Vent: That's NOT My Name!

[NYGirl100]

This is more of a vent than anything else.  I have an unusual name (not unusual in my original country, but unusual here).  I understand that it's hard to pronounce, and I don't mind if people ask me repeatedly how to pronounce it, or if they don't always get it right.  But I have run into a couple of people now who have "given" me American name or nicknames just because they don't want to try to pronounce my name, and then get all put out when I correct them. 

No, you don't get to give me another name just because you don't want to try to pronounce mine! 

[ZipTheWonder]

Them: "Jane?"
You: No response.
Them:  "JANE!?"
You:  No response.
Them:  "JANE!?!?!"
You: No response.
Them:  Mingmei?
You:  Yes, do you need something?

[Verruca]

My first name is Anne.  I was "Annie" to my father and I'm still "Annie" to my aunts and uncles, but I will not be "Annie" to anyone else.

A few years ago, I was having lunch with a couple of my co-workers - one of them was (and is) one of my best friends.  The other was just out of college, and completely clueless (at a different lunch, they brought a small loaf of bread to our table - he cut it into three large pieces and took the middle one.  But I digress.)

I mentioned that I didn't really like being called "Annie."  He started calling me "Annie" immediately.  "Pass the salt, Annie." "What are you going to order, Annie?"  "How do you like your lunch, Annie?"  (Need I mention that he didn't normally ask for things to be passed?)

I said, "Please don't call me that.  I don't like it."

He said, "Why?  Whatcha gonna do about, ANNIE?  Huh?  Huh?  Huh?"

I said, "Nothing, because we're both grownups and that should be enough for you."

And he stopped. 

All that to say, I hear you, NYGirl.

[Suze]

My first name is Susan I have been a Susie for most of my life.  When I hit my 20's I decided that Susie was a baby name and tried for a long time to get people to call me Sue.

It worked for awhile.  Untill I started working with my Mom and Dad's friends.  Back I went to Susie.   I gave up.

I just have a different spelling for my screen name.

[Brentwood]

My first name is Susan I have been a Susie for most of my life.  When I hit my 20's I decided that Susie was a baby name and tried for a long time to get people to call me Sue.

It worked for awhile.  Untill I started working with my Mom and Dad's friends.  Back I went to Susie.   I gave up.

I just have a different spelling for my screen name.

My mother's name is also Susan. She can't stand being called Susie, which was a problem during the height of popularity of "Wake Up Little Susie." Only my godfather, who was in my parents' wedding and married one of my mom's school chums, calls her Susie. She hates it.

Either Sue or Susan is fine with her. I bought her a monogrammed bag for Christmas and put Susan on it.

My oldest daughter's middle name is Suzanne, for my mother.

[Suze]

Wake Up Little Susie --  wasn't the worst one.  How about "Here comes Susie Snowflake"?

Although the best was when one of "big Boss" types came through the factory when I first started working there.  His name is Max - since he graduated High School with my sister all I had ever heard him called was Maxie.

He said - Hi Susie
I said - Hi Maxie
He walked about 3 steps -- backed up -- leaned over his sholder and told me " It's Max now"
I told him "It's Sue now"
He said "duly noted" and has not called me Susie again (well not much anyway)

[Brentwood]

Wake Up Little Susie --  wasn't the worst one.  How about "Here comes Susie Snowflake"?

Although the best was when one of "big Boss" types came through the factory when I first started working there.  His name is Max - since he graduated High School with my sister all I had ever heard him called was Maxie.

He said - Hi Susie
I said - Hi Maxie
He walked about 3 steps -- backed up -- leaned over his sholder and told me " It's Max now"
I told him "It's Sue now"
He said "duly noted" and has not called me Susie again (well not much anyway)

Wake Up Little Susie was a huge hit the year my parents graduated high school, so she got ribbed a lot.

[Pixie]

Wake Up Little Susie --  wasn't the worst one.  How about "Here comes Susie Snowflake"?

Although the best was when one of "big Boss" types came through the factory when I first started working there.  His name is Max - since he graduated High School with my sister all I had ever heard him called was Maxie.

He said - Hi Susie
I said - Hi Maxie
He walked about 3 steps -- backed up -- leaned over his sholder and told me " It's Max now"
I told him "It's Sue now"
He said "duly noted" and has not called me Susie again (well not much anyway)

Wake Up Little Susie was a huge hit the year my parents graduated high school, so she got ribbed a lot.

I've always preferred the CCR song, Suzie Q.   

But meanwhile, back at the ranch...   I have no problems being called by my name, just with getting people to spell it right.

[J.D.]

I've never understood why people feel the need to give others a "North American" name instead of just learning how to pronounce the person's name properly.  I used to work at a restaurant, and one of my co-workers was from Afghanistan.  Everyone called him John, but this obviously wasn't his given name.  When I asked him, he told me that people found his real name too hard to pronounce - his name is Ali. Go figure on that one.

I've never had an issue with my first name, other than nicknames - I loath being called Jenny.  It's Jenn or Ducky, a nickname I was given in high school because 'Jennifer' was so popular. (65 of us in a school of 800)  People do seem to have trouble with my last name, as well as my mother's.  My father, brother and I all have the last name "Dupuis", pronounced "dew-pwe" when it's anglicized.  I get all kinds of fun variations, including “Dew-pre” – there is clearly no ‘r’ in my last name.  My mother’s last name is “Loughren”, pronounced “lock-ren”.  We always know when a telemarketer is calling, because they can’t pronounce the name, and they don’t seem to realize that a married couple can have different last names.

Them:  Hello, is there a Mr. or Mrs. . . . Lou. . . Log. . .Low-ren there?
Me: No, but there’s a Ms. Loughren here, do you want to talk to her? 

[momtwosix]

My 3rd dd is named Seraphina. It is a derivative of Seraphim which is an angel. It is pronounced se-ra-fina. Short e sound. So many people try to pronounce it sara-fina. Once people get to know her though they start pronouncing it correctly.

My name is Sherill (cheryl). My problem is that since it is spelled differently no one ever spells it correctly.

Sherill

[Rei-chan]

"Pass the salt, Annie." "What are you going to order, Annie?"  "How do you like your lunch, Annie?" 

   This is way OT, but when I read this, all I could think of was the finale episode of Twin Peaks, where EvilCooper was banging his head into the mirror and saying "How's Annie.....How's Annie" and giggling like a fool.....

Sorry about the strange OT veer....back to the real discussion...

I have never had this problem, but a friend of mine was tormented in high school, after a fashion.  Her name is Roxann, and for 4 years, this group of boys would only call her "Roooooox-ann" like in the Sting song.  Not really a mispronunciation, but mangling her name nonetheless.

[zi_fairy]

LOL, this reminds me of the questions I constantly would get about my name when I first moved to Utah. My first name is Annette, so many people would ask if I was named after Annette Funicello (I'm not). After a month of all the questions and teasings, I finally came up with the following answer:

Nosey Nellie: Annette, huh? You must have been named after Annette Funicello.
Me: Nope, I was named after my mother.
NN: Oh, her name is Annette, too?
Me: Nope, her name is Sarah.
And, i would smile and walk away while they puzzled over my answer, lol.

BTW, I really am named after my mom. Her actually name is Sarahann; my parents took the "ann" part and added "ette" to it. So, i was telling the truth, but not a lot of people realized that.

[Wordgeek]

Another Susan here.  Only my brothers call me Susie (Not even my parents get away with that.) and nobody calls me Sue.

[jfulle5]

Yeah I feel you, my name is Jennipher. Sounds easy right, nope. It's jenn-ah-purr. yep that's how my parents wanted it pronounced...they are insane and now i'm paying for it. I now respond to Jen Jenny (I hate that one) Jennifer...I dont even care anymore....

[sammycat]

[My 3rd dd is named Seraphina.

What a beautiful name