We’re expecting our second child and are learning the sex next week. I have plenty of ideas for girls’ names, but I’m stumped about boys’!
I like the name [name_m]Alec[/name_m], but our last name starts with an S. So, if someone says “[name_m]Alec[/name_m] S----,” it will just sound like [name_u]Alex[/name_u], which I don’t care for.
What do you think? Is [name_m]Alec[/name_m] still usable?
This is a tough one… I think maybe it depends on what your last name is?
For example, if your last name was “[name_m]Sanders[/name_m]” I definitely wouldn’t want to do [name_m]Alec[/name_m] [name_m]Sanders[/name_m]… sounds too much like [name_m]Alexander[/name_m]. An extreme example probably, but still.
On the other hand, if your last name was [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u], I feel like you could get away with it. There’s enough of a break between the two when you say it that it works: [name_m]Alec[/name_m] [name_u]Sullivan[/name_u]. You might have to clarify with people that it’s [name_m]Alec[/name_m] and not [name_u]Alex[/name_u], but honestly. I have to clarify with people that my daughter’s name is [name_f]Jillian[/name_f] and not [name_m]Julian[/name_m]. There will always be something.
If you love [name_m]Alec[/name_m], and you think it pairs well with your last name, I say go for it.
The thing is, I think even without the s surname, people might mistake [name_m]Alec[/name_m] for [name_u]Alex[/name_u], purely because [name_u]Alex[/name_u] is more well known. Should that put you off such a great name? I don’t think so. I say go for [name_m]Alec[/name_m] 
Both andermac and greyblue make good points. I avoided a few names for my first son for this very same reason.
However, I have since realized that the first name will very often be used without the surname.
When I introduce my son, 99.9% of the time it is by his first name only. The only time I hear my son’s full name said aloud is when we are in doctor/dentist/etc. waiting rooms, and then the person is reading their name from a piece of paper so it doesn’t matter anyway. When your child gets older they can leave a pause between their first and last name to make it clear, or do what my husband does and say “first name X, last name X” to make it super clear.
I do think you will have to enunciate the “c” at the end regardless, since people may confuse it with [name_u]Alex[/name_u] even as a first name only.
I say my son’s first name a zillion times a day and it is such a huge part of his identity, not his first name + surname combined. I think you should choose a first name you really love.
Honestly, whether your surname begings with an S or not, if you’re really not keen on [name_u]Alex[/name_u], then [name_m]Alec[/name_m] is probably not your best option.
I have a nephew named [name_u]Alek[/name_u] (with a surname that doesn’t start with an S) and he is constantly called [name_u]Alex[/name_u], often even after correcting people once or twice… I guess people are so familiar with [name_u]Alex[/name_u], and not at all with [name_m]Alec[/name_m]/[name_u]Alek[/name_u] that they just assume and/or ‘forget’. In the case of [name_m]Alec[/name_m] (spelling specific) too, with X and C so close together on the keyboard, I can see spelling being an issue on official documents and such which would be frustrating.
Ultimately, while [name_m]Alec[/name_m] is a lovely name, it may not be your best bet for a first name - if you do love it though, might I suggest using it in the middle?
Thanks, all! I appreciate the advice and am feeling more confident about using [name_m]Alec[/name_m].
To sunniva’s point, I grew up correcting people on my name all the time. But I like it so much that I never blamed the name. As long as the last name isn’t a stumbling block, we’ll just make it a family tradition to correct people, haha. 