"unique" spellings *cringe*

[ReginaPhalange89]

Sorry if I offend anyone but I just don't get it.

I've just seen these name spellings on Facebook....

Edythe and Alyvia. I'm assuming pronounced Edith and Olivia. Whhyyyy

It's only snobbery if you, the person who sees it that way, has made assumptions about what sort of person chooses a name like that.

After all Edythe is an older fairly erudite spelling.

If you assume only certain classes choose unusual names, you are showing your prejudices.

If you are saying you think some names are awful, you are commenting on the names, not the people.

This is not a new thing though. DM taught a Kollet (Colette) in the 1970s. I taught a Kci (Casey).

Standardised spellings are the "new thing"! They've only been with us for about 120 years, so most names in history were spelled in a "unique" way. I come across them all the time as I'm working on a project that involves trawling through the old Scottish records, and being a nerd, I post the odd stat about it here from time to time. One "unique" spelling is nothing - imagine:

Abigail - 50 different spellings
Agnes - 81
Alison - 192
Arthur - 62
Barbara - 79
Catherine - 624
Helen - 173
Isabel - 331
Oliver - 45
Rebecca - 93

I'd say Edythe and Alyvia are nothing to raise an eyebrow about!

That's really fascinating Horatio. The mind boggles as to what those other spellings are!

I know a Lwiza. And a k’La.

Unique names just aren’t unique any more...

A friend's daughter has a strange spelling of a rare name. She hates it and refuses to use it. She had years of people not knowing how to say it, spelling it incorrectly and them thinking her mum illiterate because of the spelling.

Catherine has about 5 'standard' spelling variations now never mind back then!

My niece is called Ashlee (who was born in the 80s).

I once met a Jorja and I know of a Cait.

Tbf though my DD has a name with multiple spellings...

I think it's high time the Birth Registrars offer a printed list of acceptable names.

New parents have to select from the list rather than guessing the spelling and dictating to them.

Would be particularly helpful when Dads are sent to register the birth without being hand-held and come out with their child being named Sheryl rather than Cheryl 

Some of these 'unique' name spellings just hurt my eyes, they just don't look right.

I know a Cy , which is pronounced Kai

Try being a supply teacher.

I appologise before taking the register and ask people to correct me.

I've got quite adept at ignoring 'extra' 'z','y' and 'k' and just saying, 'Victor' or 'Sylvester' because the chances are that they are the correct spellings in Polish, Lithuanian etc and the child uses the Anglicised version.

florascotia2
Why did we get rid of thorn and eth? I mean I can see a reason for them to become one letter but it would be so useful to still have one of them.

Is it to do with the French?

Flora is right about Edythe. Also, I know an ‘Eadgythe’.

Some 'unique' spellings will be language driven. People often assume that Mari is a 'unique' spelling of Mary for example...but it's a long used and traditional Welsh name (pronounced entirely differently).

Most languages have a variation for names that works for their pronunciation and alphabet. Before getting all sneery about a name it's worth stopping for a minute to consider whether you're being less of a snob and more of a racist.

I know a C'jay. Or it might be C'Jay. I can't get past the apostrophe.

(See-jay)

I have an usual name. I’ve been asked if it’s a younique spelling, more usually I get a raised eyebrow, and I say “I’ll soell it for you”.

It’s the correct spelling in the language of the culture I come from. And the name is traditional, think a variation of as traditional a name as Mary or Ann.

Awful thread.

Perhaps some of the clueless snobs on here could perhaps open their minds a little and consider that alternative spellings may simply be a different language or cultural variant of the name they know? I suppose it's the same difference for them though; just 'chavs' & foreigners with their improper spellings and lack of 'class'.

I've lived abroad for a while now and work in an international city (Geneva). I've worked with a Rebekah (Swiss), Sonja (German) Zavier (American), Tym (Dutch), Krys (Czech) and Iulia (Romanian). I've never once felt the need to inform them that they're spelling their own names wrong.

Absolutely agrey@Sarahjconnor

@istherainevercomingback - There’s also no evidence for anyone called La-a (Ladasha) another one wheeled out to be offencive to African Americans.

It’s not a myth. There is a girl called Se-a in my dc’s class.

My ndn has a "Louis" pronounced "Lewis"
which in itself isn't unusual but when the latest royal baby was named she was thrilled that he was named the same as her son.

She even put on FB that "there's only one Prince Louis and he's mine" without a hint of irony.

@Racecardriver there's an anniversary version of Twilight - two books in one. The first is the normal book, the second Stephanie Meyer has rewritten so that all sexes (with the exception of Charlie) are reversed. Edward becomes Edythe and 'Bella' is a boy whose name escapes me.

It's not great and the ending is very different!

Cait is probably just short for Caitlin ?

May I just put a good word in for one of my dd’s best friends Alivia. She is a wonderful 18 yr old girl who I dearly love and now I have to be reminded of all those tedious Olivias out in the world 😂.

What about spelling Catherine as Kathryn? That is made up and was once very unique?!

Sashh - I suspect we lost thorn because for centuries the Church (that controlled literacy) wrote in Latin, which does not normally have the 'th' sound. The modern alphabet is based on Latin letters.

I do not have the exact figure - perhaps other posters will know - but I think that only somewhere between 25% and 30% of the words in the modern English language come from Germanic (Anglo-Saxon etc) sources, which do use 'thorn'. It would still be useful, however!

Sorry - should have said "do use the 'th' sound represented by thorn".

More haste less speed...