Some of you, like the Dans, the Joes, the Emmas and the Matts out there, probably don’t have to spell out your name too often when people ask for it. But perhaps the Katherines out there, or the Caitlyns, or the Megans, always have to spell their names, even though they’re common names. Is it Katherine? Kathyrn? Katharine? Catherine? Catharine? Just Cathy? Katie? Kate?
On the list of 2020’s most popular baby names, some are easy to spell, others may be hard. For example, the third most popular baby girl’s name is Maeve. She’s probably going to be spelling that one out for her whole life. Same with Ophelia (number 8) and Aurelia (number 11). As far as the most popular boy’s names, Silas (the fifth most popular baby boy name of 2020) may have some trouble, and so may Atticus (number 6).
What about you? Is your name easy to pronounce but hard to spell, or vice versa? Is your name easy to both pronounce and spell, but you find yourself spelling it out anyway? Please vote in the poll below and feel free to leave a comment too.
First name never, Last Name always.
Husbands first name is Smeraldo J. for Joseph Marino. Always have to spell this out. Usually use my first name. Ann. I usually get Huh what. This is why we call him Bill.
First name always: “Lyndon”
First name never; last name always. I am a retired teacher. It was always interesting on the first day of school to try to pronounce some names. One student was from the Philippines, but went by an ‘American’ nickname…for which I was very grateful.
I always spell my last name. It’s only 5 letters and even after spelling it people get it wrong.
same here. one time I was asked “are you sure there’s no C?”
While my last name “Fisher“ is pretty simple most people want to add a “c” to it for some inexplicable reason.
Last name always…we are Italian and it’s spelled exactly like it sounds…but haven’t run into many that know how to pronounce words any longer….
For some reason, people spell my last name, “Auto”. Probably just a more familiar word.
‘Detiveaux’ Cajun from South Louisiana. Always have to spell it when away from home town.
Having the 1,870 most common last name in the country (Census information), I can always count on having to spell it.
Last name. First name is easy. I’m a retired teacher, so I know the name hassle. I made sure I named my kids with common names and common spellings. I always wonder why parents would give their kids such strange names, like shithead, pronounced “schu-thead”. True story.
Last name is “Cook”, I seldom get asked.
Automation requires spelling.
Humans are being replaced by machines.
The caller can get lost with all the choices they provide.
Some Company’s have very Good automated systems.
Then Some are in the PITS as I learned this week.
Since Steven can be spelled with a ph I always get asked. With a last name like Noyes I always have to tell them “Write the word NO then write the word YES!” For some reason everyone wants to put an “L” in the middle. When I was stationed in TX they wanted to pronounce it with Hispanic tones. With three older brothers and all of us playing sports we have heard some really interesting ways to pronounce our name.
I automatically spell my first and last name. Just saves time and correcting what the person wrote/typed.
And even then some 25% of the time it is still wrong.
I have a hyphenated last name which is always a problem.
Try growing up with the last name, Eichler.
After WWII a lot of the family changed the pronunciation so it wouldn’t sound so German. By the time I was born, my grandparents had been long settled in the mid-west. I can remember our big family reunions in Estes Park, CO & the Eichler’s from Canada vs Eichler’s from the west coast vs Eichler’s from the mid-west vs the east coast Eichler’s,…….none could agree on how it’s pronounced because it was different from all sides. In all reality, I think every one of them knew it sounds like it starts with an “I” but that’s so German sounding they weren’t going to have that……but I also understand the time period that was associated with the circumstances.
Try growing up with Chunestudey.
For my first and middle name hardly ever, for my maiden name I just start spelling it because they will never get it.
After reading the lead-in for the poll, which refers only to first names, I had to choose never. If it was last names it would have been pretty much always.
Always first name (Kaeleen) and amazing amount of times for last name (Buckingham – even when I tell them like the palace!).
Sometimes when people go “huh?” I just tell them “Jones” or “Smith”.
My name is Christine, Chris for short. I am always asked if it’s spelled with a K or CH. My last name is Gray and I’m asked if it’s spelled with an A for an E. I always just spell out my name in advance.
Every time,Veit, pronounced Vight
Barry. Don’t know why so many people spell it Berry. I’m not a fruit.
My cousin’s last name is Rajca. A Polish name, pronounced “Right-sah.” it’s been a nightmare for her her whole life!
I have to spell my first, middle, last, street, city, and internet address. I avoid ordering anything over the phone.
I had cheap business cards made because even after I spell everything in person something is often misspelled.
Seems like anymore even common names have alternate spellings. Cindy, Cyndy, Cyndi, Sindi….the list goes on and on.
Last name is Lane…you’d be surprised how many people think I say Payne. Also, since there are three different spellings of my name, I have just learned to always spell it out for them….been doing this since the 60’s.
It is “Donald as in Donald Duck”, It is Wright as in Wright Brothers”. Guess what comes in the mail ?
Dear Mr. Duck Brothers”.
That’s a quack up…sorry, couldn’t resist
Last name, Hough, is pronounced correctly in several ways, depending on the country of origin. In my case, it’s pronounced “Huff” so I automatically spell it every time.
Always, this marriage, and I have to volunteer it because usually, I’m NOT asked. (The story is too long). And always, my maiden name, a German name. Even my prior married name … Fox, 3 letters! THREE!
After spelling Fox many times for phone orders, I got frustrated one day when a certain hut for pizza asked me, again, how that’s spelled. (I guess they might have been thinking Redd Foxx of Sanford & Son … on TV at the time), but out of that frustration, I said F-A-U-C-K-S-E.
Well, they did good. That’s exactly what the ticket said when the pizza came.
I divorced that husband eventually, but I still chuckle at being repeatedly asked to spell a 3-letter name.
My last name has been spelled several ways. To avoid that, I created a standard sized business card to give to the park’s clerk at check-in. I used our laptop and free Avery software then printed them on our own printer. The same thing could be done with a screenshot on a cell phone
With a first name like mine, not only do I need to spell it out for them. But I need to pronounce it for them as well. So over the years I have gotten use to just Hey You 😊
First name always. My mother had a cousin that spells it the same way. He told me we had the “H” knocked out of us
Almost always and it is very annoying. Good grief, how hard is it to spell Bacon? The best part is when I married my husband over 40 years ago, I actually thought people would finally pronounce and spell my last name correctly. Forget the first name too, I just have given up. Sigh humans…
As my last name is Bacon I have the same problem. It just seems too simple I guess.
Jayne, WITH a “Y”! Spelled out when it actually matters, including ‘fixing’ my 1st grade Dick and Ja(y)ne reader. Three German surnames, too, alternating ‘IE’ with ‘EI’, fun. 😄
First name, Alan, can be spelled Allen or Allan. My version is the Olde English way. My mother thought Alan Ladd was dreamy, so I’m Alan. For correct spelling, I have used, “spelled like Alan Ladd.” Of course, few young people have any idea who that is. Last name, Ford, no problem at all.
Last name always. When trying to read it out loud, waaaay too many don’t want to say the word, “sane.” But Sain is just like rain, Spain, main, plain. At my airline, the gate agent was frantically waiting for the captain to arrive. Upon seeing me coming into the full cul-de-sac of gates, she said in a loud voice , “Are you Sain?” EVERYBODY turned to me. Hey, I try.
Simple? Suellen. Had a drafting teacher call me by my last name (couldn’t believe he had a girl in his class) and a science teacher call my “Sue Lin” all year. It’s pronounced “Sue Ellen”. Scarlet O’Haras sister in Gone with the Wind. 😂
First name: Jon I always spell it first, then say it. Still gets spelled wrong!
Last name: Hubbell Oh, are you related to the Space Telescope? (hee – hee) Nope, just sounds the same. I usually spell it first, too, before saying it.
I don’t mind spelling. I just volunteer because inevitably they say Mark, “is that with a C or a K”?
I do mind when they still get it wrong. Last name, I try my best. I say Birnbaum…
B, as in boy,
I, R,
N as in never,
B as in boy,
A, U,
M as in marry.
Less than 50% will get it right. I have a radio announcer’s voice with great diction. I speak slowly knowing they are pecking at the keyboard and put in pauses by the usual trouble spots.
I got BRINBAUM, BIRDBUM, BIRMBAUN, and about a dozen other permutations.
For restaurant reservations I have been “Jones” for 3 decades. I used to be “Smith”, until they ask me how to spell that. (What would it matter? Smith, Smythe, you’re just going to shout it with indifference in 30 minutes.)
As a Cathi (Cathleen) if I am only talking on the phone and the spelling is not important, I don’t bother Kathy sounds the same as Cathi. In the RV park I generally identify myself as “Cathi” with a C and an I. That helps separately identify the difference between the multiple “Kathy”s that were all named back in the 1950s
If I do have to give a full name I say “Stark” as in Stark Raving Mad. my DH is a Mike (not Michael) but is frequently call Mark since it rhymes with Stark.