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AIBU?

To not know how to deal with this (name issue)

134 replies

mytwoblackandwhitecats · 26/06/2014 19:00

I have a first name that is similar to another better known name, a little like Hannah/Anna. Mine isn't as common as those examples though.

All my life I've been plagued by being addressed as the wrong name! People see it and assume it is its slightly more common variant.

At any rate - how do you deal with people constantly getting your name wrong? I ignore it if I am unlikely to see the person again - in hospital waiting rooms for example, but it does grate as it isn't my name!

Then when you do correct people they keep getting it wrong. I keep just saying 'correct name' with a smile but it does annoy people; I'm sure some of them think I'm actually called the more common name!

My name LOOKS very similar to the other one written down but are pronounced very differently.

How do you deal with it??

OP posts:
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OwlinaTree · 26/06/2014 19:04

I get this a lot. My name has a more popular variant with a different ending. I'm called the other name loads.

No advice really. I actually think some people just can't hear that the name is different and that's why they don'tlike you repeating it back to them!

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dawndonnaagain · 26/06/2014 19:07

I have an a on the end of my name. I am 55, I suspect I have been called the variant with an e more often than my real name has been used. Even when it is written down in front of someone. Drives me nuts and I have become quite rude as I've got older.

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mrscumberbatch · 26/06/2014 19:09

I always feel terrible when I read Seonaid and don't know if its Shona or Sinead.
I suppose all Seonaid's will be used to that though.

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Noodledoodledoo · 26/06/2014 19:10

I hate the shortened version of my name - lots of people assume it is what I use. I have found the most acceptable method of stopping it is refusing to answer - comes across as a bit rude but then so are they not using my name.

Seems to solve the problem pretty quickly!

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ThinkIveBeenHacked · 26/06/2014 19:11

I have a friend whose name is Ember and she posted a facebook photo of her Starbucks coffee with Amber written on and the comment "every bloody time!"

I suppose it just cant be helped. Id correct them if it were someone I was likely to meet again, let it slide if not.

I have a very very popular name for my generation and Iget people call me Donna, Janice, Janet etc on the phone, none of which are my name.

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KikitheKitKat · 26/06/2014 19:12

I bet you're s Christina Dawn! Grin

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CoffeeTea103 · 26/06/2014 19:13

That's me too. My name is pronounced exactly as it's spelt but people keep getting an additional letter to it. Doesn't really bother me though, I know how it should sound and that's good enough.

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SquigglySquid · 26/06/2014 19:14

I have a similar problem. IE: Whitney/Britney. Top it off and I'm soft spoken so people can have a hard time understanding me if I don't pay attention to my voice volume.

If they call me Whitney for example I correct them and go "No, it's Britney. With a B." They get it. :)

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Spottybra · 26/06/2014 19:15

one of my older cousins who's known me all of my 30 (ahem + 2) years decided to spell my name wrong on my card this year. I just shrugged it off. If my own family can't get it right, and its not even that uncommon, what hope is there?

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SquigglySquid · 26/06/2014 19:15

I bet you're s Christina Dawn!

Or Theresa/Therese.

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Spottybra · 26/06/2014 19:17

(Disclaimer, it could be slightly more than +2 years btw)

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ThinkIveBeenHacked · 26/06/2014 19:17

Or Louise/Louisa

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Opheliabumps · 26/06/2014 19:20

Or Joanna/Joanne?

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Lucked · 26/06/2014 19:20

This happens to me too, my actual name isn't really an official name although I am not unique and I am named after someone. If you change the first letter of my name you get a very familiar name, it's a bit like the Ember/Amber reference above.

TBH it has never bothered me, it's like water off a ducks back and has never been that important to me. People do get embarrassed when they realise thEyhave called me the wrong name.

I do know people who are bothered by this and I wonder with some creative name spellings if the name will be mispronounced in the future and we will have lots of annoyed people in the future.

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YellowTulips · 26/06/2014 19:21

I have a slightly unusual Celtic name that is both hard to spell and pronounce.

Americans in particular - however hard they try, just can't pronounce it.

I tend to correct people once and then let it go. They either care enough to get it right or not. It's been a good barometer of character over the years.Smile

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asmallandnoisymonkey · 26/06/2014 19:21

My sister's name is Eleanor, I've lost count of the amount of times people have called her 'Elena' and I've wanted to scream 'ELENOR' at them.

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tiddleypompom · 26/06/2014 19:22

Diane/Diana. My mum is the latter, whereas my Dad's first wife was the former. Needless to say, the innocent mistake has a greater impact given that context...

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TwinkleTwinkleStarlight · 26/06/2014 19:26

I constantly have letters added to my name. Really annoys me. Doesn't help that people also mis spell my surname too

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HappyAgainOneDay · 26/06/2014 19:28

My name begins with H. I've been called Heather and He;en, neither of which is correct. I ignored them because they weren't speaking me ......

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HappyAgainOneDay · 26/06/2014 19:28

*Heather and Helen

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dustdragon · 26/06/2014 19:31

I've had this all my life. My name is a slightly different spelling (ending) and pronunciation of a more common classic name. I answer happily to both names. Despite spelliing it out I have some official documents with the incorrect spelling, such as road tax reminders, but at least my passport is correct!

I do find that friends can get more irritated than I do, and correct people who mispronounce. I don't bother correcting people unless it's critical that the spelling is correct.

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grocklebox · 26/06/2014 19:33

you mean like aibu when people actually mean chat?

you just deal with it. There isnt anything you can do about it.

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temporarilyjerry · 26/06/2014 19:34

I have the same thing. My name is less common than a similar name. If I correct people they look at me as if I'm being unreasonably pedantic. My name is NOT Susan (or Anne for that matter). Angry

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ChaosTrulyReigns · 26/06/2014 19:35

I'm known mostly by a shortening of my quite unusual name.

A lot of people struggle with the shortening on first introduction, but my mom struggles with my full name. I just grit my teeth. Chuh.

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sidsgranny · 26/06/2014 19:39

I'm Laura but a couple of people insist on calling me Lorna! Drives me bonkers!

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