I have three names that no one can ever spell right. Katherine Anne Rickards. Doesn't look hard but apparently it is. Most people spell my first name with a C or stick a Y in there, most drop the E from my middle name and pretty much everyone at some point tries to call me RICHARDS. But, no matter how many times they say or write it, it's simply not my name.
After 23 years you'd think I'd be used to being called whatever people decide my name is. One of my colleagues, Micaela, gets some very weird and wonderful variations upon her name (seriously, no one seems to understand the name Micaela) about which we all chuckle and the shop favourites are; Kelly-Rae, Michael-A and Paul (yes, that really was one). But somehow I've never liked being called anything other than my given name. Never liked spelling it differently, never liked nicknames. Ultimately I like the name Katherine, don't see why I should be called anything else. Plus when I was at school there was another Katherine (who preferred Katie) and another Katy, I have a cousin called Kate, had a hairdresser called Kathy and never liked Kath or Kat. And, as my close friends and colleagues will testify, I will quickly (and, ahem, sharply) correct anyone who gets it wrong, not excusing my baby sister who spelled my name incorrectly on the front of my Christmas card. On post-its and emails I do relent a little and abbreviate my name to K@ and K for ease for typing/writing but would never like to be called either of those. There is one man, one man in the whole world whom I allow to call me Kathy (even though I really, really don't like it) and to repeatedly spell my surname Riccards. The reason for this exception to the rule is that he's the nicest person I've ever met, very gentle and kind and considerate and I haven't the heart to correct him (I did the first time we met, but, bless him, he forgot). Last year when he came in for a sight test he called me Kathy in front of my colleagues and they were all amazed I didn't tell him off, he got awfully embarrassed and asked if he'd offended me. They said it was probably some kind of honour that I didn't reprimand him!
Recently a select few individuals (you know who you are...) have taken to trying to annoy me from time to time by trying to come up with an alternative. I have thought about this long and hard and since I don't like being blunt with people when they err I have decided to come up with a list of acceptable and unacceptable names.
Names I will answer to...
Katherine
Katherine Anne (my mum calls me that when I'm in trouble...)
Katherine Rickards
Miss Rickards
Names I will not answer to...
Kat
Kay
Kate
Katie
Katy
Catherine
Katharine
Kathryn
Catharine
Kath
Kathy
Katty
Kat-Kat
Kit-Kat
Karry
Cassie
Katerina
Catalina
K
K-K
Kathyrine
Krickards
K-Dizzle
Krickle
Kricky
Krickler
Kraj
Victoria (my VO teacher used to get my friend and I confused)
Helen (my VO teacher called both Vic and I this at some point)
Katski
Katrina
Katrine
Catrine
Katalicious
Big K
Little K
Special K
Kat Rick
Kathene
Kaf
Kafrin
Kaffy
Kafferine
Kathleen
KAR
Broom (my sister went through a phase of calling my this when she was like 5)
Oi!
Oi, you!
Madam
Missus
Luv
Pet
Miss Richards
Miss Rickerds
Miss Bickards
Use any of the not accepted names at your own peril...
I assume that it's essential that your name is correctly pronounced kath-e-rin. A common fault is to pronounce it kath-rin.
My question is what happens if someone pronounces your name so quickly that you can't hear which they said. You could of course ask them to repeat it more slowly so you can check their pronuncation. But how will you be able to do that if you don't yet know whether you can answer to the name?
Please answer quickly as I will be worrying about it all day.
I'm so sorry, Miss Rickards, but I've just seen that you don't accept Anonymous postings on your blog. But my trouble is that my name really is Anonymous. Like you I get REALLY annoyed when people call me Anon or Whatsizname or Hi! Or Any Loud Cry. Anyway what I'm saying is that my previous post really was in my real name so please don't delete it.
p.S. i think you are VERY BRAVE and an inspiration to US ALL.
I'm Silvana Dallanegra. OK, so that's foreign, and a lot harder for Brits to cope with than something quintessentially English like Katherine. But even so... Silvana is an Italian name, and this is how it should be spelt. A y instead of an i is not authentic... but people who've known me for years receive emails from me signed Silvana, from an address which says Silvana... and they reply "Dear Sylvana"!!
And don't get me started on Dallanegra (which is unusual even in Italy)!!! It goes without saying that I do not answer to diminutives :)
So I always try to call people by their correct names, and if you and I ever have the pleasure of meeting, rest assured I will call you Katherine and be mentally spelling it correctly :))
I've kind of given up and try instead to be amused (through gritted teeth) at the things people come up with for my name... I suppose it's partly my fault for having married a man whose surname was Figura when I already had a first name like Anneli. Mind you my maiden name was Constable which used to give rise to all sorts of sophisticated (not) hilarity especially when I was a child...
The only unforgiveable sin in my case is to ever, ever, EVER so much as ALLUDE to my middle name. Katherine I believe you know what it is. If you promise never to allow it to pass your lips, I promise to never call you any of the options you mention above. If you do, then what can I say, all's fair in love and WAR!!
There are some advantages in spelling names wrong. For instance when Marc Forster was appointed as Director of "Quantum of Solace", I got a steady stream of applications wanting to be the next Bond girl!
I've got used my surname being spelled Foster (it doesn't help that "foster" is the way it's normally pronounced in the N of England). But one variation is Froster, which started with a single mispelling by one firm I ordered something from, but which has now spread to almost every piece of junk mail I receive as the list gets sold on from one mailing house to another.
Just be thankful your surname isn't Eliot (as in George or T.S.) or Elliott (Denholm) or Eliott (family name of Lord Heathfield) or Elliot (family name of the Earl of Minto).
And don't go as far as Anthony Powell, the nevelist, who insisted his name should be pronounced POLE. When a plumber he had got hold of at short notice for an emergency turned up at the front door and asked for Mr Pow-ell, he was told "Nobody of that name lives here!"
If you don't want your middle name to be known you should keep quiet about it and not awaken people's interest. It took me 30 seconds to find it on google.
All are more than welcome to post a comment - any comment - on my blog. However if you would please do me the courtesy of adding a name (even a pseudonym) or initials I would be grateful. Thank you.
The trouble with publishing a list like this is that it just stimulates the imagination of those who only do it cos it teases.
ReplyDeleteI trust that Ms. Rickards is acceptable.
ReplyDeleteI assume that it's essential that your name is correctly pronounced kath-e-rin. A common fault is to pronounce it kath-rin.
ReplyDeleteMy question is what happens if someone pronounces your name so quickly that you can't hear which they said. You could of course ask them to repeat it more slowly so you can check their pronuncation. But how will you be able to do that if you don't yet know whether you can answer to the name?
Please answer quickly as I will be worrying about it all day.
I'm so sorry, Miss Rickards, but I've just seen that you don't accept Anonymous postings on your blog. But my trouble is that my name really is Anonymous. Like you I get REALLY annoyed when people call me Anon or Whatsizname or Hi! Or Any Loud Cry. Anyway what I'm saying is that my previous post really was in my real name so please don't delete it.
ReplyDeletep.S. i think you are VERY BRAVE and an inspiration to US ALL.
I'm Silvana Dallanegra. OK, so that's foreign, and a lot harder for Brits to cope with than something quintessentially English like Katherine. But even so... Silvana is an Italian name, and this is how it should be spelt. A y instead of an i is not authentic... but people who've known me for years receive emails from me signed Silvana, from an address which says Silvana... and they reply "Dear Sylvana"!!
ReplyDeleteAnd don't get me started on Dallanegra (which is unusual even in Italy)!!! It goes without saying that I do not answer to diminutives :)
So I always try to call people by their correct names, and if you and I ever have the pleasure of meeting, rest assured I will call you Katherine and be mentally spelling it correctly :))
I've kind of given up and try instead to be amused (through gritted teeth) at the things people come up with for my name... I suppose it's partly my fault for having married a man whose surname was Figura when I already had a first name like Anneli. Mind you my maiden name was Constable which used to give rise to all sorts of sophisticated (not) hilarity especially when I was a child...
ReplyDeleteThe only unforgiveable sin in my case is to ever, ever, EVER so much as ALLUDE to my middle name. Katherine I believe you know what it is. If you promise never to allow it to pass your lips, I promise to never call you any of the options you mention above. If you do, then what can I say, all's fair in love and WAR!!
There are some advantages in spelling names wrong. For instance when Marc Forster was appointed as Director of "Quantum of Solace", I got a steady stream of applications wanting to be the next Bond girl!
ReplyDeleteI've got used my surname being spelled Foster (it doesn't help that "foster" is the way it's normally pronounced in the N of England). But one variation is Froster, which started with a single mispelling by one firm I ordered something from, but which has now spread to almost every piece of junk mail I receive as the list gets sold on from one mailing house to another.
Just be thankful your surname isn't Eliot (as in George or T.S.) or Elliott (Denholm) or Eliott (family name of Lord Heathfield) or Elliot (family name of the Earl of Minto).
And don't go as far as Anthony Powell, the nevelist, who insisted his name should be pronounced POLE. When a plumber he had got hold of at short notice for an emergency turned up at the front door and asked for Mr Pow-ell, he was told "Nobody of that name lives here!"
Anneli,
ReplyDeleteIf you don't want your middle name to be known you should keep quiet about it and not awaken people's interest. It took me 30 seconds to find it on google.
One of my maiden aunts was called that.