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Help[Opinions] Isla
Dear Readers
Do your baby a favour. Do not call her Isla (or him Islay).
The reason for this is that every idiot on the planet pronounces the 's' - usually as 'z', just to make sure it's really ugly.
I used to be lumbered with this name. I deed-polled it because it was either a deed poll or decking the next person who added a zed to it.
The deed-poll was one of the best things I ever did: other people are more confident about dealing with a person with a name that they recognise, I am more confident about meeting new people. [I expected my increase in confidence, I was surprised by the difference it made to other people.]
I would seriously suggest to anyyone that if your name is hanging around your neck like the ancient mariner's albatross, change it. The change depends upon your situation - you might need to fix semi-literate parents' spelling (e.g. change Micheal to Michael), you might need to find a spelling that clarifies the pronounciation (Gaelic names are shockers for having a raft of silent letters and letters that are not pronounced as they are written) or you might need to ditch a train-wreck of a name and start again.
Do your baby a favour. Do not call her Isla (or him Islay).
The reason for this is that every idiot on the planet pronounces the 's' - usually as 'z', just to make sure it's really ugly.
I used to be lumbered with this name. I deed-polled it because it was either a deed poll or decking the next person who added a zed to it.
The deed-poll was one of the best things I ever did: other people are more confident about dealing with a person with a name that they recognise, I am more confident about meeting new people. [I expected my increase in confidence, I was surprised by the difference it made to other people.]
I would seriously suggest to anyyone that if your name is hanging around your neck like the ancient mariner's albatross, change it. The change depends upon your situation - you might need to fix semi-literate parents' spelling (e.g. change Micheal to Michael), you might need to find a spelling that clarifies the pronounciation (Gaelic names are shockers for having a raft of silent letters and letters that are not pronounced as they are written) or you might need to ditch a train-wreck of a name and start again.
This message was edited 12/21/2011, 8:12 PM
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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Replies
I adore the name Isla and if I were to ever have children, I would use it without hesitation. Why should another person's stupidity or refusal of using their brain hinder my choices of names that I actually like? Sorry you didn't like it, but I have to tell people how to pronounce my name all the time, too, and I'm no lesser for it.
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Ditto.
I'm sorry the original poster felt the need to legally change his / her name. And I appreciate the obvious sincerety and politeness with which Dragon_Lute presents his / her case. But I agree that a little education for those ignorant of a name's spelling or pronunciation is not the worst thing that can happen to them.
My name is Ann, one of the most common names going, at least in my generation. I constantly have to spell it. Most people with my (common) surname spell it slightly differently than I do. So I end up spelling my fn and surname all the time. Almost any name can have issues. If I could go back in time I wouldn't have my parents name me anything else other than Ann, issues and all.
I'm sorry the original poster felt the need to legally change his / her name. And I appreciate the obvious sincerety and politeness with which Dragon_Lute presents his / her case. But I agree that a little education for those ignorant of a name's spelling or pronunciation is not the worst thing that can happen to them.
My name is Ann, one of the most common names going, at least in my generation. I constantly have to spell it. Most people with my (common) surname spell it slightly differently than I do. So I end up spelling my fn and surname all the time. Almost any name can have issues. If I could go back in time I wouldn't have my parents name me anything else other than Ann, issues and all.
This message was edited 12/22/2011, 10:44 AM
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Yes - same here I have to spell my common first name all the time. Also my last name which is spelled just as it sounds but is unusual.
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Tritto
Obviously, I have to spell out my first name all the time, AND have to clarify pronunciation. And since there are two common ways to spell my last name, I often have to spell it too.
PLUS, as Isla Fisher gets more popular/famous and the name gets more exposure I think the pronunciation will become less of an issue
Obviously, I have to spell out my first name all the time, AND have to clarify pronunciation. And since there are two common ways to spell my last name, I often have to spell it too.
PLUS, as Isla Fisher gets more popular/famous and the name gets more exposure I think the pronunciation will become less of an issue
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Glad you could solve your problem! Of course, as names become more popular that kind of ignorance becomes less frequent; but it can be a long wait sometimes.
Micheal (even typing it is painful!) is a very frequent spelling error; I think people are trying for what they perceive as convincing phonics. And I knew a girl whose father was Phillipus. In their community the first son was named after his father, so when she got a baby brother he was going to be Phillipus too. She and some of her aunts begged the proud father to make it Philippus, and he dithered about it but finally decided that it couldn't be done "because then he wouldn't be named after me"! Young Phillipus goes happily by Flip, so he hasn't let it get him down, but nor does he intend to use the 2L1P version on any child of his!
Micheal (even typing it is painful!) is a very frequent spelling error; I think people are trying for what they perceive as convincing phonics. And I knew a girl whose father was Phillipus. In their community the first son was named after his father, so when she got a baby brother he was going to be Phillipus too. She and some of her aunts begged the proud father to make it Philippus, and he dithered about it but finally decided that it couldn't be done "because then he wouldn't be named after me"! Young Phillipus goes happily by Flip, so he hasn't let it get him down, but nor does he intend to use the 2L1P version on any child of his!
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Aghhh my SIL spells it Micheal, even when I just typed MICHAEL right in front of her. There's no excuse for spelling it wrong, it's one of the most common names you see ever.
This message was edited 12/22/2011, 6:32 AM
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Hi,
Thanks for your opinion.
I was just wondering where you live? I love the name Isla and am considering using it. However, I live in the UK where Isla is more common and is getting more and more popular. If this continues, by the time I have children I'm hoping it will be well known-enough that most people will know how to pronounce it.
I'm guessing that since you said "zed" rather than "zee" you might be from the UK too. But if you're an adult presumably the name is rather unknown in your age group, whereas a child born now might have less of a problem since the name is becoming more popular.
Thanks for your opinion.
I was just wondering where you live? I love the name Isla and am considering using it. However, I live in the UK where Isla is more common and is getting more and more popular. If this continues, by the time I have children I'm hoping it will be well known-enough that most people will know how to pronounce it.
I'm guessing that since you said "zed" rather than "zee" you might be from the UK too. But if you're an adult presumably the name is rather unknown in your age group, whereas a child born now might have less of a problem since the name is becoming more popular.
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