To Change or Not To Change....

See the results of this poll: To Change or Not To Change…

Respondents: 31 (This poll is closed)

  • Keep it as Haley. : 23 (74%)
  • Hyphenate it to Haley-Alannah. : 1 (3%)
  • Change it to Hayley. : 4 (13%)
  • Change it to Hayleigh. : 0 (0%)
  • Use Alannah instead.: 3 (10%)

Keep it as [name_u]Haley[/name_u]. This is the prettiest spelling, [name_f]IMO[/name_f].

You just gotta own it, [name_u]Haley[/name_u]! People spell my name wrong all the time, too (especially on Starbucks cups!) but I’m okay with it because it’s my name and I’m awesome. :wink:

As a [name_f]Valeria[/name_f] who is mistaken for [name_f]Valerie[/name_f] all the time, I feel your pain :slight_smile: But as there are so many different spellings of [name_u]Haley[/name_u] (aside from the ones you mentioned there’s also [name_f]Hailey[/name_f], [name_f]Haylee[/name_f], and probably more), I doubt changing the spelling to [name_f]Hayley[/name_f] or [name_f]Hayleigh[/name_f] would solve the problem. [name_f]Alannah[/name_f] is lovely but I think as a name it has the same problem as [name_u]Haley[/name_u], you can spell it in so many different ways ([name_f]Alana[/name_f], [name_f]Alanna[/name_f], etc) so it will frequently get misspelled. Best of luck to you on making a decision!

I would keep it the same or if it makes you feel more comfortable hyphenate it. My name is rarely spelled correctly, and I’ve even had a professor spell my name [name_f]Kaitland[/name_f]. It’s gotten to the point that, unless it’s legal paperwork, I’ve stopped fighting (both my fn and ln get misspelled constantly). When it’s a name that has a lot of variations, it seems like no spelling is safe.

Would you have to write under your legal name? Or could you use a ‘pen-name’ ?

Also, (and this was a big one for me when I changed my name) [name_f]Do[/name_f] you already have a positive reputation as [name_u]Haley[/name_u]? Would you lose that by changing your name?

I would stay true to [name_u]Haley[/name_u]! :slight_smile:

I really like it as [name_u]Haley[/name_u] :slight_smile:

It just gets increasingly frustrating, especially when I’m not even a big fan of my spelling to begin with, haha I do love your name though!!

That’s one of my issues, but I do know from 20 years of experience, that the default spelling is [name_f]Hayley[/name_f], haha. [name_m]Even[/name_m] my family defaults to [name_f]Hayley[/name_f] if they can’t remember (my nana - love her dearly, but still calls me [name_f]Hayley[/name_f] from time to time). I’m pretty sure my name can serve as a lesson to all who want a ‘different’ name so they use different spellings. I literally sent my mum a text this afternoon claiming that I was going to change my name to [name_m]Bob[/name_m] if this kept up.

It’s so funny, I actually know so many who are [name_f]Kaitlyn[/name_f]/[name_f]Kaitlin[/name_f], and a few [name_f]Kaitland[/name_f]/Kaitlynd’s, but only about 2 who are [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f]. I’m pretty much the same though, all three of my names are commonly misspelled, mispronounced, etc., it’s a headache trying to explain to anyone it seems.

I believe I can use a pseudonym (pen-name) if I wish! I’m not sure I’d lose a reputation or anything if I change my spelling or use my middle name, as I’m still using my name, and almost everyone knows both of my names. :slight_smile:

@casilda, @lovelyday & @carysmarie - Thank you :slight_smile: On one hand, I do like [name_u]Haley[/name_u], but, I don’t know, I’ve often thought it lacks something?

I think I would hyphenate, or keep [name_u]Haley[/name_u].