Having an unusual name is great, and while we love being a little different, it’s not without its struggles.
Here are 16 things you can ONLY relate to if you were blessed (and cursed!) with a uncommon name:
1. The pain of not being able to find stuff like personalised pencils, fridge magnets and mugs.
2. And the hysterical excitement when you finally come across a rare piece of ‘name merch’, even if it is a hideous-looking trucker cap.
3. Being almost apologetic when you have to tell someone your name. You don’t quite say, “I’m sorry my name is so complicated” but it’s implied by your bashful tone.
4. And then being annoyed at yourself for being apologetic. It’s only a name, how hard can it be to get?
5. When you come across someone with the same name you feel like you’ve met your soul sister.
6. You often ask you parents why they did this to you. You don’t mean it though, because deep down you like being different.
7. If it’s an ‘exotic’ name you’re subjected to a barrage of questions about where it originates and where your family is from.
8. Which you don’t mind if it’s someone you know, but when it’s a stranger you want to say, “Sod off, nosy parker!”
9. All those years of teachers struggling at roll call.
10. People butchering your name, forcing you to put them straight. No, no it’s actually…
11. And then at times giving up and not bothering to correct them. Yeah okay, I’ll be ‘Ivennky’ if you want me to be. Sigh.
12. You promise yourself you’ll call your son Jim and your daughter Ann.
13. But when you DO have kids you can’t resist going for Joaquin and Ariella.
14. When your Starbucks cup is basically a scrawl of confused letters. (Oh wait, that’s everyone.)
15. When Microsoft Word refuses to accept your name, highlighting it in that red squiggle and asking “Did you mean…” No, Microsoft Word, no we didn’t mean.
16. When your name is always spelled wrong – whether it’s a newspaper, graduation booklet or newsletter, it will ALWAYS BE WRONG.
Do you have a unique name? If so, can you relate? And would the aforementioned struggles put you off choosing an unusual name for your own kids? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
