Don't assume a nickname

[Anonymous]

Lesson learned to nip it in the bud because now you'll come off a bit insufferable correcting them "actually, I go by Elizabeth" which should not bother people but it just will

[Anonymous]

I have a longer name and go by a nickname, but people often assume a different nickname. (Think Katherine and I go by Kate but people regularly call me Kathy)

[Anonymous]

I have the opposite problem. My legal name I’ve had my entire life and the name I like to be called are the shorter version. Not only do some people try to call me the longer version, but HR will assume and put the longer version on official documents despite having copies of my legal documents with my correct name!

[Anonymous]

My husband does this, and it drives me a little nuts. He’ll say something about Andy and I’ll be thinking - I don’t know anyone named Andy. Then I realize he means our neighbor Andrew.

Or he’ll ask me how my cousin Will is doing. My husband and I have been married for 30 years, and my cousin’s name has been William for all of them.

Honestly, I don’t think he realizes he’s doing it.

[Anonymous]

I'm a Jessica that doesn't go by Jess or Jessie but some people say it anyway. I don't take offense at it. It didn't take off, it's just a few people.

I don't think there's an easy way to say to people "I prefer to be called Katherine" without sounding uptight. Which is too bad.

I would probably introduce myself as Katherine and tell new people "Oh, I actually don't love the nickname - I prefer Katherine!" and hope they hear it.

[Anonymous]

Ok, Liz.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is how you go through life?

I don't have a common white woman name. I get called all kinds of things. I just don't care, and I'm not weird.

It's Elizabeth, not Liz.

Weird!

Np. It is weird to you to eant to be called the name you prefer? Why?

[Anonymous]

There's no way you don't come across as uptight when you correct people, op.

[Anonymous]

One of my team members names is Michael and he prefers Michael. I call him Michael. I've informed other team members that his name is Michael, yet they all still call him Mike. I feel like I've done everything I can do and I feel terrible that I can't get other people to call him by his preferred name. HOWEVER, he doesn't correct people. If he had corrected people from the start, we could have nipped this in the bud. It's too late, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but I’m sure it’s not meant to be rude. When you work with a bunch of people named Jen and Chris, it’s hard to remember that one wants to be called Jennifer or Christopher.

Of course it's not MEANT to be rude, but it is rude. It means that you don't care enough to remember their name. Why is it that you don't call Annabel Annie or Josephine Josie? It's because those aren't common names. It's not OP's fault that her mom named her something that as a child you always used the nickname for. She has a name. Use it.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry OP, I ALWAYS ask when I meet someone and it seems like it's far more common for men than women to have one kind of standard nickname for their name, but I do always ask: "Do you go by Stephen or Steve?" "Jeff or Jeffrey", Matthew or Matt, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is how you go through life?

I don't have a common white woman name. I get called all kinds of things. I just don't care, and I'm not weird.

It's Elizabeth, not Liz.

Weird!

Found TA.

Yes, being called by my preferred name is in fact primarily how I want to go through life.

Deeerrr sounds like someone has social problems, attention issues, or ADHD but wants to deflect and blame it all (weird!) on the person who just wants to use their name. Wild.