Someone I know, her first name starts with “E”. I’ve nicknamed her “Elvira”.
Would you take offense??
Eh, giving someone a nickname is kinda lame and patronizing.
Patronizing is kind of the point of the nickname with this person. 
If your point is to be patronizing, then yes, I’d take offense.:rolleyes:
Offense is a strong word but annoying perhaps.
I thought about writing a bunch of questions about why Elvira, but then I thought, it doesn’t matter. If she’s told you she doesn’t like the nickname, you stop using it.
It depends–is your heart on firah for her?
(Also, it is much less of a problem than “Booberella”.)
Nicknames are stupid unless you’re certain a person really likes you.
Ick. Yes, if you’re calling someone a name they don’t like, specifically to be patronizing, then the person has every right to be offended.
I want people to call me Skip.
You want to patronize her but not offend her? Good luck with that!
Yeah, doesn’t matter how many people think she “should” or “should” not be offended–if she IS offended and you keep using it, you’re the asshole.
Are you asking whether there’s something offensive about renaming somebody without their permission?
Yes, that’s offensive. Call people what they ask you to call them.
And most certainly don’t call people anything they ask you not to call them.
I’ll just add this. This lady is a pure bitch. She’s not a friend. I’ve never used the name in front of her. Just asking if “Elvira” would irk someone. Appears so.
I don’t think the responses are a result of the specific name.
Lots of names would irk someone. If you are just going for “irking” why does it have to start with the same letter as her name?
Mine certainly wasn’t.
Is there something abouit the name “Elvira” that I don’t know? (This is quite possible.) The problem I see isn’t that it’s Elvira, or Emma, or Elizabeth, or Elmer, or whatever. It’s that apparently it’s not the name the person wants to be called.
Yes?
Despite it’s older reputation as an old-fashioned name, my first thought is the gaudy Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, which certainly has some sexual connotations. And possibly those of creepiness. And of being a joke, I guess.
I linked to movie instead of character just for the image.