Coworker Insists on Misspelling My Name in Emails- WWYD?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My best friend has been spelling my son's name incorrectly with an ie instead of a y. No bad intentions, just clueless stupidity.

This is me, unfortunately I am the incorrect speller. My 3 friends all names their girls Lily, however they are all spelled differently (Lily, Lilley, and Lilly) and I cannot remememner who is who.
For invitations, or thank you cards, yes I look it up in my address book where I wrote them all out correctly, but for every day texts or quick emails (are both Mason and Lilly coming? For example) I know I screw it up.

Couldn't you just text "Are M and L coming?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you sure you always pronounce everybody's name correctly? Do you have an accent?

See here is the thing... I don't mind that most my Asian coworkers can't pronounce my name.

Jennifer.... Jenefu, no Jennifer, Jenefu, no Jennifer

Do you see how obnoxious I would sound if I corrected them all the time, I know they mean nothing by the mispronunciation, but when I hear them complain that others can't pronounce their name, I think REALLY. You have to be kidding me.

You should just make sure you don't live in a glass house before you throw a stone.

First off, this is about spelling, not pronunciation. There are a million ways the coworker could check the spelling before he sends a message out. Lots of words are hard to spell. No excuse.
Secondly, anyone who doesn't take the correction and try to learn how to pronounce someone's name correctly is being incredibly rude. If there's a sound that is hard to make for people who come from a specific background, I can understand, but they still need to make the effort.

Sorry if I missed this but isn't the OPs name in her email address? I just don't type in my greeting until the name populates from the address book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My best friend has been spelling my son's name incorrectly with an ie instead of a y. No bad intentions, just clueless stupidity.

This is me, unfortunately I am the incorrect speller. My 3 friends all names their girls Lily, however they are all spelled differently (Lily, Lilley, and Lilly) and I cannot remememner who is who.
For invitations, or thank you cards, yes I look it up in my address book where I wrote them all out correctly, but for every day texts or quick emails (are both Mason and Lilly coming? For example) I know I screw it up.

Couldn't you just text "Are M and L coming?"

Yes, I can and sometimes do, but the point was that it's really difficult to keep them straight and occasions when I have to admit I don't remember or misspell. Just adding to the conversation about misspelling names and the reasons behind it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If everyone misspells your name, it's time to get a nick name because you will spend too much energy correcting people and missing the point . In today's quick and text message society with abbreviations you want something easy. Actually most people will just use your initial if it's too difficult.

But that's the point. Everyone doesnt. She's the only one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My name is foreign and people often have difficulties pronouncing it when they see it, but it's actually fairly easy to pronounce. A coworker has been spelling my name phonetically in emails and I have corrected her twice already. Once I was very irritated when she did it, because she actually introduced me to an external partner misspelling my name. I feel that it is very disrespectful. What should I do at this point. FWIW, I have only raised the issue with her via email. Should I bring it up in person?

wow that is terribly rude and disrespectful OP. Why don't you just start calling her Larla going forward...tell her that her actual name is just too darn hard for you to pronounce.

[Anonymous]

It's not necessarily disrespectful, she's probably just distracted. I worked with a woman who had a common name but unusual spelling, but wound up misspelling it on several occasions in emails when I was particularly busy or distracted. Just remind her again in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not necessarily disrespectful, she's probably just distracted. I worked with a woman who had a common name but unusual spelling, but wound up misspelling it on several occasions in emails when I was particularly busy or distracted. Just remind her again in person.

to me this is the definition of disrespectful, if you don't care enough to get someone's name right. But this gulf in responses is making me think of the similar split we see when "is it disrespectful to be late" is discussed. I'm someone who has to work hard not to be late and therefore doesn't feel that lateness is necessarily a sign of disrespect (more of my personal inability to manage my time)--but I also have a very easy time remembering odd spellings so OP's situation feels super disrespectful to me.

[Anonymous]

It's not necessarily disrespectful, she's probably just distracted. I worked with a woman who had a common name but unusual spelling, but wound up misspelling it on several occasions in emails when I was particularly busy or distracted. Just remind her again in person.


to me this is the definition of disrespectful, if you don't care enough to get someone's name right.

I can only really focus on a limited number of things at once. If I am asking someone to lunch, or about a routine work matter, I can certainly remember the correct spelling of their name. While I am trying to coordinate numerous things by email while talking on the phone about another issue, the spelling of their name is not foremost in my mind.

[Anonymous]

"Never ascribe to malice that which can be explained by incompetence." Maybe coworker is just dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's not necessarily disrespectful, she's probably just distracted. I worked with a woman who had a common name but unusual spelling, but wound up misspelling it on several occasions in emails when I was particularly busy or distracted. Just remind her again in person.


to me this is the definition of disrespectful, if you don't care enough to get someone's name right.

I can only really focus on a limited number of things at once. If I am asking someone to lunch, or about a routine work matter, I can certainly remember the correct spelling of their name. While I am trying to coordinate numerous things by email while talking on the phone about another issue, the spelling of their name is not foremost in my mind.

but their name is RIGHT THERE. You just typed it to send them an email. If you know this is a problem w you, why wouldn't you make a habit to check the spelling in that split second between typing their email address and typing their first name? The same way that I, as a chronically late person, make an effort to leave earlier than I think I need to? Why wouldn't you acknowledge that you have a mental habit that makes a bad impression when unchecked, and make adjustments so you don't make a bad impression?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you sure you always pronounce everybody's name correctly? Do you have an accent?

See here is the thing... I don't mind that most my Asian coworkers can't pronounce my name.

Jennifer.... Jenefu, no Jennifer, Jenefu, no Jennifer

Do you see how obnoxious I would sound if I corrected them all the time, I know they mean nothing by the mispronunciation, but when I hear them complain that others can't pronounce their name, I think REALLY. You have to be kidding me.

You should just make sure you don't live in a glass house before you throw a stone.

We'll just call you jen, problem solved and move on

U missed the point, the point was to move on.

[Anonymous]

My boss once harshly admonished a co-worker who repeatedly misspelled my name. It never happened again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's not necessarily disrespectful, she's probably just distracted. I worked with a woman who had a common name but unusual spelling, but wound up misspelling it on several occasions in emails when I was particularly busy or distracted. Just remind her again in person.


to me this is the definition of disrespectful, if you don't care enough to get someone's name right.

I can only really focus on a limited number of things at once. If I am asking someone to lunch, or about a routine work matter, I can certainly remember the correct spelling of their name. While I am trying to coordinate numerous things by email while talking on the phone about another issue, the spelling of their name is not foremost in my mind.

Then you really should wait to send the email until you can give it proper attention. To do otherwise looks sloppy and is unprofessional. You may be brilliant and do amazing work otherwise but if you get people's names wrong, they will start to wonder what else you get wrong. I work with people like this. Generally, in the end it becomes clear that they are lazy/incompetent/stupid/etc. You may not be any of these things but why come across that way?

[Anonymous]

Don't cc your bosses.

[Anonymous]

Only do this if talking with her doesnt work--Misspell her name in your emails.

I have a name that the more common spelling has an O while mine is the less common A. I had a friend name Rebecca who always used the O spelling. So I started writing Rebecco--didn't take long for her to spell my name right!