Don’t Just Call Me Jane

On behalf of all of us stuck with an "ordinary name," get over yourself.

Johnna- we still don't know how to pronounce your name.
Lots of people have their names mispronounced every day. Maybe you should just correct them & move on like the rest of us do. It's nothing personal.

Most of the comments made of Ms Kaplan hit home with me, altough my last name "Swastek" (which, by the way, is Polish) has a few times resulted in an obvious but inaccurate assocation. And although I use the nickname "Cas" (prounounced "Kaz"), after an introduction I am inevitaby called Chas, Chad, Cal, Carl, Chris, or "Kass" (brought about by the street "Cass" in the Detroit area).

I have to admit, however, that unlike Ms Kaplan, I fall back on my middle name, Joseph, when ordering take-out, based on far too many explanations and spellings. (Although my son caused confusion a few times when he was younger, when we picked up the order and he shouted out: "He's not really Joe!")

All things considered, I enjoy my unique name (it is Polish and means "peacekeeper"). What I never got an answer to, while my mom and dad (a Casimir himself) were living, is why my older brother, the rightful namesake, is Dave?

Casimir ("Kaz-mur") Swastek

why didnt you spell out the correct phoentic pronuciation of your name? Seems like the obvious thing to do

Odd name? Yeah, she's got an odd one. But you need to understand that some people are so afraid of offending someone, they just give it a stab. If that is your only issue in life, GOOD for you!
I get questions like: were you born in January? Where do these people come from?
One time I had a uniform I had to wear which had my first name on it. One woman walked by me and said "why does your shirt say Spring on it?" I said "that's my name". "First or last?" She questioned. "First" I say. She was shocked and looked at me and said "Are you sure?" This was a new one for me. "I said it better be my name, that's the name in my underwear."
I have heard them all. "Spring has sprung." "Boing" "April" "Summer" "Spring is not here yet" No I do not have pull with Mother Nature, even though I have a "nature" name. I cannot fix the weather. People think of something of the earth when they see me and have forgotten my name, and make all kinds of stabs at it. They could call me mud, so other ones don't bother me as much. So, suck it up! Have you gotten a letter addressed to Mr.Kaplan? I get Mr. Spring all the time. Go figure.
Hey! Maybe we should do a "reality" show about people with odd names? We could invite people like Al G. Green and his wife Olive Green. How about the guy who sells mobilized wheel chairs on TV, Tom Cruz? The woman on the weather channel, Jennifer Lopez?
Most people love my first name. I have come to terms with it. I used to hate it. Kids can be cruel.

My name...are you ready?.......is Deirdre Connaughton Steinfort. I am incredibly proud of it.....it has historical significance, mythological reference, and its VERY unique......I could not have expressed better what Johnna said.....

My name is pronounced "Dear-dra"........my boss loves to call me "Day-dree".....she knows it bothers me..but somehow its OK to make fun of my name....everyone says it wrong anyway...

Maybe people with more comon names just have no idea what it is to have such pride for what one is called. I would imagine that all the Marys, Beths, and Janes don't identify with that part of themselves..and therefore can not relate....

While many may feel bad for people like myself and Johnna, with our exotic names, its those with common names who I feel bad for....where is the independence for them???

Thanks Johnna for the great article!!