Do you have to spell out DC's name(s) to people?

[WatchingThemGrow]

In light of the current name threads, I was just wondering how many people end up going with names you have to spell out to the general public. As a teacher, I dealt with quite a few names that had to be spelled out often. My favorite was Dieounite, pronounced "Jeanette." Of course, the Cathryn, Jenny, Sara, Kerri, Kaitlyn confusions have been around for years.

We chose family names for the most part which don't require spelling out. There is a variation on our simple last name, though, so it either goes this way or that way, and it is a pain (to me) to always have to spell it out at the mechanic, at the dr's office, whenever we order something, etc. I wasn't about to make a kid spell out the first and last name for the rest of his life.

Was it a factor to you in naming your children? Does it not make any difference to you? Did you choose something knowing (and not minding) you'd have to spell it out? Did you find out after the fact you'd have to spell it forever?

[SnuggleBuggles]

I do not have that problem. Both of my boys have common names that don't have alternative spellings. Nice and simple. It was a factor. My first name is spelled slightly different and I don't really mind spelling it out. If one of our boys had a *real* version that had an alternative spelling, like my first name does, I would have considered it. I wouldn't have made up a spelling or done something phonetic.

Beth

[maestramommy]

I do have to spell out Arwyn's names sometimes. What happens more often though, is that I have to correct their pronunciation. Tell me, if you saw Arwyn written down, would you call her Irwin? Yet it's happened twice already since she was born.

[amysuze104]

Strangely enough (to me), is that I have to spell my last name ALL THE TIME! My last name is Deal, as in "let's make a deal" and even if I say that, people say "DIEHL?" Very annoying.............

[bubbaray]

All the FREAKIN' time and it drives me NUTTTTTTTTSSSSSSSSSSS.

DD#1's name is 4 letters and 2 of those are vowels. Very common name.

DD#2's name is 3 letters, 2 of which are vowels and its the top name here for the last 2 years.

Not only do people not know how to spell their names, they CONSTANTLY mispronounce them.

AHHHHHHHH

[sarahsthreads]

I thought Carolyn would be easy enough, but many people still mispronounce (and misspell) it as Caroline, even after I spell it and say it for them. (DD1 gets pretty annoyed by it too, and will say, "it's CaroLYN" when someone calls her Caroline.)

Here's hoping Anna won't have a similar problem...

Sarah

[KpbS]

I chose names for DS1 and DS2 with this in mind. We like classic, traditional names that are relatively uncommon. Both boys have short, easy to spell nicknames. I have gone through life always spelling my first name and last name. I don't like it! Now I have to spell my last name b/c most of the time people hear it and think of a university w/ a similar name--not my name.

[Twoboos]

My name is one of those names listed in the OP that's been confusing for years - and YES I still have to repronounce or spell it all the time!

DD1 has a very easy, no mistakes about it, top-10 name list name.

DD2's is becoming more common, a few actresses have this name with different spellings. But it's mispronounced at least 50% of the time. Depending on the situation, sometimes I don't even bother to correct the person.

And worse, I can't find any stickers/etc. with her name on them!! This used to KILL me when I was little. DD1 has stickers/plaques/everything with her name on it - DD2, nothin'.

I am so mad that I did that to her, I swore after all my problems I would never do it to my kid. (Even though I DO really like her name!!)

[linsei]

DS1 has a common name with traditional spelling, and I still have to spell it for people, all_the_time. It is a name that should not have to be spelled out, imo. He comes home with interesting variations of his name written on his papers. Annoying.

DS2 also has a common name with traditional spelling. So far, no one has asked me to spell it, but he's only 8 months old and has not really been in settings were someone would need to write his name.

So in short, I don't think it matters. We could have named him Sven, and we would be asked to spell his name just as often.

[dcmom2b3]

No, we don't have to spell her name; "Eleanor" is pretty straightforward, and we chose the most common of the alternative spellings. We toyed with giving her the Norman French version "Alienor" for about a half second, but decided it was just too unfamiliar to be a good choice.

Honestly, I didn't try to avoid the spelling issue because I don't think that you can. I'm constantly having to spell my name despite the fact that you can't get much less exotic than Mary-Helen.