Do people mispronounce your last name?

[lilybrooke14]

Yes, and always in the same way too. It's kind of funny, because it's pronounced just the way it's spelled, and it still confuses people.

 

[SaraJayne]

Yes, so often that I am surprised when someone actually gets it right.

Same here. And it's ONE syllable, people!!

My maiden name was ALWAYS pronounced wrong, too. People always thought it was Irish (it starts with Ol) and it isn't. lol It's french.

 

[Geoff_M]

Yes, terribly. But I can't blame them - it is a long Polish name with a "w" pronounced as a "v" and another "w" that you don't hear at all.

Around here we have a lot of people of Dutch ancestry. Dutch surnames can also present a lot of challenges. One of my favorites is another co-worker's last name: Schuhknecht. It's pronounced "Shoot-n-neck".

 

[wendy46001]

Yes, so often that I am surprised when someone actually gets it right.

and anyone who gets is correct receives a confused look because i assume i'm supposed to recall who they are....

my name is just hopeless (first and last) mind you what my parents did to me , but add DH's last name and it’s a lost cause

 

[SaraJayne]

Around here we have a lot of people of Dutch ancestry. Dutch surnames can also present a lot of challenges. One of my favorites is another co-worker's last name: Schuhknecht. It's pronounced "Shoot-n-neck".

We do, too. But a lot of ours begin with "Van".

 

[AustinTink]

My maiden name has an "x" in it that is pronounced "sh". You can imagine the hilarity that ensued.

 

[sweet angel]

Yes. They add an "S" to the end which drives me bonkers. It's a pretty common "Mc" Irish last name, but often people will often and an "A" sound to the first part.

Maiden name: 4 letters. Not usually mispronounced, but always misspelling. It started with a K, but everyone wrote it with a C...even when we spelled it.

As to the Prior Poster, Geoff, we recently had a client who pronounced HIS name JOF-rey. Thought that sounded pretty pompous!

 

[BellvilleDad]

All the time. I have an Irish name that doesn't seem too difficult to me, but you should hear some of the phone calls I get. And don't even get me started on the mail I receive.

 

[SydSim]

Not quite - but they do refuse to acknowledge that I have two last names. I added DH's last name to mine when we married, but for some reason, people don't want to say, or write both names.

I don't ask people to agree with my choices, but I wish they'd respect it.

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

Yes, all the time. In people's defense, however, most actually pronounce it phonetically correctly based on the English language, but because of it's derivation my family has pronounced it differently for hundreds of years. Not sure if that makes sense, but hope it does.

 

[tar heel]

My last name is two syllables and pronounced just like it's spelled. Should be easy -- right? Apparently, it isn't. People try to show off by changing the V to a W, which isn't correct, or the pronounce it like a similiar product name.

 

[lilybrooke14]

Just wanted to add that I had a childhood friend whose last name was Jonas. They decided somewhere along the way that they were too awesome for that, so they decided to "go back to the original pronunciation" and spent a lot of time correcting people.

"No, it's pronounced YO-nas."

Um. Okay. If you say so.

I wonder if they ever gave up.

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

Nope. Never. I have a very boring last name.

 

[newddmommie]

All the time. My DH's family is german and we have a very german last name. Nobody ever says it right, but we're used to it. No big deal.

 

[Momvic5]

Yes, and it is actually very easy. I think the problem is that it is rarely heard, and it is long - 9 letters. I purposefully gave my children short, easy to pronounce names for that very reason.

 

[tazdev3225]

My married name on occasion. It's an English name comprised of 2 very common English words and some people just don't get it.

My maiden name was Moore. I don't know how but that was mispronounced at times too. My first name I usually get what is your real name or it said with a G added to the front and an A to the end. I just ignore it. My DD is married to a guy wth a very uncommon Italian name and I am the only person they ever heard of pronounce it right without having heard it first. We actually like watching people try and pronounce it for fun.

 

[Coach K]

All the time. It is not that hard to pronounce. I just tell them that it's million except with a K-and even then they sometimes don't get it!!!

 

[antmaril]

Yes. My last name has two aa's and most people use the hard a sound rather than soft.

 

[Bilberry]

Well, I have two typical first names for my full name which can confuse some. So I have the combo of some people calling me by my last name, plus if I'm around Asians in particular, mispronouncing the "J" or the "R" in my names. The J becomes an S and the R becomes a W.

I don't mind. It can be good for a laugh.

 

[RadioNate]

Constantly. They mispronounce my super easy married name and forget about people even trying my Polish maiden name. They would just stare at me dumb founded. Even after I said it 50x they still got it wrong. Adults that is. Kids have no problem. My mom was a 1st grade teacher and all her kids could pronounce her last name. My 2 year old can. However, most adults completely destroy it even after being told the correct pronunciation.