Vari) so anyone with Mhairi as their name is actually making a grammatical mistake in Gaelic. One of the hazards of choosing a name in a language you don't speak! Most people aren't aware though/don't care, and it's become the default version for English speakers
.

Your name is Judith and they call you Judy?

I assume those other names are meant to be variations of Siobhan?

Siouxsie.

I find Alastair and Leanne quite tricky, as there are at least four spellings of each, all of which are quite common and none incorrect (I don’t think).

And Seamus and Hamish - same nominative/vocative thing as Mairi and Mhairi in Scottish Gaelic ...

You're not being unreasonable. Friends of ours, both originally from different countries overseas, have given their child a British name but added an extra vowel so that extended family in one country would pronounce it correctly. Unfortunately, although the digraph they have created is quite common, there is literally no word in the English language where it is pronounced the way that they want it pronounced, so their British child has a name that will be mispronounced by every native English speaker who sees it, because of that extra vowel. It really was not thought through.

The poor children have to spend their lives saying “it’s spelt…..” to many people.

What do parents want to achieve from giving their DC unique spellings of normal names?

Seen someone with the name Kateland when it’s pronounced Caitlin

Bwahahahahahaha!!!

Perhaps she's going for the Cholmondeley effect 😉 He has a brother named Grosvenor, I'm told.

Their cousins are Ralph, pronounced 'Rafe', and Phoebe, whose vowels are mysterious.

Anglo-Saxon names are a wondrous source of spelling weirdness. I'm irrationally fond of Edith, also seen as Ædith, Ædythe, Edyth, Edythe, Eadgyth, Ealdgyth and possibly even more varieties.

And OMG, Celtic / Gaelic names! Once I think I've learned one, I then find the pronunciation and/or spelling is specific to a certain country or region and I'm still doing it wrong!

I am a SPAG bore but, where names are concerned, all bets are off. I can't criticise this woman in good conscience: there's sufficient reason to suppose that a few extra letters and syllables make no difference to pronunciation

I remember about 15 years ago having Kayleigh, Kailee and Ceilidh in my class.

Oh my! I love Edythe. (Misses point of thread ☺️)

Yes, it’s a tragedy all right…

A friend did this, added a letter to ensure people said her dd’s name properly, but she named her after a famous film star so everyone would have known to say her name. Really obsolete.

Isn't there an actress called Agyness? What's wrong with Agnes? Anyone who saddles their offspring with a name that, when heard, is asked how to spell it or when seen, is asked how to pronounce it is not doing said offspring any favours!

I know, or have come across, a Chevaughn, a Keyanti, a Hana, a Jorja, a Lexii and a Maxx.

Also read of an Ayprill. Oh and went to school with a Sarrah