What's In a Name?
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
July 4, 2008 8:45am CST
Okay. Apologies in advance for a bit of a rant and a self-indulgent post, but bear with me.
Now my name is Alexandra.
Not "Alexander", not "Alix" or "Alexendra" or most interestingly "Alaxsandra".
I always thought this was a pretty common name, but it seems I was mistaken because no one ever seems to get it right! Is it a familiar name to you or one you don't really know?
"Alexander" is the boy's version of my name and I thought everyone knew this, but time and time again, after people see, hear or are told that I'm a female, they still spell my name "Alexander" instead of "Alexandra". I'm flummoxed by this because I honestly thought that it would be obvious which was male and which was female.
Is my name so odd? Do people always seem to get your name wrong?
If you've read this far, thank you and congratulations! 
5 people like this
10 responses
@greysfreak (1384)
• United States
4 Jul 08
Your name is definitely not odd at all! But I can relate, I have a common name, yet people can't seem to get it right either. Even sometimes when I will write it out someone will spell it wrong! My name is Kristin; yet people seem to want to spell it one of the following ways; Kristen, Christian, Cristen, I can't remember how else, I know I've had some even weirder spellings, but I can't remember right now. Now, I admit, a lot of people I have known spell it Kristen, but I don't.. so I don't get why people can't get it right. LOL Seriously, I've had times when I e-mail a friend who I've know for years, and I will write my name in the e-mail and they still sometime spell it with an E. I am just kinda used to it after 25 years. LOL
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
5 Jul 08
I have to be honest, I'd probably spell your name "Kristen" if I hadn't been told otherwise. It's not an unusual name either though. If I'd seen how you spelt it I'd be careful to spell it correctly the next time though. People should be considerate enough to notice and not make the same mistake twice, unless they have problems with spelling perhaps.
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I always ask people how to spell their name, if it's a name with multiple spellings. I have a cousin named Kristen but I also have a friend named Kristin, and I keep them straight =) You would think I would get used to people messing up my name too but it still makes my blood boil. Names are important! The quicker people realize that, the easier it is to have a good time. It's just plain disrespectful to not care enough to get somebody's name right.
My older daughter is named Brittney. You'd think that would be easy. Nope. People spell it Brittany (including people who are part of our family!) and she's even been called BrEttany before. *shaking head*
1 person likes this
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
12 Jul 08
You know I think you've hit the nail right on the head.
It is disrespectful if they've been told the correct name. It's my name after all!
@mentalward (14691)
• United States
4 Jul 08
I honestly don't see the problem! But, well, I know human nature. The majority of people don't really pay attention to details anymore. I can understand making the error in countries where English is not the native language, but if English is your native tongue, you should be able to know how to spell a name like Alexandra... it's not that rare! (My son has a half-sister named Alexandra... I've never misspelled it! No, she's not my daughter. LOL She's his father's daughter.)
But people can be dumb, or selfish. They just don't want to take the time to notice.
At least you can be thankful your name isn't "Tree" or "Feather" or something equally strange which seemed to be the rage back in the late 60's! 
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
5 Jul 08
Well I didn't think it was a rare name, but it's obviously an odd one for some people!
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I have to mention, I knew a lady who had 4 boys and then finally got pregnant with a girl. She named her girl Katrin, (pronounced Kah-trinn) and thought it was a beautiful name. In the space of five minutes, she had two people first call her KATHRYN and then turn around and call her KARIN and not even notice that they had both gotten her name wrong! This particular incident has stuck with me because I can't believe how unobservant people are. I've always tried to be good about names (I did all the name editing for my high school yearbook) because of the issues I experienced with mine, and mine is very common.
1 person likes this
@anaknitatay (1335)
• Philippines
13 Jul 08
your name is a fairly common name so i can't understand why it should cause any confusion.
Maybe parents modify names so much, that we're beginning to lose sight of their original spellings.
cheers and happy mylotting Alix!
1 person likes this
@Wizzywig (7847)
•
4 Jul 08
You have every right to expect your name to be spelt correctly. I think the growing trend for parents wanting to give their children an 'original' name has led to wide variations in spelling but, since your is not some 'dumbed down' version I dont see why people get confused.
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
4 Jul 08
Thanks for the support. 
I suppose that good old-fashioned names are a dying breed.
Did you hear about the Chinese family who wanted to name their kid "@"?
Luckily the government vetoed it.
I suppose that good old-fashioned names are a dying breed.
Did you hear about the Chinese family who wanted to name their kid "@"?
Luckily the government vetoed it.1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
5 Jul 08
I know the feeling.
My name is Leah, and that is pronounced Lee-Ah, NOT Lee, or Layah, but Lee-ah.
It is spelled LEAH, not lea, Leaha, Lia, Leigha, Leighah, or any other weird way of spelling it. Even people wo read it can't copy i correctly. Don't even et me started on my last name.
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
5 Jul 08
Your name only has four letters and I thought "Leah" would be the natural way to spell it. It's so odd. People want to make names more complicated than they are!
@awonderfullife (2893)
• United States
6 Jul 08
Your name is quite common and I have never confused the male version with the female version. Most Alexandra's I know go by "Alex". Does it annoy you if people call you Alex? I think the full name, Alexandra, is so pretty!
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
7 Jul 08
Thank you!
I like my full name, but when I went by "Alex" I got a lot of companies etc. assuming I was male and all my post was addressed to a "Mr."
I also got to a point where I wanted to leave my past behind me, so I told people not to call me "Alex" in a hopes to moving on in my life.
I prefer "Alexandra", but most people call me "Allie" now, which is fine with me.
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
5 Jul 08
Congrats to you too..Alexandra!
funny but i can help you since i'm understanding that you are a female and would never think otherwise...LOL
why anyone couldn't figure the diff out is beyond me..your name has been around for many years..its common and very pretty but than my name is Rosanna and i get laughed at because of Sat. Night Live..Gilda Radnor's sketch..LOL
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
5 Jul 08
I've never seen Saturday Night Live, I don't think it's that common in the U.K.
I think your name is lovely. 
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
8 Jul 08
No, it's not odd at all. I actually considered Alexandra for my daughter (she ended up Allison and we call her Ali), and we probably would have called her Alex. I do have to tell you that so many people are using unique (uneek?) spellings for normal names, so I have had people spell Allison all variety of ways, from Allyson to Alicin, and I don't know what to make of it. When I tell them 'it's the normal spelling', they sit there with their pen so I have to spell it out anyway. Then there's MY name. My name is Jen, legally it's Jennifer but I never use it, too formal for me. I have been called all sorts of things, Genevieve, Jenna, Jenny, Jan, Jamie, Jeanie, Janey, Julie... uh, I thought JEN was easy. I'm not even that picky, I always write it 'Jen' but 'Jenn' is fine too.
OH! I've been called 'JON' before too. LMAO!
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
12 Jul 08
Now that is ridiculous! Jen is so simple to remember! And the person who called you Jon is either incredibly rude or not very bright!
