# Are you often frustrated by having to spell your first or last name for other people? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 1, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011 "2011-06-01T21:39:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/61 "2011-06-02T09:48:28Z")
Not as frustrated as I am when I make an effort to supply it etc (such as in an email) and they still get it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/62 "2011-06-02T10:06:28Z")
Given name: Julia. I’ve never had to spell it for anyone. Surname is fairly common but there are a few variants, so I generally have to spell it. It doesn’t bug me having to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/63 "2011-06-02T11:10:45Z")
I don’t mind. My last name shouldn’t be hard to spell, but people get it wrong regularly. I just spell it immediately now. I am a \*little \*annoyed when - after I’ve spelled it out - they still get it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/64 "2011-06-02T11:22:37Z")
As with others, my surname isn’t difficult or odd - but no one ever understands it first go. So spelling automatically follows. It’s only five letters, about 75% don’t understand what I’ve spelled, so a second round of spelling is usually required. Amusing anecdote, I was checking for a medical procedure last year, the nurse had to ring someone else with my details. So I got to sit there and listen to her go through the same say, spell, spell again routine I’ve had to do so many times. In addition, it’s similar to a given name, so lots people call me that instead of my actual first name. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/65 "2011-06-02T12:47:54Z")
Constantly. I hate it. ---
**Author:** ![UncaStuart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncastuart/32/404_2.png) [@UncaStuart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaStuart)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/66 "2011-06-02T15:25:33Z")
Not frustrated, but always have to spell. More Stewarts than Stuarts, so whenever I am asked my name I say, “\ Stuart S-T-U-A-R-T,” and usually, by the time they have already written S-t-e their brain has processed that I spelled it out for them and they go back and scratch out or erase and start again. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/67 "2011-06-02T16:01:59Z")
I’ve kind of resigned myself to it. It’s certainly a conversation starter. Here’s the typical exchange: Person I’ve never met (PINM): “Oooh, how do you pronounce that?” Me: \ PINM: “Wow, that’s beautiful. I don’t think I could ever do that. \ Did I get it?” Me: (regardless of how they pronounce it) “Wow, that was great.” PINM: “Where is that from?” Me: “My husband - he’s from India.” \ ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/68 "2011-06-02T16:33:48Z")
I answered yes. Not because I have an odd or easily misspelled name. My last name is four letters long and is also a common noun. But I have had people ask me to repeat it 3 or 4 times and even spell it for them before they get it right.:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![booklover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@booklover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booklover)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/69 "2011-06-02T16:42:41Z")
I get somewhat annoyed by this since both my first and last name are uncommon. People get tripped up by my first name for two reasons: it rhymes with a common name (and is very easy to mis-hear on the phone, in crowded situations, etc.) and when written, can be mis-read as an entirely different common name. What kills me is when people repeatedly address me using the incorrect name once we’ve established the correct spelling. My last name is pronounced exactly as it is spelled, and is composed of two common words. However, people trying to pronounce it often put some accent on it that doesn’t exist, and people trying to spell it add extra letters. I love that other people have Starbucks names…mine is Lynn, since that’s my middle name (like 50% of the female population born in the 70s). ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/70 "2011-06-02T16:47:02Z")
My surname is short but unpronounceable to Thais. Not only that, spelling it entails letters with sounds that do not exist in Thai. I have to be patient. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/71 "2011-06-02T17:04:39Z")
My last name has 4 adjacent consonants,lots of people around here (Argentina) seem unable to process that, I’ve had to spell it so many times that now when somebody asks me my last name I automatically spell it. (my father used to spell it using NATO phonetic alphabet as a joke, it was worse than useless). A couple of years ago my son “graduated” from preschool, his “diploma” had his last name with incorrect spelling, days later I found my old preschool “diploma”, it had my last name incorrectly spelled in the exact same way :smack: ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/72 "2011-06-02T17:08:53Z")
Heck, it took me a few months before I was spelling my married name easily! ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/73 "2011-06-02T17:13:39Z")
The only thing that annoys me is that my last name is an uncommon last name but a common word in Spanish. When they ask me what my name is (in Spanish), I of course spell it correctly. But, many people at home have the (wrong, half the time) tendency to drop the “s” at the end of words. Which ends up with people doing “over-correction” and writing my last name with an extra “s”, thinking that that is the correct way and I stupidly mispronounced my own last name. Doesn’t help that the plural form is also a last name (albeit even more uncommon). What is even sillier is that my first name is extremely uncommon, yet they have less problems writing that one out than writing my (first) last name. The second last name is very common, so I have no problems with that one. When I’m talking with non-Spanish speakers, then no, it does not annoy me to spell out my first and last names. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/74 "2011-06-02T17:28:11Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > It really surprises me that people have problems with the name Adrienne. I mean, it’s not super common, but hardly rare. I love that name. It’s close enough to Andrea that people probably confuse the two. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/75 "2011-06-02T17:37:04Z")
It doesn’t bother me in the least and I have a name that requires spelling out every time. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/76 "2011-06-02T17:42:40Z")
I went from an unusual Olde Englishe last name that was never spelled right (usually with added consonants in strange places) to a common Irish name that is still…never spelled right. Sigh. I should have just changed my name to Smith after I got married. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/77 "2011-06-02T17:47:59Z")
My last name is short, easy to spell, and a common word. I don’t mind having to spell it from time to time. What bothers me is when people misspell it, as has happened on a couple websites of places I do contract work for and in a TV interview I did recently. Is it really that hard, especially when they have my name written out on a lot of paperwork? ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/78 "2011-06-02T17:54:01Z")
My first name is Aaron. You’d be surprised at how many people have a hard time with it. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/79 "2011-06-02T17:56:47Z")
It’s not their fault that my father had to be “original” and “creative” and give me a stupid name with a stupid spelling so I only get frustrated when I have to spell it 2 or 3 times for the same person because then I think they’re just not paying attention. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011/80 "2011-06-02T18:01:50Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > Yeah, but, if your name is only 4 letter long, even if you have to spell it every time, it’s so much easier to spell than a long name. Saying ‘Bush, b-u-s-h’ is much more likely to result in the listener remembering it all and writing it down. > > If you had to say something like ‘Buschenmeister, B-u-s-c-h-e-n-m-e-i-s-t-e-r’, you would have to say it very slowly, and pause at times, to make sure the listener gets every letter correct. And it gets worse when your name has letters like ‘p’/‘b’ or ‘m’/‘n’ or ‘f’/‘s’ because over the phone it’s hard to tell which one you are saying, so you have to say things like ‘p as in Peter’ and ‘n as in Nancy’, which slows you down even more. The thing that annoys the Hell out of me is just how rare it is for people in telephone call centers to be familiar with the [phonetic alphabet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_phonetic_alphabet). So, not only are you stuck trying to spell your last name for these mouthbreathers, you’re also stuck either hoping they can hear the proper single syllable letter, or having to explain “A as in alpha, b as in beta” and then about 30% of the time the idiots come back with some confusion about the what you’re doing when you use these phonetic letters, anyways. If you’re doing call center work, and need things to be accurately spelled there is no simpler way to avoid confusion between similar sounding letters. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-often-frustrated-by-having-to-spell-your-first-or-last-name-for-other-people/584011.md?page=5)