# A request when saying a name unfamiliar to you: **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 7, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604 "2004-12-07T19:31:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/21 "2004-12-08T02:07:39Z")
> [@Daithe Lacha](#): > > … if I _did_ have to go back on the pones… Okay, the PHONES. Not that I have anything against corn. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/22 "2004-12-08T02:11:16Z")
> [@Daithe Lacha](#): > > To most folk, I have an unpronounceable Welsh first name. Thanks, Mom & Dad… :dubious: I thought the secret to Welsh names was to ignore the spelling and just ask how to pronounce it? Well, unless one knows Welsh. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/23 "2004-12-08T02:28:22Z")
With me it would go more like… Me: May I have your name please? Them: \_\_\_\_\_ Me: I’m sorry, could you repeat that? Them: \_\_\_\_\_\_ Me: Wow, your parents must have hated you. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/24 "2004-12-08T02:31:25Z")
Yeah. My first name is long and…well, I’m the only person for about two generations to have it - not in my family, in the world. It’s an antique. People tend to stumble on it, for some reason. My last name is also long, but because it’s hyphenated. Break it down, and it’s really, really simple to pronounce either part. But for some reason, no one can ever figure it out. And dear sweet lord, don’t ask me what I’m going to do when I get married or anything like that. I’m just going to tell you it’s none of your damn business - generally, in a polite way. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/25 "2004-12-08T03:10:57Z")
\ It’s Boo-KAY!!! \ ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/26 "2004-12-08T06:47:37Z")
> [@Ashes](#): > > Her married surname is trouble because it looks like the alphabet threw up. Funniest. Post. Ever. 😃 I have a last name that’s not terribly common. It’s a French name, and most people who encounter it will try to pronounce it in French. But among my family, we just pronounce it as though it were an English word. To top that off, some of my more distant relatives drop one of the consonants from the pronunciation. So, people have pronounced it many different ways and it doesn’t really bother me. ---
**Author:** ![teleute12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@teleute12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teleute12)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/27 "2004-12-08T07:17:06Z")
My first name is Eliza. You’d be surprised at how many ways there are to pronounce a five-letter name - I’ve heard “Ahlizah”, “E-LEzah”, “Ahlezah”, “Elza”, and “El-iz-ah”, just to name a few. And no, it isn’t short for Elizabeth, and yes you can call me Liza but it’ll take me a while to respond to that, and I don’t really care if you call me “E-liza” or “Ah-liza” so stop giving me that look when I can’t tell you which one is “right.” And if you sing that “Liza Jane” song to me, I will smack you. ---
**Author:** ![teleute12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@teleute12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teleute12)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/28 "2004-12-08T07:20:32Z")
Um. Pretend I said that in a way that wasn’t all ranty, please? ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/29 "2004-12-08T15:19:30Z")
> [@gardentraveler](#): > > “Just a second, let me do a quick review of nicknames for Guadalupe and see if Lupita is on the list…?” GT _fights urge to make lewd joke about tubing the Guadalupe_ I don’t think I could resist Comal, though. ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/30 "2004-12-08T16:00:57Z")
I’ve had similar problems, as follows: Me: Hello, I called earlier about my application. My name’s \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_. Secretary: Oh yes, you’re the one whose name sounds like Abu Dhabi. Me (icily, through gritted teeth): I beg your pardon? Sec: Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to offend… Anyone working the phones should be given basic training to avoid this sort of thing. The job I was doing at the time involved taking phone calls from the public. We were trained in phone etiquette as well as stuff like dealing with tricky callers. ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/31 "2004-12-08T18:01:45Z")
It’s BigbooTAY! TAY! ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/32 "2004-12-08T19:01:32Z")
A question for all of you unusually named folk: Do you mind being asked how it’s spelled? (And I don’t mean in a customer service situation. I mean if I just met you at a party or something.) If someone tells me their name and I’ve never heard it before, I have a lot of trouble remembering it. But if I see it written, I can remember it, and remember the pronounciation, too, even if the pronounciation is totally different than what the spelling would suggest. It must have something to do with my learning style or cognitive process or something. Anyway, if the person spells it out for me, I guess I visualize it as written, and then I can remember it, no problem. So I’ll often ask someone how their name is spelled. And I don’t comment on the name in that instance. I just say thanks. Is this rude? I don’t want to offend or put anyone off, but I would like to remember their name. –Elizabeth (who obviously never ever runs into this problem herself.) ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/33 "2004-12-08T19:09:42Z")
Green Bean (love your username. makes me want to eat the yummy snack that is your username). No, I don’t mind being asked how it’s spelled. My IRL name is Meena, and there’s a Korean name spelled Mi Nah, or something like that - can’t remember. I’ll probably give you a :dubious: look, but I definitely prefer that to “what a weird name!” ---
**Author:** ![shorin-ryu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shorin-ryu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shorin-ryu)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/34 "2004-12-08T19:35:41Z")
I go by my middle name, which is an extremely unusual family surname. I like it–it’s unique, it’s catchy, and most people remember it. I’m aware that it probably ends up on lists of weird names like the one **Daithe Lacha** keeps (I keep one too). I’m okay with that. That being said, I am a project manager who has to take all the calls from people who won’t accept no for an answer from my underlings. Let me pass on a piece of advice–when you are pleading for a favor that only one person (me) can grant, don’t make fun of her name. She ain’t gonna be helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/35 "2004-12-09T02:43:45Z")
My brother: What’s your name? Person: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ My brother: I’m sorry? Person: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ My brother: No, I’m just sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/36 "2004-12-09T05:03:29Z")
> [@cazzle](#): > > My brother: What’s your name? > Person: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ > My brother: I’m sorry? > Person: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ > My brother: No, I’m just sorry. Actual encounter in my group of friends, one friend being introduced to another. Names have been changed to protect the innocent, but Guy #1 really _does_ have a famous-sounding name: [and remember, this is the first time they’ve met]: Mike: Hi, I’m Michael Jackson. John: SUCKS TO BE YOU! for years after that we called the second guy “Sucks to be you” John. ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_Mann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@Rich\_Mann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_Mann)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/37 "2004-12-09T07:01:26Z")
> [@OtakuLoki](#): > > You’d think with four letters my last name wouldn’t be so hard, but the ‘au’ in the middle is pronounced with a nice Germanic ‘ow’ not a nice Romance ‘aw’. And I’ve had people argue with me when I pronounce my name, telling me I’m mispronouncing it. > > At this point, after 36 years with it, I’ve basically given up. I’ll respond to most **any** pronounciation of my last name. But I still have problems with know-it-alls telling me, from time to time, I’m mistaken in how I pronounce it. :smack: My sister’s married names are Braun and Graf. (No, Texas, why do you ask?) Both have given up on getting anyone to pronounce them properly and have even taken to introducing themselves using the English-sounding pronunciations. Inevitably, of course, some jerk will come along and tell them, “Ya know, it’s actually pronounced {correct pronunciation}” Absolutely infuriating! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/38 "2004-12-09T14:22:58Z")
I never understand where people get off telling each other how to pronounce their names. I mean, however I pronounce my name is the right way for me, right? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/39 "2004-12-09T15:06:39Z")
Just tell them it’s pronounced, “Sir” or “Maam.” ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604/40 "2004-12-09T15:11:54Z")
> [@Green Bean](#): > > A question for all of you unusually named folk: Do you mind being asked how it’s spelled? (And I don’t mean in a customer service situation. I mean if I just met you at a party or something.) Absolutely not. IMO, it’s showing polite interest, for exactly the reasons you give. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-request-when-saying-a-name-unfamiliar-to-you/278604.md?page=3)