It’s almost that time of year again: Festivus. With that in mind, I figured we might as well get into the holiday spirit by airing our name-related grievances.
Now, I’m not talking about lamenting the number or [name_u]Aiden[/name_u] spellings or the popularity of [name_f]Sophia[/name_f]. I feel like that gets done enough around here. Instead, I’m curious to hear what, if anything, you don’t like about your name. Maybe you’re an [name_f]Ashleigh[/name_f] who always gets [name_u]Ashley[/name_u], or a [name_f]Maria[/name_f] who has to deal with everyone singing songs from The Sound of [name_f]Music[/name_f] and [name_u]West[/name_u] Side [name_u]Story[/name_u] at you. Now’s the time to complain about it.
I’ll go first. I really like my name ([name_f]Gwendolyn[/name_f]/[name_f]Gwen[/name_f]) but that doesn’t mean it’s without flaws. These include:
[name_f]Gwen[/name_f] sounds too similar to “[name_u]Quinn[/name_u].”
It also rhymes with a lot of words, like “then” and “when.” Once I nearly had a heart attack when a PE teacher started giving us instructions by yelling “WHEN you get outside, please head over to…”
When I introduce myself to people, their immediate response is usually either “like [name_f]Gwen[/name_f] [name_f]Stefani[/name_f]” or “like [name_f]Gwen[/name_f] [name_u]Stacy[/name_u].” That got old really fast.
[name_f]Gwendolyn[/name_f] is technically an incorrect spelling.
People frequently assume my full name is [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] or [name_f]Gwyneth[/name_f]/[name_f]Gweneth[/name_f]. Easily corrected, but annoying; and that last one isn’t even a name as far as I’m aware.
Those kitschy personalized souvenir things never have [name_f]Gwen[/name_f] or [name_f]Gwendolyn[/name_f].
My name can be shortened to [name_f]Wendy[/name_f], which I absolutely loathe. No one has tried to call me that in real life, but I hate being reminded of the possibility.
It’s difficult for many non-English speakers to say.
A surprisingly large chunk of the population can’t spell either my full name or nickname.
…and that’s about it. But like I said, I’m really very fond of my name. [name_m]Just[/name_m] felt like spreading some negativity ;). And I’m curious about what the #1 name complaint might be.
I’m also fond of my name ([name_f]Kaitlin[/name_f]) and the spelling since it fits me. Here are the issues I don’t like:
Having my name misspelled (besides the [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f] spelling, which I don’t mind) all the time:[name_f]Kaitlyn[/name_f], [name_f]Katelyn[/name_f], [name_f]Caitlyn[/name_f], [name_f]Katelynn[/name_f], [name_f]Kaitlynn[/name_f] [name_f]Kaitland[/name_f], etc.
People trying to force nns on me, especially [name_f]Katie[/name_f]. It’s usually new people I meet that try the nn thing on me too.
None of those souvenirs had my spelling; I still check when I see them.
My name is [name_f]Christina[/name_f]/[name_f]Kristina[/name_f] and I dislike it. I just don’t feel like its “me” but here are some specific things I dislike about it.
1.) It has a very dated vibe to it. I know its supposed to be a classic but it still has a very 70s/80s feel about it which I dislike.
2.) For some reason when addressing me almost every adult that doesn’t know me personally calls me “[name_f]Christine[/name_f]” instead of [name_f]Christina[/name_f]. I’ve honestly given up correcting people because they usually give me this annoyed look whenever I do.
3.) All the nicknames for it are equally dated, cutesy or masculine. My parents use the one that is the most cutesy of all the nicknames of it.
4.) People call me [name_f]Christina[/name_f] Aguilera as a joke. [name_f]Do[/name_f] I look like [name_f]Christina[/name_f] Aguilera?
My name is [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f].
I was born in 91 and there were a lot of Jennifers in my high school.
In college, there were 3 other women with my same first and last name, one of them having the same middle initial, and one of them having the same middle name ([name_u]Lynn[/name_u]).
I like my nickname spelled [name_f]Jenni[/name_f], but everyone spells it [name_f]Jenny[/name_f].
At the school where I work, there are two other staff named [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f].
You would think my name wouldn’t be misspelled, but I had a substitute teacher try to spell it with a “ph”.
My daughter is [name_f]Noemi[/name_f], but people always say [name_f]Naomi[/name_f].
Well, my name is [name_f]Anne[/name_f] (ah-NEH), and some things that occasionally bother me is:
Everybody assume that it’s [name_f]Hanne[/name_f] (common female name here).
It gets really old when people comment that it’s ‘plain and boring’ (I didn’t have this problem before Nameberry though, but it seems to be the automatic response).
People always end up giving me nicknames (either a pet form of my name or something completely different), maybe because of the previous point (?).
It’s not one of those names that make people go “whoa, what a gorgeous name!” They go more like “Oh, [name_f]Anne[/name_f], what a traditional name”.
Foreigners usually think it’s pronounced ‘[name_f]ANN[/name_f]’ or ‘[name_f]ANNIE[/name_f]’, and will still use those pronunciations after I correct them.
There’s a lot of children’s rhymes (not all flattering) that use my name, mainly because of how all the words it rhymes with.
With that said, I really love my name and can’t see myself named something else. The positive qualities to it easily outrank the negative ones
[name_f]Heather[/name_f] is just extremely boring and I never get compliments on it. I feel like my dad only picked it because it lacked bullying potential and it was a common name when he was in high school. Also I’ve been asked once if it was spelled [name_f]Hether[/name_f]. [name_f]Glad[/name_f] it’s not.
On top of that my middle name is [name_f]Joy[/name_f](which feels like a filler name to me) and my sister’s middle name is [name_f]Dawn[/name_f], so I feel like he named us after dish soap.
I don’t hate my name though.
My only problem with my name, [name_f]Fiona[/name_f], is that people think of Shrek when they hear it! I was born before the darn movie came out (though I suppose not everyone would know that immediately), and I disliked it when I finally saw it at age 12.
I used to hate my name (although, ironically, only for a couple of these reasons), and I desperately wanted to change it, so I’m surprised this list isn’t longer:
I hate the unisex nature of it. My FN is my uncle’s MN, and I just find that really weird, and I think it’s really messed with my perception of gender roles and such, which could be a good or a bad thing, but seeing that I feel like at heart, I’m much more feminine than I feel like I act most of the time, I resent it. I feel like something like [name_f]Lydia[/name_f], [name_f]Grace[/name_f], [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], or [name_f]Annabel[/name_f] would have suited me much more.
I hate the misspelling [name_f]Ashely[/name_f]. My goodness, just sound it out! It’s [name_u]ASH[/name_u]-lee. Where in the world do you get a third syllable from?!
In correlation with that, I hate when they ask me how to spell my name. Granted, there are tons of spellings for it, so I cut them a little slack there, but is [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] really that hard to figure out? It was a number one name at one point; you’d think people could spell it…
I hate the boringness of it. Which might be related to popularity, but I have always liked that it was familiar, that it made me sort of feel like I fit in. But it would be nice to have a name that you don’t hear everyday, that occasionally could invoke that coveted, “What a beautiful/unusual name!” or “You don’t hear that everyday!” or “I love your name!”
I hate the stereotypes that come with my name. It seems like people either expect an [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] to be a stuck-up or dumb-as-a-doornail cheerleader, or the high school queen-bee mean-girl, and I’m nowhere near either one of those! When I introduce myself to someone, is that really what they expect me to be? Why can’t Ashleys be expected to be bookworms with bleeding hearts who love to laugh?
No one can pronounce my name. It’s almost comical to see how new people pronounce my name. Some people who have known me for years still can’t pronounce it right because of their accents.
No one can spell it. It took one of my friends almost 10 years to spell it right. And forget the people at Starbucks, I just tell them [name_f]Ellie[/name_f].
I hate the nn [name_f]Leni[/name_f]. Only one person has tried to call me that, and its my best friend so I don’t really have the heart to tell her no.
I get [name_f]Elena[/name_f] all the time. I very strongly dislike the name [name_f]Elena[/name_f]. [name_f]DO[/name_f] YOU SEE ANY A’s IN MY NAME? COME ON.
I can never find anything with my name personalized on it.
It is almost unheard of in [name_u]America[/name_u], but in Greece and the Greek communities its in the top five, if not the top two. So it gets confusing when talking about [name_f]Eleni[/name_f] P. and [name_f]Eleni[/name_f] S. and [name_f]Eleni[/name_f] J. “Which [name_f]Eleni[/name_f] are we talking about?”
Not many nn options. I mean I guess I could go by [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], but my parents never tried it out or anything so now I’d feel awkward trying to nn myself. Maybe next year when I go to college.
I like my name. I guess. I don’t really hate my name, but I don’t love it either. I wouldn’t give anyone else my name, that’s for sure. But I feel like I am an [name_f]Eleni[/name_f], and I couldn’t be anything else. It suits my personality well. I just wish other people could pronounce it and/or spell it.
No one can spell it right even when I tell them how. I get a variation of [name_f]Amy[/name_f], [name_f]Amie[/name_f], [name_f]Amee[/name_f], [name_f]Aime[/name_f], even Aimme etc.
I often get it pronounced wrong. Where I live, it is quite normal to pronounce it Eh-[name_f]May[/name_f] (like in french).
I always get asked if I’m [name_m]French[/name_m], which I’m not (it doesn’t help when your moms name is [name_f]Martine[/name_f])
I sometimes think its a bit cutesy. I would rather a longer/stronger name like [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] or [name_u]Devon[/name_u] (which was my parents second choice)
There are no good nicknames. I don’t particularly like Aim or (but I don’t mind Aims). Other than that, there are no other nn options
Other than these complaints, I still like my name, although I wish it was a bit more unique
What a great idea for a thread! I will undoubtedly add more to this list later (when it’s not super late and I forget half of the nuisances of being named [name_f]Zelia[/name_f]):
1.) [name_f]Zelia[/name_f] gets misspelled constantly. [name_f]Celia[/name_f], [name_f]Selia[/name_f], [name_f]Selma[/name_f], [name_f]Xenia[/name_f], [name_f]Ksenia[/name_f], [name_f]Zenia[/name_f] – you name it.
2.) It sounds great in English but the Danish language butchers it completely.
3.) My mum chose the Z spelling to be yooneek sigh To think that I could have been a Shakespearean [name_f]Celia[/name_f] but became one of nineteen Zelias in Denmark instead.
4.) The -el- in [name_f]Zelia[/name_f] clashes with the [name_f]El[/name_f]- in my middle name.
5.) My half-sister is called [name_f]Celina[/name_f]. [name_f]Zelia[/name_f] and [name_f]Celina[/name_f] as a sibset just sounds wrong.
6.) I was called [name_m]Zel[/name_m] for the first sixteen years of my life and absolutely loathed it.
7.) My name was never on any of those pencil cases, necklaces etc.
8.) And no one bothered to have stuff like that customised for me sigh
9.) My mum considered to name me [name_f]Selma[/name_f] after my great-great-grandmother but chose [name_f]Zelia[/name_f] instead. Because apparently [name_f]Selma[/name_f] wasn’t special enough. Good grief, that woman should not be allowed to name children.
I don’t dislike my name, but people are always asking “so is it [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] or [name_f]Kaitlin[/name_f]?” And I’m just like, neither. It’s [name_f]Katie[/name_f]. The end lol.
Also, I’m a 23 year old named [name_f]Katie[/name_f] [name_f]Sue[/name_f]. Only four year olds with pigtails can be called [name_f]Katie[/name_f] [name_f]Sue[/name_f]! But at the end of the day, I guess the name fits me.
I don’t mind my name any more used to loathe it and wonder why i couldn’t have been called something like [name_u]Jodie[/name_u]…
I HATE it when people spell my name wrong… Im not being funny but if it was correct it would have been on my birth cert… [name_m]DANIEL[/name_m] is a BOYS NAME U MUPPETS! add an extra L & E and were good…
Nicknames… Well [name_m]Dan[/name_m] & [name_u]Dani[/name_u] seem to be mine… nobody ever thought about [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] or [name_f]Elle[/name_f] as any nicknames… which i’m not that worried about lol but still could have tried… but nothing ever much more creative lol
Middle name is one syllable so doesnt clash [name_f]Danielle[/name_f] [name_f]Grace[/name_f] is pretty ok and im named after my great grandmother…
I have only ever had my name spelt [name_u]Daniele[/name_u] or Danniele and Dannyell Danyiell …
6)My name is 4 letters longer than my other 4 siblings who all have just 4 letter names.
[name_f]KARA[/name_f]! [name_m]Ah[/name_m], where do I begin?
I’m American, from the Midwest more specifically. 95% of people where I’m from say kara-uh, rhyming with care or dare. It’s almost kay-ra really. But I live in Australia, where everybody says car-ar and I really hate it. Sounds like a seal. ([name_m]Don[/name_m]'t get me wrong. I love the Aussies and their accent. [name_m]Just[/name_m] not how they say my name!) So, I’ve started going by my middle name.
Is that with a C or K?
I think [name_f]Kara[/name_f] fits me pretty well, and it’s a cute and spunky name, if I’m being totally objective. But it is a little playful for my personality. [name_f]Katharine[/name_f] nn [name_f]Kara[/name_f] would’ve suited me better, even though [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] and its variations are more common. Or [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] nn [name_f]Cara[/name_f]. That would’ve been even better.
It’s not the biggest issue, but it’s a little dated, especially with a K.
All in all, I’m pretty happy with my name, and I think my parents did really well considering it was the 80s and they were teens! And how could they know I’d move to Australia!?
I have liked my name for maybe a week of my life. The rest, I’ve hated it for different reasons. Here they are:
Popularity!! Have I ever mentioned how much I hate how popular my name is? Probably anytime there is a “popularity: pros and cons” thread on here. Yes, I hate my popular name. I hate being known as [name_u]Abby[/name_u]-last initial, [name_u]Abby[/name_u]-blonde hair, and [name_u]Abby[/name_u]-blue shirt. I also hate the comment of “Oh I have a (insert female relative here) named [name_u]Abby[/name_u]!” And, since I’m super competitive, I have to be the best [name_u]Abby[/name_u] wherever I go. Sucks
The possibly nicknames [name_m]Ab[/name_m] and Abs. My name is four letters and two syllables, you can freaking say [name_u]Abby[/name_u]
My full name is spelled wrong. I spell it [name_f]Abigael[/name_f]. It gets really old correcting people. I just don’t anymore
When people spell my name [name_u]Abbie[/name_u] or [name_u]Abbey[/name_u] or [name_u]Abi[/name_u] or [name_f]Aby[/name_f] or [name_f]Abbee[/name_f] or anything other than [name_u]Abby[/name_u]
My last name causes me problems but I won’t say it on here. Basically my last name is a common English word so people always ask “Are you ___?” No, I’m not
I hate [name_f]Abigael[/name_f] and will never be called that but sometimes I feel like [name_u]Abby[/name_u] sounds very childish
EVERYWHERE WITH PERSONALIZED KEYCHAINS OR WHATEVER SPELLS IT [name_f]ABIGAIL[/name_f]. I shouldn’t complain since that’s how you spell it but there’s never an [name_u]Abby[/name_u].
People call me freaking [name_f]Abigael[/name_f]. Like, can you not?
My name is [name_u]Kimberly[/name_u] and I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] it! However, the one thing I hate is how people just assume (after I introduce myself as [name_u]Kimberly[/name_u]) that’s it’s OK to call me [name_u]Kim[/name_u] (which I totally HATE). I do often correct them. I’ve told telemarketers, who call asking for “[name_u]Kim[/name_u]”, "there no one here by that name). One (lame) excuse I’ve heard for the “[name_u]Kim[/name_u]” thing is “my aunt/sister/friend/daughter/neighbor/etc goes by [name_u]Kim[/name_u]”, to which I think “good for her…I still hate it.” [name_u]Kim[/name_u] is not nor has it ever been on my birth certificate…and the -berly part is NOT silent.
Thank you for letting me rant… [name_f]Merry[/name_f] [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] to yall!
I’m [name_f]Margaret[/name_f], and I like it for the most part, but I do have some complaints about it.
It was my grandmother’s name, but I would have much preferred to be given a name my parents loved over an honor name. Honestly, I can probably count the number of times my dad has called me [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] on one hand, giving me the impression that he just doesn’t like the name at all. (I’ve never asked him, though, so I could be wrong.)
My nickname is [name_f]Meg[/name_f], which I do like, but it annoys me when someone (Dad) introduces me to new people as [name_f]Meg[/name_f], they inevitably end up calling me [name_f]Megan[/name_f] instead. (That’s why I always introduce myself as [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]. If they later ask if they can call me [name_f]Meg[/name_f], that’s fine, as long as they’re aware my name isn’t actually [name_f]Megan[/name_f].)
I HATE it when people slur the last two syllables together as “grit”, which just sounds so lazy and unattractive. My name is three syllables: [name_f]Mar[/name_f]-ga-ret. That second “a” isn’t just there for decoration!
Related to that, it gets misspelled a lot too, despite [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] being the classic, traditional spelling. Margrit, [name_f]Margret[/name_f], Margrette… If people would say it right, they’d probably be able to spell it right, too.
xx
but nothing ever much more creative lol
But it is a little playful for my personality. [name_f]Katharine[/name_f] nn [name_f]Kara[/name_f] would’ve suited me better, even though [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] and its variations are more common. Or [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] nn [name_f]Cara[/name_f]. That would’ve been even better.