I had a name list as long as the universe when I was pregnant with my first daughter. I spent many, many hours on naming websites, crossing off names because they were ‘too popular’, ‘dated’ or ‘they look hard to spell’. The last deal-breaker is an important one when your name is Christy with a C. And an H. And a Y. Every single time you spell your name.

- By Taliesin from morgueFile
Yes, I am an 80’s victim of the uncommonly spelt common name. The fact that my name is not Christine, Christina or Kristin doesn’t bother me too much, but the fact that I have to spell my name every single time I make an appointment or identify myself on the phone does. I don’t care that Christy is the ‘Old’ version of the name – the same can be said for Khloe, which is the ‘Old’ version of Chloe, and still confuses people. I just care that I am saddled with a name that is the less popular version of a name that is spelt differently.

- By Taliesin from morgueFile
I worked as a travel agent and I have seen every variation of spelling – random ‘H’s’ and ‘Z’s in the middle of names like Ahnna and Jeszica; silent letters at the front of names like Xlinda (Pronounced Linda); inexplicably doubled letters like Hharrissonn.
I understand that people, especially the armies of Jessicas, Jennifers, Rachels and Amys that grew up in the 80’s and 90’s don’t want their kid to be Bailey P or Sophie A. But instead of calling that child Bha’lee or Zophiy (pronounced the same way), why not call them something else? There are millions of wonderful, underused names out there, a world of beautiful colour words, nature words, historical names or even completely made up names. (I invented the name Amry. I loved it. My best friend said it sounded like Camry. I didn’t use it but it is STILL A GOOD NAME and you can SPELL IT EASILY.)
Think of the forms that your child will need to fill out in their lives – think of the job applications. Think of the travel agents trying to get their tickets right. Think of the child, spelling ‘Lara’ for the 100th time that week – “It’s L-a-a-h-r-a-h. No, two ‘h’s’. And two ‘a’s’” its hard enough to learn to write your name without having to wander around the alphabet to get it onto your picture.

- By Taliesin from morgueFile
If you doubt me, then try watching Giggle and Hoot read out the names of the kids who send in their artwork; it can be tricky business. So, with this in mind, call your child anything you like; call her Lake Movie Star Manhattan Donovan or Latoya Jasmine Elizabeth Lillypilly Jones but spell it so it makes sense; let her name be a beautiful inscription on a beautiful artwork but from the heart of an oddly-spelled child, don’t let half her conversations begin with why her name is spelt ‘Like That’. Trust me, it’s painful.
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#naming
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