# First name with most spelling variations? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 25, 2010, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483 "2010-06-25T13:38:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/21 "2010-06-28T01:49:05Z")
I’ve seen Jasmine, Jazzmyn, Jazmin, Jasmyn, Jasmin, Jassmyn, Jazmyn and countless other variations. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/22 "2010-06-28T02:08:53Z")
My daughter’s a Caileigh. (I only know one other that spells it that way.) In her preschool class were Kaylee and Callie, and she’s got a cousin Kali (all pronounced “kay-lee”). Other variations include Caylee, Cayleigh, Kalee, Kallie, Callie, etc. I’m not sure if it’s the most, but it’s got to be up there. I think it’s a relatively new popular name that a lot of people like the sound of, but it’s not so old or made famous by one person to cement just one or two spellings of it into our culture. I suspect that, if it doesn’t have the most spelling variations in lists in books (which include historical or creative spellings not commonly used), it probably has the most spelling variations in _widespread and common use_ today. ---
**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 28, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/23 "2010-06-28T02:32:33Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > My daughter’s a Caileigh. (I only know one other that spells it that way.) In her preschool class were Kaylee and Callie, and she’s got a cousin Kali (all pronounced “kay-lee”). Is KAY-lee for “Callie” a usual pronunciation? I’ve always heard it to rhyme with “tally,” but I only know two Callies and they’re both in their 30s, so perhaps it’s a generational thing. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/24 "2010-06-28T03:05:30Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Is KAY-lee for “Callie” a usual pronunciation? I’ve always heard it to rhyme with “tally,” but I only know two Callies and they’re both in their 30s, so perhaps it’s a generational thing. Her teacher said it’s her second “KAY-lee” spelled that way, but yes, I would have guessed “to rhyme with ‘tally’”, myself. (And don’t get me started on Kali. I think I’ve ranted about that before. It just doesn’t make sense!) ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/25 "2010-06-28T09:37:44Z")
I came in to post my name, but it’s Katherine, and already been mentioned repeatedly. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/26 "2010-06-28T09:51:40Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > I think that would only be in those areas where Kerry and Carrie sound the same. I thought that, even there, people would be aware they’re not the same name, just like I know that write and right aren’t the same word. You think the people that come up with abominations like Mykynzy care? And that’s just the worst one I could find where the pronunciation is obvious. ---
**Author:** ![amateurinresidence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@amateurinresidence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amateurinresidence)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2016, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/27 "2016-11-18T06:51:26Z")
I like Caitlyn but I’ve seen Hayley spelt many, many ways too: Hale, Halee, Halie, Haley, Haly, Haile, Hailee, Hailey, Haily, Hayle, Haylee, Haylie, Hayley, Hayly, Haele, Haelee, Haelie, Haeley, Haely and even Hayliegh, Haliegh, Haileigh, Haeleigh etc… ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2016, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/28 "2016-11-18T14:07:05Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Lindsay has got to be up there somewhere, and in the running for surname as well. From “Clan Lindsay” on wikipedia: > > [Clan Lindsay](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Lindsay#Spellings) How did “Linzy” not make that list? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/29 "2016-11-28T07:24:41Z")
Is Qaddafi a first name? It could be. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/30 "2016-12-07T17:30:56Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > My daughter’s a Caileigh. (I only know one other that spells it that way.) In her preschool class were Kaylee and Callie, and she’s got a cousin Kali (all pronounced “kay-lee”). Other variations include Caylee, Cayleigh, Kalee, Kallie, Callie, etc. > > I’m not sure if it’s the most, but it’s got to be up there. I think it’s a relatively new popular name that a lot of people like the sound of, but it’s not so old or made famous by one person to cement just one or two spellings of it into our culture. I suspect that, if it doesn’t have the most spelling variations in lists in books (which include historical or creative spellings not commonly used), it probably has the most spelling variations in _widespread and common use_ today. I spelled one of my cats names as K-Lee, but then the other one is Schmokey, the vet loved it! > [@Ca3799](#): > > Recently, I saw it spelled ‘Maniaq’- LOL! > ‘Meet my daughter, Maniac!’ I knew that was coming!! So funny! ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/31 "2016-12-07T18:04:36Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Technically, Caitlin is the Irish version of Kathleen, and is pronounced similarly. “Kaish-leen,” as I was told when I gave my daughter that fine old uncommon Irish name around 1989… traditional spelling. > [@](#): > > Else I could just say that Kreiaghhhj is a variant of “Craig.” I’ll have to use that next time I write to a family member of that name - who is female. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/32 "2016-12-07T22:07:41Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Is Qaddafi a first name? It could be. I don’t think that the multiple ways his name has been spelled are actual variants in the sense of the OP, rather they are just different best guesses on the part of the media and government on how it should be spelled. IIRC, it hadn’t been translated into written English by his regime until after he had become well known, and it contains at least one sound that does not exist in the English language. ETA: [The master speaks.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/513/how-are-you-supposed-to-spell-muammar-gaddafi-khadafy-qadhafi) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2016, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/33 "2016-12-08T04:44:21Z")
Welcome to my world (teaching, that is)… Keeping the Caitlynnes and the Lindzeez straight is exhausting. I miss “The Year of Jason/Josh/Jen/Jaclyn”, when every kid seemed to be one of the those. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2016, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/34 "2016-12-08T06:10:38Z")
How do 6-year-old zombies spell their names? 😛 The names I’ve seen with the most spellings are the variations of Sheri or Cheryl. Two different teachers told me that the names with the most variations, in their experience, were Alice and Jason Those were quite surprising to me. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483/35 "2016-12-08T15:04:38Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > How do 6-year-old zombies spell their names? 😛 Ashley. Or Ashleigh. Or Ashlee, Ashlie, Ashlea, Ashlie, Ashly, Ashli or Ashlé. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-name-with-most-spelling-variations/544483.md?page=1)