Possibly risking offending some, but genuine question.

I saw a game on facebook a few weeks ago where you took the first three letters of your father's first/Christian name and the last two of your own name to come up with a new 'name' for a child (poor little devil). In my case, Charles + my own name produced 'Chayn'. I'm waiting to hear if it takes off Weel, if you can have 'Gate', anything could happen...

GD1 is Josée, pronounced the Spanish way, though I don't think it's a girl's name in Spain. She is forever having to explain that she isn't Josie or Josephine. Luckily all the other GC have 'normal' names, easily spelt.

Not that I am trying to avoid housework today or like it ...

There could be more to all this naming malarkey than we know ladies:

www.sciencefocus.com/feature/psychology/namesanything

Just saying ...

Especially in America there seems to be a wierd tendency to give kids (particularly boys) names of inanimate objects. I first noticed this when reading Stephen King's Pet Semetary, where the little boy is called Gate.

Why?

Whatever next? Fence? Tree? Wheel?

And, BTW, I never finished the book and haven't read any Stephen King since.

Must admit I do wonder about the intelligence of the parents who named their daughter Shardonnay.

We are all being ever so polite. I remember the hoo-ha created a few years back on another forum when people suggested some names screamed "chavvy" or were just plain 'common'. I think Mumsnetters were up in arms because some of the names they'd chosen for their children hit the lists.

Oh I know we shouldn't judge. But we do.

We named our second daughter Laura; a few years later friends named their daughter Lora, because they liked the name. When I see these strange spellings, I usually say quietly, "Mother couldn't spell then"!

Not so long ago there was a news article about a man who had apparently ' duped' his wife into accepting the name Lanesra for their new born girl. This 'romantic' and 'unusual' name was actually the name of his favourite football team spelt backwards. The mum saw the funny side - good job!

www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/babies/the-hilarious-story-behind-this-baby-girls-name-has-gone-viral/news-story/f997f81fe96f7519a0dfc1e93b09f7f7

A mother has won the right to remove her child's middle name which she says has unfortunate connotations. It is against the father's wishes, has cost thousands and she was granted legal aid.
I wonder why.

My late father was in his coffin before my mother found out his proper name! I kid you not! He had been called Willie his whole life. I was the one who filled out all their paperwork for them as mum and dad were not great with that sort of thing. I therefore knew his 'proper' name was Wilfred. Mum saw Wilfred on the name plate of the coffin and insisted it was wrong. Even his younger brothers assumed he was William. I actually had to fetch his birth certificate to show them all as the undertaker was getting tetchy with me insisting it was the right 'proper' name and mum and his brothers saying it wasn't. If I'd realised the angst it would cause I'd have told them to have the name plate as plain 'Willie'. My husband has always been known by his second name. My daughter has a Spanish name. She loves it. However when she was at school a very snobby teacher told the class that parents who can't give their children anything else give them a moniker that will stand out. I was beyond mad. I chose my daughter's name as it was the name of a very dear friend.

My gd hated her name so much that she changed it to Lizzie, her middle name and would only answer to it it. How about Twinkle, Stardust, Moon or even Cloud. All names I have met in an alternative area of Somerset.

Jennifer, is that spelt with a G dear? Grr no I spell it the proper way

I am a genealogist and when finishing a project, I ask clients to give me details of their children/grandchildren etc to add. I HAVE to ask not only for spellings, but also what sex they are, as I often cannot tell...

recently had one that was called JAE-JAY !!

One of dgd's little (girl)friends is called beau. As someone who speaks French, I find that spelling very strange for a girl!

Slightly off topic - I know a Joan who was meant to be Carol, but her father was sent to register her, and had forgotten the chosen name by the time he got there. Instead of going back to check with the mother, he plucked a name out of the air, and that name just happened to be Joan!

Recently I've been working with a Haileigh. I have to stop and think when writing out her name.

I don't know why parents do it- so unfair to give a person a whole lifetime of spelling their name.
It also makes people wonder if the parents were just poor at spelling!

Huw is the Welsh spelling of Hugh

Belle may be joining May/Mae as the hyphenated second part of some recent names.
I taught a reception class for a whole morning on supply and only when I asked a TA at lunch time whether Xavier was pronounced 'Zavier' or 'Havier' as I'd heard the children saying both did I discover that the class had one of each, from different cultures.
At another school a new Chinese pupil's name was on my list as Xexey - I looked calmly at his mother and asked how I should pronounce her son's name.She looked back and equally calmly said 'In England he is Gary', potential problem solved!
.'

I met a doctor's daughter named Retina. I knew a Marylyn which was intentional and an accidental Marylin whose father made a mistake when registering her.
I fell foul of autocorrect on page 2 about my Welsh colleague who is actually not Nancy or Nanci but Nansi.

Sarn

The one that stays with me - for its sad irony - is the little girl named 'Serene' - born into a very chaotic and needy family. I often wonder how she turned out in adult life - can't get the high pitched mother's call of
'Sir - reeeeeene!' out of my head because of this thread!

Some of these comments have made me chuckle. I realise I'm probably repeating something already said (haven't had time to read every comment!) but as a teacher, one of the highlights of the year is viewing one's new class list. I worked in an area where it was almost abligatory to spell names differently. Had many Erykahs, Aimee/Aimies, Camrons, Cortney/Cortnee and (this caused great hilarity) a Bow-Belle!
Hyphens seem to be fashionable too (Indie-Rose, Indee-Mae, Indey-Mai). Favourite has to be Daisy-Peach, who was an absolutely delightful girl, a real character and complete tomboy - not quite what 'Mummy' had predicted with the name choice I suspect !

My initials are :- Sow, yes you can imagine!

My friends Daughters name is really Angelica no she isnt an Angel,she changed her name legally to LEE!! Here in Sweden apparantly it is all the go to change your name, Heaven knows what they will come up with now!

All I can say is if that's all you've got to worry about you are b....y lucky, Phoenix

Rather presumptuous - we only know what worries people have from what they post on here maddy

I know strange spellings of names isn't all phoenix (or any of us probably) has to worry about but threads like this are often a little light relief and help the world go round.
Quite right kitty

I know that Magrithea

Lots of names are 'Australianised' (including surnames!)

A friend of mine named her daughter Demii-lee... I don't think she was too impressed when I accidently called the child Dairy-lea.