# Khreatyve name spellings, again **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 19, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680 "2016-04-19T21:54:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/21 "2016-04-25T00:42:26Z")
I met a woman just the other day whose name was spelled Rachael. When I pronounced it the standard way she assured me her name was pronounced Rachelle. What a horrible thing to do to a person. She’s spent her whole life correcting people’s very understandable pronunciation of her name. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/22 "2016-04-25T00:50:01Z")
> [@](#): > > When I pronounced it the standard way she assured me her name was pronounced Rachelle. Don’t know that it makes much difference with that name. I know someone with a name spelled Rachelle - basically rhymes with Michelle (at least how Michelle is pronounced here). From 1985-2000, she was almost always called “Rachel” by people reading her name. After that she was an adult and more likely to be called Miss Last Name. Though I think people are bit more accurate on the Rachel/Rachelle thing now than they used to be. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/23 "2016-04-25T01:10:09Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > Don’t know that it makes much difference with that name. I know someone with a name spelled Rachelle - basically rhymes with Michelle (at least how Michelle is pronounced here). From 1985-2000, she was almost always called “Rachel” by people reading her name. After that she was an adult and more likely to be called Miss Last Name. Though I think people are bit more accurate on the Rachel/Rachelle thing now than they used to be. I get called “Rachel” a lot. Also Deborah. “Rivkah” jut registers as “Jewish woman’s name” with some people. What surprises me is that I get called Deborah more often than I get called Rebecca. Maybe because it ends in “H.” Oddly, I had a gym teacher in high school who called me Elizabeth for a full semester. After two weeks, I gave up correcting him. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/24 "2016-04-25T01:11:59Z")
I can sympathize with people who misremember my name as Shannon, Shawna, or Jeanette, although I’m always baffled by people who misspell it when replying to an email _I_ sent them. I’m still bewildered by the times I’ve been renamed Sharon, Cheryl, or Cindy. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/25 "2016-04-25T01:15:21Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I can sympathize with people who misremember my name as Shannon, Shawna, or Jeanette, although I’m always baffled by people who misspell it when replying to an email _I_ sent them. > > I’m still bewildered by the times I’ve been renamed Sharon, Cheryl, or Cindy. Yeah. It’s right in front of you. How can you start an email with “Dear Rivkha,” or “Dear Rivak”? ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/26 "2016-04-25T02:10:38Z")
My name is Kembrly. I’ve had more people misspell it when LOOKING AT MY DRIVER’S LICENSE, then you could possibly imagine. And that’s with warning them up front that my name is spelled oddly, and usually spelling it for them in advance. People are creatures of habit, even when hit with a clue by four. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/27 "2016-04-27T10:24:23Z")
> [@Sahirrnee](#): > > I saw a Jessycah the other day > > Made me think her parents were illiterate, not cute, just stupid. A definite possibility, most likely reason, etc I named my cat K-Lee with the emphasis on the Lee but I am looking for a more unique way to spell it ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/28 "2016-04-27T10:52:36Z")
> [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > I know a woman named Conswayla. It should have been Consuela except her parents had never seen the name, just heard it on TV. :smack: Consuelo, preferably. Yes, the spelling Consuela exists in the US, but it’s a hypercorrection by people who don’t understand the meaning of the name. Conswayla isn’t any more jarring to me, specially if it gets the name pronounced right. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/29 "2016-04-27T15:58:50Z")
L-a. Pronounced ‘‘Ladasha.’’ ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/30 "2016-04-27T17:00:51Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > Don’t know that it makes much difference with that name. I know someone with a name spelled Rachelle - basically rhymes with Michelle (at least how Michelle is pronounced here). From 1985-2000, she was almost always called “Rachel” by people reading her name. After that she was an adult and more likely to be called Miss Last Name. Though I think people are bit more accurate on the Rachel/Rachelle thing now than they used to be. You’d think so but not always. I’m a Rachel pronounced the standard way. I get called “Rachelle” on a regular basis. I also see all sorts of creative spellings… Rachael, Rachal, Rachele, Rachyl. My name is part of my work email, and people spell it wrong all the time and then call me up mad because their email bounced and why did I give them the wrong address?? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/31 "2016-04-27T17:27:44Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > But some names, in some places, at some time, won’t fly. > > Mother tries to name her twin kids Cyanide and Preacher. [Judge begs to differ.](http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/mum-banned-naming-daughter-cyanide_uk_57109f28e4b0f22f02196be9) This happened in Wales. So, what stops mom from having Kate and Tom on the birth certificate, but calling them Cyanide and Preacher? ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/32 "2016-04-27T17:56:45Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > L-a. > > Pronounced ‘‘Ladasha.’’ Cite? [Is This Child's Name for Real? | Snopes.com](http://www.snopes.com/racial/language/le-a.asp) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/33 "2016-04-27T18:00:48Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Yeah. It’s right in front of you. How can you start an email with “Dear Rivkha,” or “Dear Rivak”? In my case, “Gwendolen” is right in my email. People must get tired by the end and fall back on the familiar spelling. I noticed when waiting to check out the other week that miracle of miracles, my name is actually spelled right on the main label on my chart at the dentist. On the additional pages inside? Not so much. Luckily there was a pen handy… ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/34 "2016-04-27T18:26:28Z")
At least most of those are phonetically decipherable. “Harvy” may not look great but you can guess how to say it. Around here there is a wave of people giving their kids Gaelic names, though none of them speak Gaelic. So if you’ve never seen “Aine” or “Niamh,” you’ve not a chance in hell of getting it right, but the parents will be very offended if you even ask politely how to say it. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/35 "2016-04-27T21:42:11Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I get called “Rachel” a lot. Also Deborah. “Rivkah” jut registers as “Jewish woman’s name” with some people. What surprises me is that I get called Deborah more often than I get called Rebecca. Maybe because it ends in “H.”\ Rebekah ends in an “H”, though it’s not the most common spelling these days. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/36 "2016-04-27T21:53:45Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > L-a. > > Pronounced ‘‘Ladasha.’’ Should be Lahyphena. Yes, I know it’s a UL. > [@RickJay](#): > > At least most of those are phonetically decipherable. “Harvy” may not look great but you can guess how to say it. > > Around here there is a wave of people giving their kids Gaelic names, though none of them speak Gaelic. So if you’ve never seen “Aine” or “Niamh,” you’ve not a chance in hell of getting it right, but the parents will be very offended if you even ask politely how to say it. Half the time the parents don’t know how to say it. “Aislinn” pronounced “Ace-lin” is like, the 40th most popular name for girls in the US now. An Irish guy I know who lives in the US and named his kid “Teague,” spelled like that so people would say it right, grumbles about it. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/37 "2016-04-28T07:22:36Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > Cite? [Is This Child's Name for Real? | Snopes.com](http://www.snopes.com/racial/language/le-a.asp) My cite is my father-in-law giving me the name of a client he said he met with earlier that day. He’s not really the sort to make shit up, so I have no objective reason to doubt him (or his wife, who was also present with the client), but you don’t know him so you have no objective reason not to be skeptical. I agree most mockeries of ‘‘creative’’ spelling smack of racism. It just qualified as unusual so I shared it. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/38 "2016-04-28T13:07:48Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Half the time the parents don’t know how to say it. “Aislinn” pronounced “Ace-lin” is like, the 40th most popular name for girls in the US now. Doesn’t crack the top 100, I just looked. I don’t know what’s wrong with that though. If you speak English, and expect the child to largely intereact with people who speak English, “ACE-linn” or perhaps “AIZ-linn” are the ways that name can be pronounced. I realize that to a Gaelic speaker it’s pronounced “Azkaban” or something, but nobody will ever get it right. I can’t find in myself criticism for a person pronouncing a name in a manner consistent with its spelling in the language they and their child speaks. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/39 "2016-04-28T13:23:54Z")
I have a job in which I have to put people’s names in reports often. I always ask for the spelling. When I ask Bob to spell his name and I get a weird look I always say “You never know.” ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2016, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680/40 "2016-04-28T16:14:48Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I have a job in which I have to put people’s names in reports often. I always ask for the spelling. When I ask Bob to spell his name and I get a weird look I always say “You never know.” Remnds me of the James Herriot book where he’s talking about working with folks out in the country who have strong accents, and how he is advised to ask them to spell their names when he can’t understand. One guy spells “S-M-I-T-H” accompanied by a :dubious: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khreatyve-name-spellings-again/752680.md?page=3)