If you HAD to change the spelling of your own name, how would you respell it? + survey BQs?
Just for fun of course! :P
1. How is your name actually spelled? 2. Does the spelling of your real legal name have its traditional spelling, a known or acceptable variant spelling, or a really unique spelling? (Assume 'traditional spelling' to apply to your native language/home country/etc. as traditional spellings may vary between nations, languages, alphabets, etc. What may be a traditional spelling in my home country may be a variant spelling in yours and vice versa so just go with what's familiar to you.) 3. If you HAD to change the spelling of your name, how would you respell it? Why? 4. Would you choose a simple spelling change or would you go all out and 'yuuneighkiphy' it? Why? 5. Do you like your real-life spelling or do you wish it was different?
I chose to ask a question like this because name spellings are a major debate in the baby naming realm and I am curious to see how people would react if they were put in a hypothetical situation in which they were forced to respell their name for whatever reason.
Many people see names as having one and only one 'correct' spelling, which in most cases is not true once the name crosses into another language that may not share the same letters, or when it crosses into a language that would pronounce those letters differently and therefore requires a translation. Yet from another point of view that could still be considered true if you look at it from an origin standpoint--all names started somewhere with an original spelling in an original language at some point of time in history.
Many other people however welcome spelling variations. Usually these are simple variants, most of which are known and accepted or at least recognisable in the complex English language and its equally complex alphabet.
Then you get the ones that take a name and change every single letter in it, double up letters, add a bunch of vowels, etc. so that you can't even tell what name it's supposed to be by looking at it and must struggle to sound it out. The people who do this do it to give their baby's common name a sense of uniqueness--hence the joke of spelling 'unique' as 'euneighke', 'youneeckh', etc.
People [typically] fall into one of these three categories and I've noticed that people in here in the Baby Names section loooove to debate (or just bash) spellings like politics! So I decided to challenge you all to step out of your spelling comfort zones by creating this little survey! :D
BQ: What is your standpoint/opinion on spellings and why?
BBQ: If you're really bored, apply the above questions 1-4 to your children's names! :)
Please be respectful of each other's answers/opinions. This question is meant to merely ask what your personal opinions are, not to start a debate or drama.
Mughain2012-12-11T00:03:20Z
Favorite Answer
1. My name is spelled as such: Mughain. 2. I'm not sure. To my knowledge, the only versions are Mughain (my name) and Mugain, and I'm not actually aware of which one is the official version and which is the variant. And the internet doesn't seem to be very forthcoming and I couldn't trust it anyway, considering babynamesworld says Mugain is pronounced as (muh-gin) - which is RIDICULOUS!
3. If I had to change the spelling, then I would spell it as "Moon". Because that's the way my name is said (though in Ireland it tends to come out as "Moo-in"), and it would have made my childhood SO much simpler. It would have saved me from years of spelling and pronunciation issues along with gender complications - since a lot of people in England, Germany and Hong Kong (places I used to live) couldn't tell if it was feminine or not.
4. Obviously I'd stick with Moon, plain and simple. I know first-hand how frustrating and difficult it is to have to spell and pronounce my name where ever I go, so I wouldn't replicate such hardships by sticking myself with something along the lines of Moone, Mune, Mooyne etc. In fact, why anyone would wish to saddle themselves or their offspring with unattractive and illegitimate messes is beyond me.
5. I sometimes wish it was different due to the issues I still have to deal with in direct relation to it but, it's a legitimate and traditional name, my parents worked hard to pick it and, honestly, while I've entertained the idea of changing it, I don't think I ever will.
1 - It's really spelt Michelle 2 - My spelling is the traditional spelling, at least where I live. It has a couple variants though - Michele or Michel, which I think look masculine 3 - I would spell it Michele, because it's still a real name, it just doesn't look very nice. 4 - I would never make some awful spelling because I don't want to have people ask "is that with one or two l's?" and have to explain that it's actually spelt Mishell. 5 - I definitely like it how it is, I wouldn't change it
BQ: I strongly believe names should retain their traditional spellings, whatever they may be in your culture. It will be pronounced the same regardless of how you spell it and some "unique" spelling will only cause the child grief, having to spell it out every single time and possibly being ridiculed. Try getting a job with your name spelt "Jesyca"...not gonna happen too easily.
BBQ: 1 - His name is actually spelt Oliver 2 - Where we live, Oliver is really the only accepted variant. I don't even know of any unique spellings, I've only ever seen it spelt the one way 3 - Oh my...if I haaaaad to change the spelling, I would change it to Olliver. Painful. But it still looks somewhat decent and it would be corrected with a simple "that's two l's actually"...but still, it's bad. 4 - I would never go all unique on my son's name either. I just don't see the point in causing all that confusion
1. Gina 2. It's the traditional spelling 3. Gena. I hate the spelling Gina because if you put the letters V and A in front of it you get vagina. The jokes never stop. 4. I would definitely want a simple change. It'd be a lot easier for me and everyone else to get used to. 5. I like having an I in my name because you can dot it with a heart or something cute, but I'd rather it be spelt Gena. I don't think I would ever change it though,
BQ: If you want to change the spelling, go ahead. I usually prefer traditional spellings but in some cases I think a name might be more easily pronounced with a different spelling so it would be better to change it a little bit.
1. My name is Arianna Jane 2. I think both my fn and mn have traditional spellings. Before my obsession with baby names I didn't know what was the traditional spelling of my name: Arianna or Ariana. I think they're both traditional, but the site Spellcheck states that Arianna is the only traditional spelling. But I'm still not sure, because they are both nice and not misspelled at all IMO 3. If you asked this question at least a week earlier, I'd say Ariana 'cause I really like this spelling. However, now my answer would be different: Ariannah. I saw this spelling on a name site and fell in love with it. I think it's unique without being crazy. 4. Definitely a simple spelling change. It might be a little off topic, but I don't know why there is a stereotype teenagers like the "yooneighkeighphayeshunz" of the names. I'm a teen, and not nerdy at all BTW. Well, I have to admit I like names spelled differently, but not "krayzielieigh" (crazily). I used to love the spelling Hailie (now I prefer Hayley) and I find it ok. But I study with a Hayelieigh (spelled exactly like this), and she's not fond of her spelling at all. Enough said. Sorry for so much hate there, but I'm sorry for little Allysibithe (Elizabeth), Quathryn (Katherine/Catherine), Ammeeleigha (Amelia), D'Lilah (Delilah), K.Ley (Kaylie), Hey-Leigh (Hayley), Maddasynne (Madison), Juzden (Justin), Jaymzz (James) or Hayedynne (Hayden, which I see only as a boy name). I've seen them all on different forums. 5. I love my spelling!
1. My name is Khia Lili (pronounced Kye-Ah Lily), and it provides so many mispronunciations it's not funny. The most common is Key-Ah Lie-Lie, which really isn't all that fun. 2. My name has a weird, completely made up spelling. Although there isn't really a "set" spelling, there are more common and traditionally accepted ones 3. I wouldn't shy away from spelling it differently. If I had to, I would probably go with Kaia Lily 4. My name is already uniquely-spelled. I'd really prefer not to go that way again. 5. I really don't like my real spelling. As I mentioned above, it's horrible for pronunciation. I can't say that the Kaia spelling would be that much better, but it's certainly an improvement