People who change your name when they address you ...

[Arch]

My name is Alfred.

It is not Alfie (unless you share a stage with me and I only then allow it with gritted teeth) nor Alfredo (unless you want a look from me) nor Alf unless I specifically say so.

Furthermore, it is not, and has never been, Arther, Albert, Arnold, Alan, or any other name begining with A.
What is so difficult about that?

People just cannot use names!

Which makes me think. All the names mentioned so far have been "Western" names (although of course springing from many cultures, mine is Hebrew in origin). Does this happen all over the world? Are there any cultures where names are never shortened or turned into familiar versions? Not where it's uncommon because people are polite, but where the concept simply doesn't exist?

 

[colly]

I can't say it worries me if people call me Colin, Col, Colly or even sometimes 'C'.









I'm just grateful someone wants to talk to me.

 

[ColinJ]

I answer to Colin, Col or CJ (I didn't get to where I am today by not letting people call me CJ!) but only my stepdaughter gets to call me 'Colon'. I don't know why she does it but with her, it's either 'Col' or 'Colon'. If anybody else called me that, it would be like they were saying that I was full of crap!

 

[Night Train]

People just cannot use names!

Which makes me think. All the names mentioned so far have been "Western" names (although of course springing from many cultures, mine is Hebrew in origin). Does this happen all over the world? Are there any cultures where names are never shortened or turned into familiar versions? Not where it's uncommon because people are polite, but where the concept simply doesn't exist?

I should have added that my name also isn't Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Jet Li, 'The Chinese Detective' nor do I work in your local take away.

 

[danphoto]

I'm Bob and so's my wife....

I thought he was your uncle.

ETA I have a friend whose name is Julie Kim. She has given up trying to figure out why 9 out of 10 people, having heard her say that her name is Julie Kim, thereafter refer to her as "Kim".

Similarly, my friend Huy Nguyen tells people that his first name is pronounced like "Whee" and his family name like "Whinn". Invariably people start calling him Hooey or Mr Naguyen ...

 

[Deb13b]

I was christened Deborah but have always been known as Debbie. When I was a kid I used to say I would call myself Deborah when I grew up, but seeing as I'm still a big kid it never happened, lol. My partner is the first to ever call me Debs. My nametag at work has Deborah on it.
It doesn't really bother me which one people use, but what REALLY bugs me is when someone sends me a letter with 'Debra' on it.

 

[funnymummy]

Similarly, my friend Huy Nguyen tells people that his first name is pronounced like "Whee" and his family name like "Whinn". Invariably people start calling him Hooey or Mr Naguyen ...

Thnak you! I am just reading a book.. that happens to be the authors name - was wondering how to pronounce it!!

 

[Arch]

nor do I work in your local take away.

That's a shame, you could have brought me round some supper, and I'd have made you a cup of tea...

It is random. My Mum is Margaret Anne, but has always been known as Anne (like as a child at home and everything)* - of course when people read her full name (like at the hospital) they assume she's Margaret. But I don't think anyone has ever messed with the Anne bit, I don't think anyone has ever called her Annie or anything.

*I don't know why. Come to think of it though, Grandma was Annie Muriel by birth, but always known as Muriel. I think that's a name that's difficult to contract or mess with.

Is there a name that doesn't get messed with? My nephew is Max, which seems as simple as you can get, but he's often called 'Max-y' - but then he's a baby, and sometimes it's Maxy-moo, which I suspect he'll grow out of....

 

[yello]

A guy at work calls himself Andy. I call him Andrew. It p1sses him off.

Interesting. Two points;

I'm an Andrew and have never been an Andy. Nobody (except people that don't know me) calls me Andy. US passport officials call me Andy despite what my passport says. You may as well call me Paul. That's not my name either. Not being 'funny', it's just not my name.

Why do you do it if it pisses him off? Seems a bit, well to be honest, pathetic. Proving a nothing point for no reason.

 

[Night Train]

That's a shame, you could have brought me round some supper, and I'd have made you a cup of tea...

If I wasn'till I could have done!

Is there a name that doesn't get messed with? My nephew is Max, which seems as simple as you can get, but he's often called 'Max-y' - but then he's a baby, and sometimes it's Maxy-moo, which I suspect he'll grow out of....

Once he is cycling, or driving, he could be 'Mad Max - The Road Warrior', though that's hardly shortening anything.

 

[biggs682]

if they cant spell my name correctley then its not for me , unless its a prize or winning

 

[ianrauk]

My parents chose Ian for me as they reckoned nobody could shorten it and given the our surname is 11 letters long, then pretty well as soon as I could understand the spoken word my dad called me E. Now even friends of my brother call thier son E because they have heard my brother call me that. Not that I mind I might add .

Exactly the same as me. Ian because mother was sick and tired of people shortening my older brothers name Barry to Baz. Thing is bless her she called me E, and it stuck with all the family and my friends so I am an E also.

At work I am usually addressed as Mr A. Reason being im in a company of 8 that has 3 Ian's.

My son Henry is 'H or Little H' to his family.

 

[Night Train]

On a similar note...

I live at house number 4 and on my street many of the other houses are converted to flats.
Why does nearly everything addressed to flat 4 at some other house come to my door?

Yesterday, while ill in bed at night, I was dragged to the door by a pizza delivery for flat 4 house 6.
We are forever returning post, addressed to flat 4 anywhere else on my road, to senders having given up trying to find out neighbours' names and forwarding them myself.

 

[Arch]

If I wasn'till I could have done!

Another time then. Get well soon!

Once he is cycling, or driving, he could be 'Mad Max - The Road Warrior', though that's hardly shortening anything.

He's already doing that apparently, he clutches an ELC toy car in each hand and does a racing crawl across the floor.

 

[Night Train]

At work I am usually addressed as Mr A. Reason being im in a company of 8 that has 3 Ian's.

I had a friend called Dave (everyone has a friend called Dave) and he worked in an office of 8 where 5 were called Dave 1, Dave 2, Dave 3, etc.