If you have a unusual name, this thread is for you!

I did a quick search for a thread like this, but I didn’t see one, so if this already exists, I’m sorry!

If you have an unusual name, this thread is for you! For all of us who automatically spell out our names when we introduce ourselves. For all of us who missed out on personalized key chains and friendship bracelets and Coke bottles. For those of us who searched for our names in baby name books (or on Nameberry!) to no avail.

What is your name, and how is it pronounced? [name_m]How[/name_m] do you feel about your unusual name? Pros and cons of having a unique name? Also, if there is a story or meaning behind your name what is it?

I’ll go first: My name is Dalacey [name_f]Dawn[/name_f] [name_u]Angel[/name_u] (yes, 2 middle names). Pronounced Duh-[name_m]Lay[/name_m]-See. Think [name_u]Delaney[/name_u] meets [name_f]Lacey[/name_f].

When I was young I HATED my name. I hated that I always had to repeat it 3 times and spell it when I met someone new. I hated that teachers would always mispronounce it or call me the wrong name. (Seriously, I’ve gotten everything from [name_u]Delaney[/name_u], to [name_f]Delancey[/name_f], to [name_u]Darcy[/name_u], to [name_u]Tracey[/name_u]) I wished I had a “normal” name like [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] or [name_u]Ashley[/name_u] or [name_f]Rebecca[/name_f]. But now, as an adult, I appreciate having a unique name!

Pros: 1) I was the only one in the school, so everything could just be labeled with my first name.
2) People don’t have preconceived ideas about you based on your name (Like "Oh, you’re such a [name_f]Megan[/name_f]!)
3) Never accidentally responding when someone else is being called
4) It’s nice to be one-of-a-kind! I’ve never met another Dalacey [name_m]IRL[/name_m].
5) I get compliments on my name almost every time I introduce myself

Cons: 1) [name_f]Every[/name_f] introduction goes turns into a whole process. Not just repeating pronunciation, but spelling it out and asking about where the origin and meaning of your name, etc.
2) Correcting pronunciation. I will correct you twice, and if you still haven’t gotten it, I’ll just nod and let you go on with whatever bastardization you are using.
3) Starbucks or other restaurants that take your name for the order: Honestly, at this point, I just give them a fake name, because it is so not worth the effort. If I do give them my real name, instead of listening for my name, I just watch until the barista looks at the cup with a bewildered expression. “Yup, I can tell by your face, that one’s mine.”
4) Get used to seeing your name misspelled. Honestly, I’ve had the same name for 30 years and my extended family still hasn’t learned to spell it correctly.
5) As mentioned above, you will never find personalized merch with your name in the souvenir shop, unless you can get it custom made.

Tileish@

Well, first of all, I have to be super careful with using my name because it’s so unusual. I’ve never met another Tileish@, and I’ve only ever found one other on social media, so a lot of what I do online I have to filter carefully. I totally regret using it as my username, but I don’t want to start from scratch.

I also totally get that Starbucks thing. I’ve been mentally trained to recognize that total look of bewilderment. Pronunciation is a little bit of an issue. It’s teh-lee-sha, but sometimes people say tah-lee-sha. I honestly don’t really mind.

I love having a unusual name, and I’ve never disliked it. My sisters both have unusual names too, so it was normal to have an unusual name growing up. Besides, I always got compliments about how lovely and unusual it was.

I’m a [name_f]Vasilia[/name_f] (vah-see-[name_u]LEE[/name_u]-ah) which doesn’t sound as weird in my country (Greece) because it’s a word name, but I’ve never met anyone with the name. I go by [name_f]Celia[/name_f], which is also unique, I’ve only ever known of one other [name_f]Celia[/name_f]. I love having an unusual name! I like that no one gets me mixed up with someone else, and I just enjoy having an interesting name.
There are some cons, in that no one ever spells [name_f]Celia[/name_f] correctly (in Greece, I think that in an English-speaking country it’d get misspelled less often) and everyone thinks it’s [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] when I first introduce myself.