whats the big deal about spelling out names?

[argylesocks]

I'm just curious. I see so many good names thrown out on here because they're 'hard to spell'

I'm not talking unheard of names with 14 letters but normal names like Maeve and Phoebe seem to get the boot because people won't be able to spell them. Is there more of a spelling problem in this country than I realise?

What's the big deal if you have to say, "Phoebe, that's 'o-e' " a few times?

Would you only consider names that are so common there could be absolutely no question of spelling?

I have a very common first name, but it is spelt with one letter differently in France (where I now live).

It's a right pain in the arse - half my documents have the British spelling, half have the French.

But the real problem is that I work in consulting, so change companies and projects every 6 months or so. And I always get given a new email address. Some spell my name right, some don't. But whichever way it's spelt there is ALWAYS someone who tries to email me at the wrong version. And it's me they get annoyed with when their emails get returned unsent!

For our DC we are choosing simple, easy names in English and French!

It's just that when you have to say Phoebe-spelt-o-e, Jayne-with-a-y, Frances-with-an-e (to prevent getting post to Mr Francis), Edmond-with-an-o it ends up being your whole identity.

Especially when you have to spell your surname the whole time as well...

So some people prefer to avoid that potential pitfall! Personally I'm not fussed - I wouldn't automatically discount a name with an unusual/difficult spelling but it might be the deciding vote between, say, Ethel and Siobhan.

My maiden name was unusual. Not hard to spell (you spell it like it sounds IYSWIM), but unusual so a bit unexpected. People would either ask me how to spell it (which is a PITA to be doing all the time) or they would make something up which they think is more normal or acceptable (even more of a PITA as you end up with post etc. addressed to all sorts of random names).
Once I was call Miss Lewis. Lewis was not my surname, in fact it only shared two letters with my actual name.

My first name is a completely ordinary one but has many accepted spellings. Main one being the choice between K and C. And my surname is quite an unusual one which I always need to spell. Doesn't bother me.

People frequently misspell our street name as well but I'm not bothered about that tbh.

My dad's handwriting seems to confuse people too - he has had post addressed to Mr Groan which I found amusing

My name is not terribly unusual but is similar to another more common name and has a couple of variations, so I have to spell it a lot.

I think it's a good ice-breaker.

I wouldn't worry about it when naming DC unless they had to spell the whole lot.

I have to spell first name and surname.
When I was younger I used to have to spell the street name and the town name. And quite often the county name!

But that's life. There will always be someone who can't spell where you live or whatever. I now live in a more straightforward part of the world and frequently have to spell the village because although the name has three components that are very common and easy to spell, people don't seem to expect them all in one go.

I know it frustrates me when people poo poo lovely names because of pronunciation/spelling. There are always going to be people who struggle with even the simplest words why limit yourself because of their ignorance.

My surname is very unusual and I have to spell it all the time it doesn't bother me at all :)

On the phone I have to introduce myself as "I'm (unusual Irish name, unusual Irish surname) shall-I-spell-that-for-you?"

My maiden name was a common or garden name that had 3 common spellings and therefore became 'common name with an e on the end.' It irks me a little that having married a Mr another common name, it transpires that in actual fact it is 'common name without a P.' It irritates me enough that when choosing names for DD1 and 2 I could only consider names with one accepted spelling. Mind you, nursery still sent home some lovely art work with 'Charolette' on the back.

I am ashamed to say I had to bite back a snigger when we viewed a nursery for DC1 that had a child's picture of a house on the wall, with the word "Maison" underneath... 'Oh, are they learning French?' I asked innocently, to be told, no- 'Maison was a little boy in the pre-school class' (pronounced Mason)