My name is Maeghan (pronounced [name]MAE[/name] at the beginning as in the month of [name]May[/name]) and is of Welsh origin. In Australia where I live, my name is very unusual. The names [name]Megan[/name], [name]Meaghan[/name] or any other variation are pronounced MEE-gan with a long EE sound and are reasonably common. The result is that people fail to read the beginning of my name correctly (M A E) and call me MEE-gan instead. This has never bothered me, I usually just correct them and move on.
However, I was at the bank the other day dealing with some stuff and the lady who was helping me was completely and blatantly rude about my name. When she saw the spelling and asked how it was pronounced her response was ‘wow, why would your parents saddle you with a name like that? Its hard to spell, and no one would ever pronounce it right. I hate it when parents do that to their kids.’
It is one thing to think that parents have saddled their children with a difficult, weird or stupid name…it is another thing entirely to say it to someone’s face in such a way. I happen to [name]LOVE[/name] my name…she has no right to speak to me like that. Has that happened to any of you? Has someone been rude about your name or the names you chose for your kids?
It’s okay sweetie. I happen to love [name]Megan[/name] pronounced more as may-gan anyway
When I was in high school, I had a sub argue with me for almost a whole class that my name was really [name]Angela[/name] and not [name]Angel[/name] while she told me that “I didn’t know my own name” “My mother would be stupid to name me [name]Angel[/name] since it’s not a real name” and “you’re stupid because you don’t know your own name.” It was ridiculous.
It’ll be alright though, just brush it off and smile and love your name. It’s yours and so much prettier than Mee-gan.
In Australia its pronounced Mee-ghan. And that is where I live. My name however is spelled [name]Mae[/name]ghan and pronounced [name]May[/name]-ghan. [name]Hence[/name] the confusion.
I never had that problem, but I have THOUGHT to myself that some parents made poor decisions in naming their children, but I have NEVER said it to anyone’s face. It would be rude and it’s not my child.
Also in [name]America[/name], all the [name]Megan[/name]'s I know pn their name as Meh-gan. So I never heard of mee-ghan. My instinct is to say [name]May[/name]-gan, when I saw your name, since it is spelled differently. So I found that interesting.
I’d never say that to anyone about their name even if I thought so.
Here in the US, the two most common spellings are [name]Megan[/name] and [name]Meghan[/name], and most people pronounce them [name]MEG[/name]-in. When I see other spellings like [name]Meagan[/name], [name]Meaghan[/name], I think the parents were going for [name]MAY[/name]-gan, like your name. I haven’t heard MEE-gan, but I’m sure some people must say it that way.
Yes, that is ridiculously rude! I’m sorry that happened to you.
I’m in Australia too, and I agree that MEE-guhn is by far the most common pronunciation. I do know one [name]Megan[/name] pronounced [name]MEG[/name]-uhn (have never seen her name written, though, so don’t know the spelling).
That said, if I saw Maeghan, I would assume it started with the sound [name]MAY[/name] - it’s right there in the spelling! So the teller was both rude and a bit dense.
People can be mean sometimes. I have a very unique first name and people constantly ask me if it’s made up and say things like “Oh…that’s different” in a not so nice way. It doesn’t bother me anymore, but it annoys the crap out of my mom.
I’m also in the US, but there’s not much difference between [name]MAY[/name]-gan and [name]MEG[/name]-in in our regional dialect. No one says it as MEE-gin.
The only rude naming instance that I can think of is when people insist that my sister use her FULL name (her birth name is [name]Sammi[/name], not [name]Samantha[/name]) and get a little huffy about it (think doctor’s offices, school forms, etc). But I think others with nickname names deal with this sort of thing.
i have a problem with people only putting one r in my name even though its more common with one ‘r’ when i correct them its usually ‘uhhhh’ then they scribble it out and write it again. they will write it down as [name]Tara[/name] so now i just say ‘[name]Tarra[/name], T A double R A’ lol
[name]How[/name] rude! I see people with children whose names I don’t care for all the time and I would never in a million years say something to someones face over a name thats already official.
My name is [name]Cassandra[/name], but I go by [name]Cassie[/name] - I work with elderly people and I’m often called [name]Cassidy[/name], [name]Cathy[/name]…my own grandfather called me [name]Catie[/name] >_<
Also, my mom taught me to spell my name Cassy and NO ONE ever spelled it correctly. I started officially spelling it with an IE about a year ago. The worst was the pizza boy who had Kassiey written on my receipt / ticket thing. Nothing like covering all your bases, lol.
I always say May-gan when faced with Megan and all the different spellings…I don’t know why, I just like the sound of the May sound at the beginning, I guess - if someone corrects me, I wouldn’t contradict them, though.
Oh definitely. I have a very uncommon name. The first half is Greek and the second half is Welsh.
I would pronounce Maeghan as “[name]MAY[/name]-gan” because I always knew “[name]Mae[/name]” to be pronounced like “[name]May[/name]”.
This thread reminds me of a time when someone outright said my name was “ugly” and that my parents must have been on drugs when they named me. Quite unexpected and that never happened to me before. But I was always satisfied with my name because I thought it was strong, distinctive, and feminine.
If anything, it caused me to pay attention to language and spelling a little more than I would have, were I given a trendy name. And it made me more mindful about how other people feel about their names and identify themselves.
She was just plain ignorant, it was a Welsh name well before it was an Australian name. If she needs it dumbed down for her to manage it then you just have to rise above it.
[name]One[/name] of those occasions where you wish you had a witty retort handy at the time, but obviously no one anticipates such rudeness. I can see why you’re so angry.
For the record, the MAEghan spelling and pronunciation is my favourite too
I think it’s just a regional thing. In some parts of the country we say Meh-gen, in some we say [name]May[/name]-gen. Either way I love the name and your spelling is unique
My sister’s name is is [name]Ana[/name] (pronounced [name]Ah[/name]-na), and while people get it wrong and pronounce is like [name]Anna[/name] all the time, she doesnt mind, she just corrects them. However when she was 6 her teacher told her that her name was wrong and “should be spelled A-u-n-a.” Poor girl. Can you imagine being 6 and having your teacher tell you in front of your whole class your name is spelled wrong? People really can be rude.
When I saw your name I pronounced [name]Mae[/name]-gen. I always get confused with [name]Megan[/name]'s though because sometimes it is mee or meh. I love your name and glad you do too! [name]Just[/name] brush it off.
I have sons named [name]Field[/name] and [name]Springer[/name], and someone recently said to me, “And I bet you have a daughter named [name]Daffodil[/name]!”
For what it’s worth, I’m [name]Meagan[/name] and pronounce it [name]May[/name]-gin. [name]Even[/name] the [name]Megan[/name] spelling is pronounced [name]Meg[/name]-in here. I think Mee-gin is terrible, and have only had people pronounce it that way a few times in my life.
[name]How[/name] rude of that person, next time someone says something like that to you just saying something like “Wow, no one ever taught you manners did they?” It will probably shut them up.
My name is [name]Megan[/name] and coworkers/friends pronounce it [name]MAY[/name]-gan or [name]MEG[/name]-in. I prefer the [name]MAY[/name]-gan pronunciation but have caught myself using the [name]MEG[/name]-in pronunciation when introducing myself on many occasions. They are virtually the same, [name]IMO[/name].
And about the rude bank teller, don’t let it bug you! I ALWAYS wished that my name was spelled more uniquely, and love the spelling of Maeghan!
