s/o dislike a name - Why do people change my dds names?

[Denise in Florida]

I liked the thread about the cringe inducing nickname.

 

The opposite used to happen to me. I named my dds lovely names and people kept changing them. WHY?

 

Youngest dd is Alexandra. The number of people that called her Alexandria was staggering. I finally started just telling them that I had not named her after a city in Eygpt. (Yes, I got strange looks for that :lol:)

 

Later she chose to shorten it to Lexy. Not Lexi which inspires cringes from me when I see it :lol: and definiately NOT Lex, she is not a bald super villian. :lol:

 

People are funny about names.

[july19]

I wrote on the other thread that I hated my nickname of "Mal" from my name of Mallory that I eventually started going by my (then) last name. My maiden name has recently started circulating as a first name to some. It worked. Finally. It took a while, but "Mal" finally died.

 

Until I met my mother in law, who insists on calling me that even though she knows I detest it because she likes to "tease" me. But that's a different story for a different thread. :lol:

[cin]

I liked the thread about the cringe inducing nickname.

 

The opposite used to happen to me. I named my dds lovely names and people kept changing them. WHY?

 

Youngest dd is Alexandra. The number of people that called her Alexandria was staggering. I finally started just telling them that I had not named her after a city in Eygpt. (Yes, I got strange looks for that :lol:)

 

Later she chose to shorten it to Lexy. Not Lexi which inspires cringes from me when I see it :lol: and definiately NOT Lex, she is not a bald super villian. :lol:

 

People are funny about names.

 

Honestly, I think the difference between Alexandra and Alexandria are like Lauri and Lori. It's one that is only there if you are listening for it. And apparently. Lexi is the way I see it shortened most of the time. And I could easily see myself calling a friend named Lexi, Lex for short.

 

My own name, Cindy, has been shortened to Cin, for those closest to me. At first I didn't like it, but then I realized that the few that do use it are close to me, and feel comfortable enough around me to use a less formal form of my name, and therefore I see it as a sign of intimacy in our relationship.

[Hunter's Moon]

My name is Stephanie.

 

Not Stephy, not Stephcha (only my father can call me this), and not Stefanya (I don't know how to spell it, but our Polish landlord called me that).

 

I don't mind when people call me Steph, but for some reason, Stephanie seems a lot more personal and I prefer it over Steph. Probably because Steph is one syllable and it just seems quick and choppy and a bit cold to me.

 

I would love to be known by my middle name (Elizabeth), but it would be weird to ask others to call me that after almost 18 years of going by Stephanie. Maybe I'll try it at college :D

[Crissy]

I wonder if people do this as a way of asserting their familiarity or connection to another.

It seems to me that we only (or should only ;)) use nicknames with those to whom we are closest. I'd never shorten the name of my banker, or the my son's orchestra director, but I am perfectly comfortable using nicknames for my sisters and close friends.

[Night Elf]

I've had many people try to shorten my son's name Jeffrey to Jeff. They always look shocked when I ask them to please call him by his given name. In my head I'm thinking, 'Does it really take that much effort to pronounce just one more syllable?'

 

My name is Beth. That is on my birth certificate. I've had people want to call me Elizabeth. One woman argued with me that Elizabeth was obviously my given name and it would be proper to use it instead of Beth. She didn't believe me when I told her that Beth truly was on my birth certificate.

 

I guess people just get the idea of a name in their head and decide to run with it for whatever reason. I really don't like when someone chooses their preference over mine. I'm the one who gave birth to my children. I'm the one who named them. I'm the one raising them. My child goes by the specific name I've chosen. It's just wrong to try to do it any other way. Just MHO. I would rather someone use a generic term than to try to change the way we use my children's names. IOW, use something like 'your ds' or 'Lala's ds' when talking about him. Or if addressing the child, just make eye contact and don't use a name at all, just 'hey, how are you doing?' At least that way it's not obvious someone doesn't like my children's given names. :tongue_smilie:

[Tohru]

Argh!

Yeah, once I met a woman for a toddler playdate. She asked my dd's name and right after I told her, she immediately asked if she could call her something else because it was too hard for her to remember or pronounce. :confused:

 

Needless to say, we've avoided all future interaction with that family.

 

BTW: I like Lexi. I'm going to have to read the other thread now.

[Carrie12345]

:D

Many people pronounce my dd's name HAY lee. We've always pronounced it HAIL ee. I'd chalk it up to a regional thing if, you know, we weren't all from the same region!

 

To me, that's like calling me Kerry. Which is a nice name, but not mine. Unless you ARE from a different region, in which case I understand the difficulty. Though I don't believe that should excuse MY OWN MOTHER, lol.

 

Oh, well!

[swellmomma]

So many people have called Isabelle, Isabella especially at preschool that she actually thought that was her name and argued with me when I called her Isabelle.

 

Back when my first was born my mom and sister wanted to call him AJ, Because his name is Austin John Patrick. I had a bit of a hissy fit (I blame it on just having had a baby and being pg again) about it. I named him Austin for a reason and Austin is what he is called. Actually only Isabelle gets her name shortened at all when we call her Izzy.

 

Nicknames are different. I use nicknames with not only my kids but most of my daycare kids have a nickname I use with them. It is a term of endearment, however I do not alter their given names unless they have told me to call them by a shortened version of it.

Edited July 9, 2011 by swellmomma

[Crissy]

I've had many people try to shorten my son's name Jeffrey to Jeff. They always look shocked when I ask them to please call him by his given name. In my head I'm thinking, 'Does it really take that much effort to pronounce just one more syllable?'

 

 

 

I have a Jeffrey as well. Hearing people call him Jeff used to drive me up the wall. About the time he entered high school he told me that he doesn't mind so I've tried to let it go.

I'm still trying. :D

[elegantlion]

My name is Beth. That is on my birth certificate. I've had people want to call me Elizabeth. One woman argued with me that Elizabeth was obviously my given name and it would be proper to use it instead of Beth. She didn't believe me when I told her that Beth truly was on my birth certificate.

 

 

 

My name is Paula. I had girls in school insist my name was Paulette. Um, no. I hated my name growing up because it doesn't have a defined nickname. I'm still not too fond of it, but I've gotten some people to just call me EL, which works.

 

My son has three possible derivatives of his name. In pre-school he told his teacher (not me) all three. He would tell her he was a different one each day, so she'd always ask who he was that day. He had fun with it. He goes by a shortened version of his name, his choice.

[gardening momma]

Youngest dd is Alexandra. The number of people that called her Alexandria was staggering. I finally started just telling them that I had not named her after a city in Eygpt. (Yes, I got strange looks for that :lol:)

 

Honestly, I think the difference between Alexandra and Alexandria are like Lauri and Lori. It's one that is only there if you are listening for it.

I disagree. I think there is a definite difference between Alexandra and Alexandria. With Lauri and Lori, you either give the vowels a slightly different sound, or pronounce them the same, but with Alexandria, you are adding a distinct vowel sound and a syllable.

[Night Elf]

I have a Jeffrey as well. Hearing people call him Jeff used to drive me up the wall. About the time he entered high school he told me that he doesn't mind so I've tried to let it go.

I'm still trying. :D

 

My cousin's name is William, but we grew up calling him Bill. He was the 3rd in line with this name and he was called the same thing his dad always went by. But when he became a student at a massage/acupuncture school, he changed it to William. To this day, I cannot call him William without tripping up. At our last family gathering, I kept calling him Bi-William. Luckily we are really close so we laughed it off. I mean, I really was trying! I love the name William. It was my father's name too. Oh, and my cousin named his son after him which makes him the 4th in line, and they call him Liam. Very cool.

[Night Elf]

With Lauri and Lori, you either give the vowels a slightly different sound, or pronounce them the same, but with Alexandria, you are adding a distinct vowel sound and a syllable.

 

Okay, someone help me out here. What is the different pronunciation for Laurie and Lori? I'm saying them out loud right now and I'm pronouncing them the same way: lore-ree.

[Jean in Newcastle]

My ds gets his name shortened all the time. He just tells them that he's a purist and wants to be called his full name. Other than one cousin, everyone laughs and calls him what he wants.

 

Re. pronunciation. I used to work with an engineer named Dawn. She went off on a tirade once because she said that I was calling her Don. When she took a breath, I explained that in our region (she was from the east coast) we pronounced Dawn and Don the same way. I can't even make my mouth make the kind of "aw" sound that she made. She was so upset about something where no insult was intended. After that, I just didn't call her anything.

[elegantlion]

My ds gets his name shortened all the time. He just tells them that he's a purist and wants to be called his full name. Other than one cousin, everyone laughs and calls him what he wants.

 

Re. pronunciation. I used to work with an engineer named Dawn. She went off on a tirade once because she said that I was calling her Don. When she took a breath, I explained that in our region (she was from the east coast) we pronounced Dawn and Don the same way. I can't even make my mouth make the kind of "aw" sound that she made. She was so upset about something where no insult was intended. After that, I just didn't call her anything.

 

That's me, I sound odd when I pronounce them differently. Same with Lori, Laurie. It's so subtle to me. I can do it, make them different, but I don't really hear it, kwim.

[Carrie12345]

My ds gets his name shortened all the time. He just tells them that he's a purist and wants to be called his full name. Other than one cousin, everyone laughs and calls him what he wants.

 

Re. pronunciation. I used to work with an engineer named Dawn. She went off on a tirade once because she said that I was calling her Don. When she took a breath, I explained that in our region (she was from the east coast) we pronounced Dawn and Don the same way. I can't even make my mouth make the kind of "aw" sound that she made. She was so upset about something where no insult was intended. After that, I just didn't call her anything.

 

Lol. My mom is Dawn. My father is Don. My stepfather is Dan. We used to get many phone calls confused, thinking the caller wanted to speak to Don or Dan. But it was *funny, not upsetting!!!

[Hunter's Moon]

My ds gets his name shortened all the time. He just tells them that he's a purist and wants to be called his full name. Other than one cousin, everyone laughs and calls him what he wants.

 

Re. pronunciation. I used to work with an engineer named Dawn. She went off on a tirade once because she said that I was calling her Don. When she took a breath, I explained that in our region (she was from the east coast) we pronounced Dawn and Don the same way. I can't even make my mouth make the kind of "aw" sound that she made. She was so upset about something where no insult was intended. After that, I just didn't call her anything.

 

I'm from the east coast and can't imagine pronouncing it another way unless I really draw out the "aw" sound but that just sounds like I'm mocking her name.

[Crimson Wife]

Okay, someone help me out here. What is the different pronunciation for Laurie and Lori? I'm saying them out loud right now and I'm pronouncing them the same way: lore-ree.

 

LAW-ree vs. LOAR-ee.

 

It drives. me. up. a. wall. :auto: to hear my DH pronounce them the same. He also pronounces "Aaron" & "Erin" as homophones and "Carrie" & "Kerry". :banghead:

[Night Elf]

LAW-ree vs. LOAR-ee.

 

It drives. me. up. a. wall. :auto: to hear my DH pronounce them the same. He also pronounces "Aaron" & "Erin" as homophones and "Carrie" & "Kerry". :banghead:

 

Thanks, I never knew! FWIW, I pronounce Aaron and Erin the same, but Carrie and Kerry are totally different in my mind. That's so weird. :)

 

ETA: I'm taking that back. When I say Aaron and Erin aloud, I am hearing a slight difference. I'm hearing Air-ren and Eh-ren.

[Word Nerd]

:D

Many people pronounce my dd's name HAY lee. We've always pronounced it HAIL ee. I'd chalk it up to a regional thing if, you know, we weren't all from the same region!

 

 

:confused: I don't get it. Is the difference that you're including the L in the stressed syllable and others do not (HAYL-ee versus HAY-lee)?

 

Then again, I pronounce Kerry and Carrie exactly the same way (first syllable rhymes with air).

Edited July 9, 2011 by WordGirl

[Denise in Florida]

My ds gets his name shortened all the time. He just tells them that he's a purist and wants to be called his full name. Other than one cousin, everyone laughs and calls him what he wants.

 

Re. pronunciation. I used to work with an engineer named Dawn. She went off on a tirade once because she said that I was calling her Don. When she took a breath, I explained that in our region (she was from the east coast) we pronounced Dawn and Don the same way. I can't even make my mouth make the kind of "aw" sound that she made. She was so upset about something where no insult was intended. After that, I just didn't call her anything.

 

I can not pronounce the difference between Dawn and Don either. In fact, I usually can't hear the difference and have to ask boy or girl? :lol:

 

I can hear but not pronouce the difference between Joy and Joey. arrgh

[Crimson Wife]

Short "a" in Aaron & Carrie vs. short "e" in Erin & Kerry. Also, a schwa sound in the 2nd syllable of Aaron vs. a short "i" sound in the second syllable of Erin.

[Denise in Florida]

Honestly, I think the difference between Alexandra and Alexandria are like Lauri and Lori. It's one that is only there if you are listening for it. And apparently. Lexi is the way I see it shortened most of the time. And I could easily see myself calling a friend named Lexi, Lex for short.

 

My own name, Cindy, has been shortened to Cin, for those closest to me. At first I didn't like it, but then I realized that the few that do use it are close to me, and feel comfortable enough around me to use a less formal form of my name, and therefore I see it as a sign of intimacy in our relationship.

 

Alexandria requires an extra syllable :001_smile: and it always reminds me of Alexander the Great. I would not have minded the Lex shortening if it didn't remind me of Lex Luther. Ha. I should have just let it alone all along, cause this is my kid that is determined to RULE THE WORLD. :lol:

[Rhonda in TX]

My dad is Robert. Not Bob, Bobby, Rob, or Robby. Robert. I remember a man at church insisted on calling him Bobby. Drove. my. dad. nuts. My name is rarely shortened. I have a friend who would say, "Hey, Rhon -- da." She tried, but it just didn't work. LOL

[LidiyaDawn]

Kerry/Carrie = same

Dawn/Don = same

Hayley/Hailey = same

Laurie/Lorie = same

Aaron/Erin = same

 

You guys are just weird. :tongue_smilie:

[Denise in Florida]

LAW-ree vs. LOAR-ee.

 

It drives. me. up. a. wall. :auto: to hear my DH pronounce them the same. He also pronounces "Aaron" & "Erin" as homophones and "Carrie" & "Kerry". :banghead:

 

I agree with Beth. Thank you for explaining Lori and Laurie. I'm still not sure I can say the difference but now I hear it in my head.

[Classical Country Mama]

Ohhh I feel your pain.

 

My dad's name is something like "Joey" on his birth certificate. He goes by "Joe" now, but people insist on saying "Joseph." (Btw, this includes my mother when she's mad at him, because "Joey" just lacks the oomph she needs.)

 

I'm fond of my own name, which my parents smushed into an awful and ugly (to me) nickname. When we moved to the USA, I was going into 9th grade and took the initiative to call myself by my full name. Took about a year to work my family around to it, all except for my parents, who still call me the ugly, NOT ME, short name when they think I'm not listening.

 

And then there's my daughter, whose gorgeous name is a variant of Natalie. My parents call her Nat. Yep. Like the bug. Gnat.

 

Oh. I guess the problem isn't really with names, is it? :lol:

[Word Nerd]

Kerry/Carrie = same

Dawn/Don = same

Hayley/Hailey = same

Laurie/Lorie = same

Aaron/Erin = same

 

You guys are just weird. :tongue_smilie:

 

:lol::iagree:

 

I saw a discussion elsewhere recently in which a girl named Holly was complaining that everyone pronounced her name wrong. I still have no idea how she pronounces her own name, as I've only ever heard it pronounced one way.

[happypamama]

I've found that I have had to be very consistent with my older son's name, but he always goes by his full name. I like Andy just fine as a nickname, but I do prefer Andrew, so that's what I've always called him. He is always Andrew, and when he got old enough to have a preference, he insisted that he is Andrew and not Andy. Only Daddy calls him Andy occasionally (and usually in reference to him, not directly to him -- he scowls if DH calls him Andy directly); DH's parents took the cue from DH and called him Andy a few times, but Andrew politely said that he really preferred Andrew, and so that's what they call him now. (Which amuses me, because DH is Samuel; he is always Sam, except for his parents, who usually call him Samuel.) Otoh, our second son is Benjamin, and usually we call him Ben. I guess, IMO, Ben and Sam are just short forms, but Andy is a different name.

 

Of course, DD is Laura, and we've had a few people think that it's Lauren. Some people say it more like Lora, which isn't really how we pronounce it. DH's sister is Rebecca, but most people call her Becca; their grandfather was the only one who ever got away with calling her Becky. He's the only person who would have gotten away with calling our DD Laurie -- for the chance to go fishing with him (he died before she was born), he could have called her anything he wanted. :)

[Jean in Newcastle]

:lol::iagree:

 

I saw a discussion elsewhere recently in which a girl named Holly was complaining that everyone pronounced her name wrong. I still have no idea how she pronounces her own name, as I've only ever heard it pronounced one way.

 

Maybe she wants to be Holy?:D

[Denise in Florida]

Argh!

Yeah, once I met a woman for a toddler playdate. She asked my dd's name and right after I told her, she immediately asked if she could call her something else because it was too hard for her to remember or pronounce. :confused:

 

Needless to say, we've avoided all future interaction with that family.

 

BTW: I like Lexi. I'm going to have to read the other thread now.

 

The problem with Lexi is that it looks like a stripper name to me. (Obviously a personal opinion :D). At that point I am happier with Lex (as in Luther, conquer the world) then Lexi (as in where's my pole I'm ready to dance.) :lol:

[Carrie12345]

:confused: I don't get it. Is the difference that you're including the L in the stressed syllable and others do not (HAYL-ee versus HAY-lee)?

 

Then again, I pronounce Kerry and Carrie exactly the same way (first syllable rhymes with air).

 

:D

Different vowel sounds. Hay/hey, same sound. Hail/Bail/dog's tail, totally different sound.

 

Kerry, same sound as peg.

Carrie, same sound as apple.

[Kertie]

:D

Different vowel sounds. Hay/hey, same sound. Hail/Bail/dog's tail, totally different sound.

 

Kerry, same sound as peg.

Carrie, same sound as apple.

 

This must be regional, because I've know multiple Carries here on the West Coast and none have ever pronounced their name with /a/ as in 'apple'. I feel like I'm trying to pronounce a different language when I try to say it that way...:lol: Here "Carrie" is pronounced exactly the same as "Kerry"--guess you'd better not move over here;)!

 

And those other vowel combos are the same here, too;).

[Melinda in VT]

:D

Different vowel sounds. Hay/hey, same sound. Hail/Bail/dog's tail, totally different sound.

 

Kerry, same sound as peg.

Carrie, same sound as apple.

 

I tried to pronounce Carrie using the apple sound, and thought "It sounds like I'm faking a New Jersey accent." And then I noticed your location. :D

 

I've lived in the PNW, Utah, and two states in New England, and the people around me say Kerry and Carrie the same.

 

Also Laurie and Lori, usually. I listen to how the person pronounces his or her name and try to match that, and I have found that almost all the Lauries I know pronounce their name Lori.

[QueenCat]

Okay, someone help me out here. What is the different pronunciation for Laurie and Lori? I'm saying them out loud right now and I'm pronouncing them the same way: lore-ree.

 

You've got the Lori part right but not Laurie ;). Laurie is LAR-ee... it's my sil name, I can't tell you how many times I was corrected by my mil on that one when I first entered the family.

[dakarimom5]

When I start to think of names I always remember my poor aunt. She named her fourth child Jeremiah, hoping to call him Jeremy. That never caught on. He was Jeremiah his whole life until junior year of high school and his JROTC colonel started calling him "Beanie". He now goes by that and even uses it on his FB!

[Carrie12345]

I tried to pronounce Carrie using the apple sound, and thought "It sounds like I'm faking a New Jersey accent." And then I noticed your location. :D

 

 

:lol:

[hsbaby]

Am I the only one looking like a crazy person saying all of these names out loud trying to hear a difference? By the way, I don't hear a difference in Laurie/Lori, Kerry/Carrie, Erin/Aaron. Apparently I have been walking around offendin people my entire life:tongue_smilie:

[BamaTanya]

Kerry/Carrie = same

Dawn/Don = same

Hayley/Hailey = same

Laurie/Lorie = same

Aaron/Erin = same

 

You guys are just weird. :tongue_smilie:

 

Yep. That's how I hear it, too. Must be regional, and I'm pretty sure I'm past the age of being able to learn another dialect without an accent. :tongue_smilie:

[jujsky]

:D

Many people pronounce my dd's name HAY lee. We've always pronounced it HAIL ee. I'd chalk it up to a regional thing if, you know, we weren't all from the same region!

 

To me, that's like calling me Kerry. Which is a nice name, but not mine. Unless you ARE from a different region, in which case I understand the difficulty. Though I don't believe that should excuse MY OWN MOTHER, lol.

 

Oh, well!

 

There's a difference in the way "Carrie" and "Kerry" are pronounced :confused: I've known several people with these names and they're pronounced the same way around here, like "care-ee." How do you pronounce the two names?

[swellmomma]

Am I the only one looking like a crazy person saying all of these names out loud trying to hear a difference? By the way, I don't hear a difference in Laurie/Lori, Kerry/Carrie, Erin/Aaron. Apparently I have been walking around offendin people my entire life:tongue_smilie:

 

Nope I have been too and I say them all the same. My son keeps hollering from the other room asking who I am talking to. :tongue_smilie:

[elegantlion]

Nope I have been too and I say them all the same. My son keeps hollering from the other room asking who I am talking to. :tongue_smilie:

 

Lori, Don, and Carrie, that's who. :tongue_smilie::lol:

[QueenCat]

My son keeps hollering from the other room asking who I am talking to. :tongue_smilie:

 

:lol: funny

[Impish]

When my eldest was in daycare, he'd only answer to Batman :glare:

[Word Nerd]

:D

Different vowel sounds. Hay/hey, same sound. Hail/Bail/dog's tail, totally different sound.

 

Kerry, same sound as peg.

Carrie, same sound as apple.

 

Definitely a regional thing. I've known several Carries, and none of them pronounce their name that way. :)

[Jean in Newcastle]

I feel like I'm doing vocal calisthenics trying to pronounce some of these names differently:D I am, however, gaining more and more sympathy for my dd9 and her speech therapy;)

[kitten18]

:confused: I don't get it. Is the difference that you're including the L in the stressed syllable and others do not (HAYL-ee versus HAY-lee)?

 

Then again, I pronounce Kerry and Carrie exactly the same way (first syllable rhymes with air).

:iagree:

 

Short "a" in Aaron & Carrie vs. short "e" in Erin & Kerry. Also, a schwa sound in the 2nd syllable of Aaron vs. a short "i" sound in the second syllable of Erin.

I have NEVER heard Aaron (have a nephew named Aaron) or Carrie pronounced with a short a.

 

Kerry/Carrie = same

Dawn/Don = same

Hayley/Hailey = same

Laurie/Lorie = same

Aaron/Erin = same

 

You guys are just weird. :tongue_smilie:

:iagree: The only one I see as different is Laurie, and that is only because of Little Women.

 

:D

Different vowel sounds. Hay/hey, same sound. Hail/Bail/dog's tail, totally different sound.

 

Kerry, same sound as peg.

Carrie, same sound as apple.

Hay and Hail both have a long A, I still don't get it.:confused:

[Hunter's Moon]

:iagree:

 

 

I have NEVER heard Aaron (have a nephew named Aaron) or Carrie pronounced with a short a.

 

 

:iagree: The only one I see as different is Laurie, and that is only because of Little Women.

 

 

Hay and Hail both have a long A, I still don't get it.:confused:

 

Basically the "L" is being added into the "Hay" sound.

 

That is the only name I can see pronouncing two ways, HAY-ley or HAIL-ley.

 

I pronounce laurie/lori, kerry/carrie, aaron/erin and don/dawn all the same and I'm not in the part of Massachusetts with accents (then again, I've had a few Bostonians tell me I have an accent)

Edited July 9, 2011 by BeatleMania

[Crimson Wife]

Carrie is pronounced like carry (short "a").

Kerry is pronounced to rhyme with berry (short "e").

 

The first syllable in Aaron is pronounced the same way as the first syllable in arrow (short "a").

The first syllable in Erin is pronounced the same way as the first syllable in error (short "e").

 

I grew up in New England.