Does it bother any of you if someone says a name should be spelled “right”? I posted the name [name]Bailey[/name] and [name]Jordan[/name] on another message board, and I asked if they like the spellings “[name]Baylee[/name]” and “[name]Jordyn[/name]” and all I got was that they were spelled “wrong”! A name cant be spelled wrong, its a name. [name]Just[/name] because someone spells their babys name [name]Jenifer[/name], doesnt mean its spelled “wrong”. Yes, in someones opinion [name]Kasey[/name] doesnt look as good as [name]Casey[/name], but that doesnt mean its spelled wrong. [name]Kaylee[/name] might be the traditional way to spell it, but that doesnt mean [name]Cailey[/name] is spelled wrong! It just bugs me!
It seems like you post things like this a lot. I feel like you are just trying to stir up controversy.
If not, I think that just as you feel that there is no “right” spelling, some people disagree. And just as there is nothing wrong with you spelling your children’s names however you want, there is also nothing wrong with people not liking it. Everyone has different opinions. It’s not a big deal.
I wouldn’t consider them spelled “wrong”, necessarily. They are definitely not the traditional spellings. Instead of “wrong” perhaps call alternate spellings “unique”?
Ultimately, it’s your kid and your decision, right?
Best wishes!
[name]Tara[/name]
I think she’s 15 or something. I don’t think she’s trying to stir up controversy, she just likes to talk about it. =)
Oh I see! I do apologize then! I think a lot of the issues may because because of the age difference between you and some of the people posting. When I was fifteen my VERY favorite name was Lyndi. I loved it! I think our tastes change as we get older and we forget how “fun” different spellings can be. Now I prefer traditional spellings, but it wasn’t always so!
I think she’s 15 or something. I don’t think she’s trying to stir up controversy, she just likes to talk about it. =)[/quote]
An entire thread has been devoted to this topic and you should read through it if you’re interested in opinions on creative spellings. Most feel that they complicate the child’s life more than it helps them. You will find on other name sites that this is not the case, but most of the posters here tend to be against trendy names and at the moment creative spellings are very trendy.
Here’s the link to the original thread:
Ief u spel ur santances liek dis. You’re going to get an F and people are not going to be able to understand you. Names are words, and just like any other word, spelling it incorrectly makes it unintelligible, and reflects poorly on yourself and your child. Youneek spellings don’t do anything but make people pronounce your child’s name wrong. What really kills me about spelling a name differently when you’re trying to be original is it’s STILL THE SAME NAME. People will still be saying the same name, it’s just that when someone tries to write your kid’s name down they’ll write [name]Caroline[/name], and she’ll have to correct everyone and say its K-A-R-A-L-Y-N. You’re making it unnecessarily hard on your kid, and usually they’ll end up resenting it.
I think it depends on the person and the reason and the name. Like I named my daughter [name]Katelyn[/name], to honor my great-aunts [name]Kate[/name] and [name]Lynn[/name], then that makes perfect sense to me. A name like that, that has been translated from Irish to English, is going to have a variance. I think most people do tend to turn their noses up at names with extra vowels and non-traditional spelling.
My mom’s name is Shery, and she has never met another Shery because it is such an odd spelling. There is [name]Sherri[/name], [name]Sherry[/name], [name]Cherry[/name], [name]Cheri[/name], [name]Shari[/name]. Her high diploma is spelled wrong because her homeroom teacher assumed it was on a error on the roll. It just seems like a burden to the kid, if you are doing it just to be unique. I can understand how there are certain meanings behind certain spellings and that’s pretty much the only time I applaud off-beat spelling. But I tend to prefer the traditional myself.
It is kind to spell a child’s name in the traditional way so that they don’t have to spell their name for people all their lives. That gets to be very tedious.
I personally dislike ‘youneek’ spellings. Like others have mentioned i think it makes things more difficult for the child, however inr eality i dont think [name]Bailee[/name] or [name]Jordyn[/name] (i think that is what you had) is terrible youneek. Now Bayhliee and Gordynn would be horendous spellings. However i will say that in just about any given situation i think a correctly spelled name is best, [name]Bailey[/name] and [name]Jordan[/name] arnt my cup of tea per say but i do prefere the gramatically correct versions of the names. However there are some circumstances in which a nontraditional spelling would be OK to me, such as honoring someone (i plan to honor an [name]Erika[/name], and think i should spell it [name]EriKa[/name] not [name]EriCa[/name]) or if it is a legitament spelling from a diffrent culture.
There are situations when alternate spellings of names are perfectly fine, in my opinion. If your heritage is, say, Italian, and you want to honor that, then I think it’s fine to spell your daughter’s name, say, [name]Sofia[/name] instead of [name]Sophia[/name] or [name]Giulia[/name] instead of [name]Julia[/name]. It may make life a little more difficult, but it’s not that hard to say, “My name is [name]Sofia[/name] with an F.” A previous poster mentioned that her daughter is named after a [name]Kate[/name] and a [name]Lynn[/name], hence her name is a smush- [name]Katelyn[/name]. I think that makes sense as well. Another situation where I think alternate spellings are acceptable is when the original either doesn’t have a spelling in English (it is a name from another language with its own alphabet, though these names are rare) or when the pronunciation is too far from obvious with the spelling- [name]Ciara[/name], for example, is pronounced [name]KEER[/name]-uh. In that case, it would be downright annoying to explain it to everyone you meet.
However, I don’t agree with making up a random spelling just because you prefer it. Names [name]DO[/name] have correct and incorrect spellings, because they are words. They follow the rules of language just like any other word would. If a child spelled the word “grace” on a spelling test as “grayce,” they would be wrong and they would fail. That is how it is spelled phoenetically, but it is not correct. The same goes for names. Names have etymologies and histories just like every other word, and there are correct and incorrect spellings.
One of my best friend’s name is [name]Baylee[/name] . She doesn’t like her name very much though, because she thinks it’s a dog’s name ! I personally love it ! What do you think of the spelling Aubri instead of [name]Aubrey[/name] ?
I am also really torn on the subject. I do believe there is a right and a wrong version: [name]Jeremy[/name] and Dzgeremeigh for example. But i dont think [name]Jordyn[/name] is ‘wrong’. Its perfectly readable and pronounciable (sp?) I would prn it [name]JorDYN[/name] and not [name]JorDEN[/name] though, so thats why i dont think its wrong. It really bugs me when people say ‘oh [name]Bayleigh[/name] is spelled wrong’, it is trendy and the original spelling is [name]Bailey[/name], but that doesnt mean that [name]Bayleigh[/name] is wrong, its another version!
I understand that is makes the baby’s life, perhaps, more difficult if s/he has to spell it all the time, but the family and school and friends and work environment will get used to it. I really dislike big wrong spellings like Dzgeremeigh though.
I do agree that you shouldnt spell it ‘wrong’ or a less common version to be unique, in theorie its the same name. But if you love [name]Jordyn[/name] (looks) better then [name]Jordan[/name], or you really want a [name]JordYN[/name] and not a [name]JordEN[/name] i think its OK. (Or if you want to honor Kathariena, dont spell it [name]Katharina[/name] unless it really bothers you)
If its readable, its not spelled wrong, its another version of the traditional spelling. If you have to think about pronunciation or have no clue what the name is, it IS spelled wrong.
This reminds me of another thread about 'do you like [name]Melissa[/name] or [name]Marissa[/name] and someone answered [name]Marisa[/name]. [name]Marissa[/name] and [name]Marisa[/name] are two different names for me, just like [name]Jordan[/name] and [name]Jordyn[/name].
[name]Marissa[/name]: Mah-ris-SAH
[name]Marisa[/name]: Mah- [name]REE[/name]- sah
SO yeah, i hope everyone understands my opinion.
I agree with the addition that (see my other post) [name]Jordan[/name] and [name]Jordyn[/name] are fine, but to me i pronounce it differently so they are two different names. I would spell the [name]Jordyn[/name], [name]Jordan[/name] if its pronounced to same unless i wanted to use it for a girl (i think its a little more obvious) but i would still prefer [name]Jordan[/name] though. If a kid came to me and said, [name]Jordan[/name] with a Y, id think it was Yordan, not [name]Jordyn[/name].
Its also ok if you loooooooooooooove [name]Jordyn[/name] and not [name]Jordan[/name].
I posted that initially and I stand by my liking for [name]Marisa[/name] (yes, pronounced ma-[name]REE[/name]-sa) because I think the Italian pronunciation is prettier and stronger. Definitionally they are the same name- they share the same etymology. [name]Marissa[/name] is actually a variant of [name]Marisa[/name], [name]Marisa[/name] being the original name- a “mash-up” if you will, of [name]Maria[/name] and [name]Louisa[/name], combining the [name]Mar[/name]- from [name]Maria[/name] and the isa - from Lousia. One is just an international version of another. This goes back to what one person said earlier- just because a name is an international version doesn’t mean it’s spelled wrong. [name]Julia[/name] and [name]Giulia[/name] are the same name, but in reality the J and Giu have a subtly different pronunciation. [name]Bayleigh[/name] is not a legitimate version of the name [name]Bailey[/name] in any language, so the name has no history behind it and for me that constitutes it being spelled wrong. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I don’t consider foreign spellings “wrong”, I consider made-up spellings to be spelled incorrectly. Names are words. Words have spellings. Spelling was streamlined for a reason and if you study medieval literature, before there were rules of spelled, one would find that even simple words were often spelled a number of ways in one text, making deciphering them nowadays more difficult. I also don’t judge people who use these spellings, but I would never use them personally.
[quote=“freckles”]
I posted that initially and I stand by my liking for [name]Marisa[/name] (yes, pronounced ma-[name]REE[/name]-sa) because I think the Italian pronunciation is prettier and stronger. Definitionally they are the same name- they share the same etymology. [name]Marissa[/name] is actually a variant of [name]Marisa[/name], [name]Marisa[/name] being the original name- a “mash-up” if you will, of [name]Maria[/name] and [name]Louisa[/name], combining the [name]Mar[/name]- from [name]Maria[/name] and the isa - from Lousia. One is just an international version of another. This goes back to what one person said earlier- just because a name is an international version doesn’t mean it’s spelled wrong. [name]Julia[/name] and [name]Giulia[/name] are the same name, but in reality the J and Giu have a subtly different pronunciation. [name]Bayleigh[/name] is not a legitimate version of the name [name]Bailey[/name] in any language, so the name has no history behind it and for me that constitutes it being spelled wrong. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I don’t consider foreign spellings “wrong”, I consider made-up spellings to be spelled incorrectly. Names are words. Words have spellings. Spelling was streamlined for a reason and if you study medieval literature, before there were rules of spelled, one would find that even simple words were often spelled a number of ways in one text, making deciphering them nowadays more difficult. I also don’t judge people who use these spellings, but I would never use them personally.[/quote]
I understand, and i agree. I wasnt saying [name]Marisa[/name] or [name]Marissa[/name] are a wrong spelling of each other, just that they are two different names for me, as are [name]Jordan[/name] and [name]Jordyn[/name]. I hope you know what i mean, i wasnt critising the names, just an example.
Unfortunately, that’s not an effective defense. For a name where variant spellings are common, even someone with the commonest spelling will probably have to spell it often.
I think its personal preference however you choose to spell your childs name. No name is spelled wrong, but I think their usually is one or two dominently used spellings for the majority of a name…example is [name]Madeline[/name] or [name]Madelyn[/name]…(their are more spellings but those two are the most used)
Its hard enough to find the right name, if you have then consider yourself lucky, now the easy part is picking the spelling! 
Good [name]Luck[/name]!
Unfortunately, that’s not an effective defense. For a name where variant spellings are common, even someone with the commonest spelling will probably have to spell it often.[/quote]
This is actually a good point. I have one of the most common names out there, and yet, I always have to spell it for people or correct them. My name is [name]Rachel[/name], not [name]Rachael[/name], but everyone assumes it’s the latter (for what reason, I don’t know), so when people look at me, like they don’t want to ask how it’s spelled, I always have to spell it for them.
But, on the issue at hand, I feel that spelling names incorrectly is unnecessary unless, as mentioned before, you are honoring someone. But even then, the spelling isn’t radically different.
Also, which I never thought of until someone on NB pointed it out, the names are pronounced the same way. Whether you spell it [name]Mackenzie[/name] or McKynzye, they’re said the same way and you say a name more than you spell it. So why spell [name]Bailey[/name] as [name]Bayleigh[/name] when she would have to explain over and over that it’s not spelled [name]Bailey[/name].
Some examples of misspelled first name problems of people I know:
Ryle - in one of my classes, our teacher called him “rile”, silent e. Turns out, it’s pronounced like [name]Riley[/name]
[name]Haleigh[/name] - I’ve known her for so long this name has become almost my first way of spelling [name]Haley[/name], but for years she’s had to explain how to spell it.
Aireyonna - pronouced like [name]Ariana[/name]. Why the misspelling of such a pretty name? I don’t know her well, but I can only imagine the headaches and confusion her name would cause.
So, my point is this: a name is heard more than seen, and even when it is seen, what would look better?: Mrs. [name]Bailey[/name] [name]Smith[/name] or Mrs. [name]Bayleigh[/name] [name]Smith[/name]? CEO Aireyonna [name]Smith[/name] or CEO [name]Ariana[/name] [name]Smith[/name]?
Like words, names have correct spellings. If I rotte liek thiss all teh tyme, wouldn’t people be confused? There are origins and correct spellings to every word and name. And that’s my take.
Is it really THAT big of a deal to have to correct people when it comes to the spelling of your name?
My name is [name]Marianne[/name] (in my 20s). Not weird, not unique, not overly common, but certainly not unheard of. There are a few different spellings of this name that are accepted. Does anyone ever spell it right? 99.2% of the time, no! Most people spell it [name]Mary[/name] [name]Anne[/name] (most people also mispronounce it, which is something I’ve yet to understand…). I about double-over when someone does spell it right without knowing me well. [name]Do[/name] I want to lash out at my parents? Um, no, because it isn’t a big deal and I actually think [name]Marianne[/name] is the best spelling of the name, anyway. Unless we’re talking about a legal document, I won’t even correct the person. Again, no big deal. And if I’m really concerned about it, I’ll say, “[name]Marianne[/name], M. A. R. I. A. N. N. E.” to leave any questions out of the mind.
Disliking a certain spelling (or name) is one thing. Disliking it only because it has the potential to be misspelled constantly is silly, to me.