Spelling mistakes in children's names.

[user789653241]

This is not a serious thread. Kind of a rant.
Just wanted to know what people think generally.

My ds(10) brought home books from school, he showed me one of them, which had his name written with wrong spelling, with permanent marker.
He didn't seem happy about it. So I asked him if he told that to the teacher. He did, and he said teacher's reply was "It doesn't matter, it's not important. I can't remember how to spell everyone's name."
To be clear, his name is nothing complicated, just ordinary name, with one of alternative spelling.

Obviously it happened while back, and not a big deal, but talking to him made me realise he was hurt to be told his name doesn't matter.
I am kind of upset that the teacher said this to him. Is he too sensitive to feel this way? And I am being unreasonable to be upset for him?
I just expected the teacher to cross out and change, or tell him to correct the mistake, rather than tell him it doesn't matter.

Any thoughts appreciated.

As a teacher, I’m mortified if by mistake a child’s name is miss spelt. I always apologise and sort it with tippex at least until I can get new labels printed(if needed for jotters . Usually also apologise to parents for my mistake as soon as I see them.

It is rude not to apologise and change it, but if you have chosen an alternative spelling I'd get him used to this now so that he-and you- don't get upset every time this happens

Thanks!

I get what you mean, Fat, but no he isn't upset about misspelling itself. It was the fact teacher told him his name deosn't matter.

I HATE it when it happens. Especially with my youngest who has a an uncommon but perfectly English name. More often than not communications from school (and nursery) contain/ed variations of her name and I, without fail, send them back with corrected.
She shares her name with the title of a very famous novel, which is the name of the heroine, and some b-class celebrities, but still...

To be fair, I insist that she writes names correctly when sending out stuff (like invitations). I once got very cross with my eldest when she didn't know how to spell her teacher's name (a perfectly normal one).

I find it very disrespectful, but, alas, it doesn't seem a priority for the school.

Thanks, Arkadia.

If you've deliberately chosen an alternative spelling...

Arkadia, you got cross with your child for not knowing how to spell a teacher’s name? I’m sure that made them feel great Why not just tell them they spelt it wrong and ask them to correct it?

My daughter is only 9 months old and already quite a few people have spelled her name wrong there are about four possible spellings but we chose the simplest and what I consider the most obvious. It annoys me that even though I am there to ask, people will just spell it wrong. And also when family members spell it wrong.... but I am generally very keen to spell people’s names correctly.

Obviously the teacher was totally in the wrong.

Iamagreyhound, it's a drip feed, but it's not his first name, his last name. So, we didn't choose it.

Arkadia, I think my DD might have the same name, judging by the novel! And it’s actually the novel that has it wrong as the author (a Victorian politician, if I’m right?) couldn’t spell! After he published it, his wrong spelling caught on and became the more usual one.
The original name came from the Greek and had the vowels the other way round.

My Katy was always coming home from Reception with Katie written on everything... I had to speak to the teacher about it. Even if a child has an unusual or alternate spelling of a name, the teacher should know to spell it correctly!

My parents gave me an alternative but definitely not uncommon spelling to a pretty popular name. All the way through primary school I had my name spelt wrong by teachers - some of them were absolutely ridiculous, adding in extra i's, e's and m's in really random places.
I don't think your son is being too sensitive, it used to make me feel like crap. Its just rude.

@Babdoc, nope. I go further back :D (Is it possible that NOBODY has done English literature at school ? )

My daughters year 4 teacher always spelt her name wrong putting an O instead of a A, i did not bother me or my DD and it became in in class joke every time she put an O the kids even my DD used to laugh

I do have some sympathy with teachers over this - there truly are some extraordinary names and spellings at our local school! I am sure the teachers do their best.

Clarissa?

Very good. Difficult to spell, huh, @MeanTangerine

My son is called Aston and gets so annoyed at being repeatedly called Ashton by teachers

The mind boggles as to how they spell it wrong...

Fabulous book, character and name, Arkadia. I read it during the summer break at uni one year. It took a solid month but completely worth it!

Due to our surname my ds has spent all year with his name the wrong way round.

My name has more variations than you can shake a stick at, and that's before you start shortening it. To be honest, it's second nature to live with it now!

...and the way it's spelt for me is the most traditional!

In his next spelling test and he is marked for incorrect spelling, he can say it doesn’t matter, it’s not important.

Wonder how she would react if he had spelt her name wrong...

Spelling does matter. If it is a Thompson/Thomson, Philips/Phillips or Johnston/Johnstone type error, it still matters.
If its a Jon/John, Claire/Clare or Elinor/Eleanor error, it still matters.

My kids surname is spelt wrong almost every time. It is a unusual one I suppose, but it's not spelt at all like is should be. It ends in a double letter and I would understand the loss of one letter as it has been used as a first name without the extra letter.

I don't mind too much, but it's a bit annoying their their certificates come home with the wrong spelling. Surely you double check spelling if you're not sure.