Fun With Names. (now with 50% more racism)

[lineswine]

sorry to hear about the SCs you have to deal with.
The only famous Shara I can think of is Shara Nelson, she who sings with Massive Attack, from Bristol. a fine voice with a fine band. Check out "Unfinished Sympathy" to hear what I mean.

[cinema guy]

When I was at school, there was several Karens, a Karin and a Carron. We also had two girls with the same first name and surname, which caused no end of confusion.

I have been called Craig, Geoff and George quite a bit, even though my name is Greg.

[edible_hat]

Oh I feel the pain on last names and spelling... I have a very germanic last name... and by that I mean that the germans are smart and SPELLT IT EXACTLY LIKE IT SOUNDS... even in English, I could understand some difficulty in spelling it from being heard (there are only 2 letters that I will accept as close enough before calling you an idiot) but reading it there is no excuse, yet NO ONE can read my name to save their lives

I get the same thing. It's most often people putting in one instead of two of the double letter (although one time there were three), or changing an i to a y. A small subset are lazy idiots who only read the first three letters and write down a completely different name that starts with those three letters.

[AdvancedFlea]

this is EXACTLY why I don't work in call centres and why I pitty the guys at Branch Call handleing.

[Anriana]

This is why I don't give my real name out. However, I've tried to keep the names I give a derivative of my middlle name to CYA, but I haven't been able to find one that doesn't get annoying questions.

I don't even provide an alias unless they ask, so this it makes it especially frustrating as the conversation usually goes:

"Thanks for calling (company), how can I help you?"
"What's your name?"
"Nikki."
"Vicky?"
"No, Nikki."
"Mickey? Like the mouse? "
"No... Nikki. N like November. Now how can I help you?"
"You said Becky?"

or

"What's your name?"
"Cole."
"Oh that's so unique/pretty!"
or
"But that's a man's name!"
or
"Ooh what's that from?"
"Thanks, how can I help you?"
"You know, my sister's great aunt's cousin's son has a unique name too..."


People are so annoying. I think I'll try adopting a Indian or Middle Eastern name and seeing what results I get. I'm sure I'll get wonderful comments from some of our lovely TN callers.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Yes yes, it's to be expected if my name is unusual but after a while hearing your name mangled by everyone you talk to is quite wearing.

I soooo know your pain. I have an unusual name. It's really not that far off the wall, though: Allein (pronounced AL like Albert and LEAN like cuisine); most people mis-pronounce it in a logical sort of way (mostly I get Aileen, which is close, or Eileen, or Elaine), but when I correct them, they just don't seem to hear me. Then we'll go back and forth with me saying it, clearly, and them repeating a different mispronunciation back. It's especially annoying with people I will never see again. Why bother going through all that?

Though one time I got Allison at the doctor's office. Well, it starts with ALL and ends with an N so I guess I shouldn't complain...?

And on the phone at the store, I answered with "Thank you for calling blah, this is Allein" and a lot of times I would get "Oh, hi Sally, I'm looking for a book..."

My favorite was the woman who looked at my name tag and said, in a totally condescending tone, "That's an odd name." Uh, thanks?

My own boss can't pronounce it correctly!

There are people I've known/worked with for years who still say my name wrong. One of my previous bosses admits he says it wrong but he still doesn't say it right. But then he's kind of a passive-aggressive sort of jerk, anyway. My best friend in high school called me Aileen for 4 years.

My wife even gets mad at restaurants when our name is called. It's flipping annoying.

I don't give my name at restaurants. I either give the name of one of the people I'm with, or I give my middle name (which is Marie; hard to screw up).

I think it sometimes having to do with people a)not paying attention or b) thinking they are pronouncing it correctly.

I think it's A, personally. Or they just don't care.

We won't get into my last name. Let's just say people tend to inject a whole extra syllable and leave it at that.

[worddork]

As a sub, when I call roll and see a interesting name, I will try my best to say it the way it looks (had a student this week whose name was all vowels). If I get it wrong I will have the student repeat his or her name a couple of times, as they say it I write down what I hear (like row-see-oh) and then say it back. Usually if I am in the classroom for one day, but if and when I come back I am able to recall their name and say it correctly, which makes the student happy that an adult took the time to listen to them.

[froglet]

I have a very plain name, spelt slightly different, and nobody gets it right.
Hello, my name is Cathleen. I get Kathleen most times, Catherine on occasion because I go by Cathy. The most annoying thing, I can never find a novelty item with my actual name on it, despite being a 'normal' (as it were), name. Typically when I have to give my name for an address over the phone or what-not, I say it, then spell it. Same with my last name, because its a McName, my father got me in the habit of making damn sure the second name, as it were, is capitalized too.

As for whom I'm talking to, I know damn well that I am bad with names, so I just don't use them. Why butcher some schmo's name (said with love ofc) when I can just avoid using it. From memory, the only reason I can think to use someone's name when doing business with a call centre, is when you get pissed at them, like a parent using 'Your Full Name!'. If that sounds rude, I'm sorry, but I find calling Rebecca Dorothy much ruder.
Reading all these stories has made me consider writing down a name when I have to call a call centre though, or vice versa.

Opinions? Comments?
Keep in mind its 5 am and I shoulda stopped reading this site an hour and a half ago. Damn you CS addiction!

[Ironclad Alibi]

I don't even provide an alias unless they ask, so this it makes it especially frustrating as the conversation usually goes:

"Thanks for calling (company), how can I help you?"
"What's your name?"
"Nikki."
"Vicky?"
"No, Nikki."
"Mickey? Like the mouse? "
"No... Nikki. N like November. Now how can I help you?"
"You said Becky?"

Try this variation:

"Thanks for calling (company), how can I help you?"
"What's your name?"
"Nikki."
"Vicky?"
"Yes. How may I help you?"

I figure if the phone lines garble it going out, it can ungarble it coming back. You can always claim you heard them say "Nikki."