There is Nothin’ Like a Name, Nothin’ in the World

Until I graduated college, I was known as Danny – that is, except for three years during which I decided, because there were two other Dannys in my class, to spell my name Dannye (here’s how faulty memory is: in my head these three years were junior high, but my dog-eared copy of Anna Karenina, which I read in Russian lit my senior year of high school, says “Dannye Santow” on the inside cover, so I guess I can’t really blame the Dannye years on my tween-age angst). I’m telling you this because today you can no longer assume traditional spellings of names. At my office we have an Abigail and an Abigayle. Down the hall is an April and an Apryl. I know a Cori, Correy, and a Cory; an Aleks and an Alex; an Amy, Aimee, and an Amie; a Kristen and a Cristen; a Susanne and a Suzanne; a Jennifer and a Genifer; a Carlisle and a Carlyle; a Sara and a Sarah. My nephew is named Eli and I have a friend whose middle name is Ely. I know a Jeff and a Geoff. And don’t get me started on how many Jon and Johns I know. I even know an Ed and an Edd. When I was in graduate school in journalism way back during the second Reagan administration, I quoted a woman who told me her name was Susan, which I assumed was spelled S-u-s-a-n. She saw the article and called me up to tell me her name was spelled S-u-z-a-n and what the hell kind of reporter was I that I didn’t spell her name right? She had a point. I learned then and there when you’re crafting a document and quoting someone – a spokesperson or a district manager or the VP of sales or a registered dietician or whomever – don’t assume anything. Just as you’d automatically ask for the spelling of their last name, even if their first name is a common one, always ask how it's spelled.  And now that you know I was Danny – and Dannye – forget I ever told you that.

Comments

[Marilynn Mobley]

I have one of those names that is misspelled 90% of the time and mispronounced almost as often. That's one reason why, years ago, I started collecting envelopes with my name misspelled. It's truly amazing how often (and creatively) it gets butchered.

It's bad enough to have your name misspelled by the media, but it's really downright careless and disrespectful to be wrong when we are communicating with clients and prospects.

I'll bet our colleagues would appreciate a little more accuracy as well, right Dannye, Danny, Dan, Dan-O, Dan-bert, Dan-the-man?

[Danny Cohn]

Was your Danny with an E phase the same time Liza with a Z launched?

[Ann Bartling]

Thank you. I found this especially relevant, since my very simple name is often misspelled. It's humourous for me to open an e-mail that starts with "Hi Anne," when the correct spelling of my name (Ann) appears in the “To” field.

[Tasha Skertich]

Too funny. My former best friend and I share the same first name and when we were in jr high, when passing notes was popular, we decided I would be Tashia and she would be Tasha. I remember asking my family to do the same and my grandma was very confused about it and to this day she still spells it the wrong way.

[Marlon Manuel]

I can’t tell you how much I endorse your naming tip. All through grade school, my name was mangled into every form imaginable – Marlin, Marlan, Marlen, Marlone.

As a journalist before coming to Edelman – I arrived in July after working for several years as a reporter and editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – one of my staple questions was: How do you spell your name? I’d ask at the end of every interview. When I was with the source, I’d have the person write down his or her name in my notepad. I’d then show it to them to confirm it was correct. Nothing killed your credibility as a writer more than misspelling someone’s name.

Cheers on a great tip, Dannye.

[Patricia]

Another owner of an oft-mangled first & last name here to say thanks. And I was foolish enough to think that reverting to my full given name would be an improvement over all the creative variations on Patty/Patti/Pattie/Paddie...

[Heather]

I can do you one better. My last name is Thomas and every other email I receive ignores my first name completely. I get "Hi Thomas", "Dear Mr. Tom" and even a "Hello Tommy" but rarely "Dear Heather" or "Ms. Thomas". It's bad enough having someone who can't figure out what you're first name is, even though it is clearly in my email address and my signature, but then they go and change my gender on top of it all.