Page 3 | Incorrect spelling of child’s name

Thegirlhasnamechanged · 2022-03-17T21:21:04+00:00

DS has recently started nursery and we were given a Mothers Day card that “he” made today at pick up (he is 13 months so I must have a child genius if he can cut out heart shapes!). I had a look once we got home and they’ve got his name spelled incorrectly. The manager has done the same incorrect spelling before in an email but apologised saying it must’ve been spell check. Would I be one of ^those^ parents if I bring it up when dropping off tomorrow or should I just let it go and mention it if happen again? There is more than one spelling of his name but I personally think his chosen spelling is the more common and even if it wasn’t, youd think they would know the correct spelling of his name Outing but his name is Isaac. The spelling they keep using is Issac. Not a massive deal (not pfb either!) but it’s already starting to grate on me!

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ANUsernam · 18/03/2022 05:32

I'd never heard of the spelling Issac before, but am amused by all those disparaging those who 'didn't even bother to Google the spelling of the name before giving it to their cooked', when a quick Google shows that actually it's a fairly common spelling:
nameberry.com/babyname/issac
(I have however heard the pronunciation Iss-ak so now, having never had cause to see their name written I'm wondering if their name is spelled Issac)

Personally I'd be wary of doing any more than mentioning it casually if it happens again in a situation where it has more impact. This instance literally has no bearing on any aspect off your child's care and they're too young to be confused by the spelling. I know a number of people who consistently misspell names, almost without exception they are dyslexic, so you risk being a jerk and embarrassing someone with a learning disability - for something which has no impact on the care your child is receiving.

autienotnaughty · 18/03/2022 05:40

I was only aware of the second spelling ? I would correct any documents/emails but probably wouldn't mention the card.

Flibbertyjibberty · 18/03/2022 05:57

I've got an Isaac and I'm surprised at how many people spell it Issac. Even family members! But it doesn't bother me and it's never occurred to me to correct them, maybe because I've got a name no one can spell. I'm probably just used to it.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 18/03/2022 06:03

@ANUsernam

I'd never heard of the spelling Issac before, but am amused by all those disparaging those who 'didn't even bother to Google the spelling of the name before giving it to their cooked', when a quick Google shows that actually it's a fairly common spelling: nameberry.com/babyname/issac (I have however heard the pronunciation Iss-ak so now, having never had cause to see their name written I'm wondering if their name is spelled Issac)

Personally I'd be wary of doing any more than mentioning it casually if it happens again in a situation where it has more impact. This instance literally has no bearing on any aspect off your child's care and they're too young to be confused by the spelling. I know a number of people who consistently misspell names, almost without exception they are dyslexic, so you risk being a jerk and embarrassing someone with a learning disability - for something which has no impact on the care your child is receiving.

I taught an Issac and it was pronounced Iss-ak with a short i sound at the beginning. He wasn’t British.

I find the comments about being uneducated rather rude and potentially xenophobic.

JenniferWooley · 18/03/2022 06:07

@NannyR

I would continue to correct the staff - Issac is a spelling mistake, it's not an alternative spelling of Isaac. In the next year or two, he's going to start learning to recognise and write his name, you want to make sure he's learning the correct spelling. I once looked after a little girl who had the same problem (philippa, but nursery continually spelled it phillipa), it was on her coat peg, drawer, etc and on the card which she was learning to copy and recognise her name.

This! DD's middle name is Anne & the school taught her to spell it without the E. Interesting conversation with my 7yo about how Mrs G must know how to spell her name because she's a teacher & me being a) her mother & b) the person who choose her name wouldn't know how to spell it 🤣

A quick word with Mrs G & it was sorted & now DD automatically says "Anne with an E" when giving her name.

HerbErtlinger · 18/03/2022 06:10

I have an Isaac too and so many times people have spelt it Issac and I find it quite irritating. He will point it out now as he's 4 and has learnt to write his name so he is indignant (in that way 4 year olds can be) when it is incorrect. I remember it happening a couple of times in preschool but I didn't mention it although I wish I had as he has some pieces of work with his name spelt wrong displayed

user0900909 · 18/03/2022 06:15

Yes raise it. My son is called Arie and has always had his name misspelt and mispronounced. It never bothered me as it's not an English name but I and later on he did correct people. When he had his school visit he came home with his name sticker saying "R E" which is phonetically spot on

MangoM · 18/03/2022 06:32

I would just politely mention it. It kept happening with my DS 2.5 years old (Indian name) and I mentioned it to one of the staff that I was sure wasn't the one making the mistake. She was getting more frustrated about it than me and told me she knows which person is doing it and mentions it to her every time she sees it.

Also in our case he's now started to learn the alphabet and they've taught him how to recognise his name so I'm glad we nipped it in the bud as soon as we noticed.

collieresponder88 · 18/03/2022 06:40

I don't think it matters atall. How will it affect your son ? He is oblivious. However I do think I would be concerned if it was still happening at school

Decemberly · 18/03/2022 06:45

I also have an Isaac @Flibbertyjibberty and like you find it is misspelled more often than I expected! Likewise my own name is misspelled very regularly (too many vowels, apparently) and I agree that I am probably used to it, so only correct it when I feel it really matters.

I was definitely aware when choosing that ‘Issac’ is a variation of the name though, so surprised that many posters are so appalled. Yes, of course it is the wrong spelling in this instance, but it is still a name.

The name Isaac means ‘he will laugh’ and ours is a very happy, laid back little baby who will hopefully be chilled out about what will undoubtedly be a lifetime of misspellings of his name! 😊

MangoM · 18/03/2022 06:52

@collieresponder88

I don't think it matters atall. How will it affect your son ? He is oblivious. However I do think I would be concerned if it was still happening at school

Nursery/Preschool will start teaching the kids letters and how to spell their name before starting school, so it does matter.

RedWingBoots · 18/03/2022 07:00

Issac/Isaac/Isac was going to be our boys name. I can't remember which spelling we settled on.

We had a girl whose name can be spelt 5 ways of which 3 are common. So we just taught her how to spell her own name from 2 when she started being interested in letters. She started nursery just before she was 3 and they spelt it wrong a couple of times so she corrected them herself.

SundayTeatime · 18/03/2022 07:05

@collieresponder88

I don't think it matters atall. How will it affect your son ? He is oblivious. However I do think I would be concerned if it was still happening at school

Of course it matters. It’s basic. It’s ignorant, disrespectful, insulting and negligent - all things that a nursery should aim to stamp down on.

SundayTeatime · 18/03/2022 07:07

I was definitely aware when choosing that ‘Issac’ is a variation of the name though, so surprised that many posters are so appalled. Yes, of course it is the wrong spelling in this instance, but it is still a name.

But it isn’t a variation of the name. There is one spelling. Isaac.

Fuuuuuckit · 18/03/2022 07:08

You need to get out more if you find this ‘incredibly offensive’!

In a modern society where we must, apparently, respect every aspect of someone's identity, surely getting their name right is the absolute minimum standard?

My kids have a foreign surname, that is/was frequently anglicised by teachers. Yes I did make a point, lightly at first, but eventually formally, that they need to learn how to recognise, then learn to write their own names. I don't care about being 'that' parent about the spelling of a name.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 18/03/2022 07:17

@SundayTeatime

I was definitely aware when choosing that ‘Issac’ is a variation of the name though, so surprised that many posters are so appalled. Yes, of course it is the wrong spelling in this instance, but it is still a name.

But it isn’t a variation of the name. There is one spelling. Isaac.

You’re wrong.

SundayTeatime · 18/03/2022 07:33

There will be accepted alternative spellings from other languages, I mean - like Ishaaq. In English it’s Isaac. Isaac in the Bible. Like Isaac Newton. Isaac is such a famous person, central to many religions and cultures. If you even type Issac into Google, it’ll correct you.

celestebellman · 18/03/2022 07:37

I have an Isaac, and this commonly gets misspelt on birthday cards etc - personally, I think Issac is just wrong, I'm willing to overlook it in the birthday card context but I would definitely bring it up with the nursery so that they stop doing it (and learn to spell!)

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 18/03/2022 07:48

@SundayTeatime

There will be accepted alternative spellings from other languages, I mean - like Ishaaq. In English it’s Isaac. Isaac in the Bible. Like Isaac Newton. Isaac is such a famous person, central to many religions and cultures. If you even type Issac into Google, it’ll correct you.

You’ve contradicted yourself there. You said there is one spelling and then went on to say there are other spellings.

Maybe the nursery had a child before who was called Issac and they’ve just got used to it. Maybe they have a relative with that name.

The point is that they’re spelling the OP’s son’s name wrong (not just the name in general) and they need to stop that.

AddictedToVinted · 18/03/2022 07:51

Mine and my children's names all have a few spellings and honestly it doesn't really bother me.

WonderfulYou · 18/03/2022 07:52

It wouldn’t bother me.
I work with children who have various spellings of names and I do get them wrong. There are also a couple with the same name but different spellings so it’s easy to forget which one goes with which one.

My DDs teachers also often spell her name wrong too but it doesn’t bother me.

I wouldn’t say anything but if you’re writing in always put your name and then ‘Isaacs mum’. So they can see the correct spelling.

We have someone who we’ve been spelling their name wrong for almost 2 years as either whoever filled out the form at home spelt the name wrong (foster carer/social worker) or the admissions person entered it in the system wrong or something, so as I check the spellings before I send stuff home I’m still writing the wrong spelling as the system is wrong.

MrPickles73 · 18/03/2022 07:56

Is Issac a name? (I'm trying to think how you would pronounce that) I would correct them otherwise they will always do it and it's not that hard to spell Isaac?

I was checking in kids for a sports competition and a child was called 'mai'. I didn't know how to pronounce it so went for 'ma-i' and the dad looked like I had pood on his tooth brush and said it's 'may'. And I thought why don't spell it may then? Is Mai a name? I dunno...

SeasonFinale · 18/03/2022 07:59

Definitely correct it every time. Your child will be learning to write his name and will see his name written on artwork etc throughout his time there. It is quite a basic thing for them to get incorrect.

RedWingBoots · 18/03/2022 08:09

@MrPickles73 yes it is one of the various spellings.
www.familyeducation.com/baby-names/name-meaning/issac

However it isn't the name of the OP's child.

ReeseWitherfork · 18/03/2022 08:14

Hate it when people spell my name wrong!! There is only one spelling of my name which just makes it so irritating (think "Emma" spelt "Ema" - possible of course, but largely ridiculous). I'd be correcting them for sure. Make sure they know you're only saying something because it's important that he learns to spell his name correctly.