My given name is hard for the multitudes to pronounce, and my last name is hopeless, so when I must give a name for an order, I say, “Joey.”
No, Jo is not acceptable. I will not respond to Jo. You can test it at your own peril.
Joey is sometimes still too hard for people, so they often say back, “Joy?” “Joni?” Then I say, “Jo-EEE, like a baby kangaroo?”
Which is why I was alarmed yesterday, when the woman handing me my drink said, “Decaf caramel macchiato for Shelly.”
Well, that’s new.
One-Liner Wednesday is brought to you by LindaGHill
And Shelly sure sounds a lot like Joey…haha! Our last name gets all kinds of twists. 🙂
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I seriously paused to ponder her… intellect. lol
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Wait, you two are related?
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No. She means her and her husband’s last name 🙂
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People struggle with your first name?? Can’t you just tell ’em you’re the woman who coulda stolen away Dolly Parton’s gentleman friend?!
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I mean, C’MON!!!
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And sadly, those who do know it feel they must sing it to me.
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Or post links to it on your blog? 😛 #sorrynotsorry #butprobablyyesactuallysorry
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I’m used to it. No need to apologize.
#youcanpostitbutyoucantmakemeplayit
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(I’m currently totally addicted to Pentatonix. And making everyone listen to them with me.)
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People either know it, or they don’t. It’s a whole Jo-Thing. I’ve discussed this with Jo-People and we concur, to many people, all Jo-Names are the same, or at least interchangeable!
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Huh. I had no idea!
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Well no, cause you’re not a Jo-People! 😛
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Wow, she wasn’t even close. Next time just make up something, like “Eyecandy.”
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Sweet, Craig, thanks! 😀
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My name isn’t super common (Donna), but I have never, ever in my life had it totally messed up…until I was in Florida in January. The barista spelled it DAWNA on my cup. What the? We laughed about it for days. For the record, I have ZERO accent so I don’t even get how she heard it that way. Shelly…hah!
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Mercy! I’m sure there are Dawnas, but that’s not what I’d think, either… Clearly some people have some issues.
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Right? That was a first for me.
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Okay, I HAVE to tell you, today I came across the name Daughana. It’s Irish Donna. So that was new.
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I’ve never heard of that one before! Okay, that one I almost like. Think my mom will care if I change the spelling of my name? 😱😂
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Oh but, you have to spell it on the phone and then you have to huff and say, “My family’s super Irish” as if you’re not, as if that’s possible 😉
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Hahahaha. My oldest son has an Irish spelling of his name. Sixteen years later, even family members still get it wrong.
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People, people, people… Tsk.
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She must know a Shelly and was thinking about her at the time. Yeah, we’ll give her that. My name is often mispronounced as well, but fortunately most of the people who know me as Manee’ do not actually utter it in my presence.
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Yeah, you give her the benefit of the doubt, but Imma stick with thinkin her brain’s the size of a shelly bean.
Manee is like Manet, yes? or is it like Manny? In my head it sounds like Manet…
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Definitely Manet (literally). There is a story there that I may someday share, just not yet. I knew you were smart. Some people say Manny and I had to figure out how to use the accent. Still a hit or miss.
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I would think an accent aigu goes over the first e? If yer Frenchin it up, anyway.
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Nope, it was always the second e – at least in the family records. We are a strange clan.
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Fascinant!
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Don’t feel too bad, Shelly. I have been asked to spell ‘Dan’ and I have had to answer to ‘Pat’ to pick up my order. If the clerk was old enough to remember Airplane, you could have said “and don’t call me Shirley” but if she was 18, you might have gotten a dumb look.
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Okay, that DOES make me feel better. Pat. Pfft.
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Maybe the barista owned a baby kangaroo named Shelly?
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Yeah, that’s surely the most likely scenario.
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I used to work for a Dutch company and everyone who hadn’t met me assumed I was a guy. Jan (pronounced Yawn) is a popular guy’s name in Europe.
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Yes, that I can understand 🙂
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HaHA! Some people! 🙂
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My husband has finally mastered my name. That’s enough.
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Hah! In my head you’re Uh-li-see-uh? Or is it Uh-leash-uh? Imma need to know.
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I vote the 2nd
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Ah-lee-see-ah
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Ah.
Thank you, I will modify my inner voice. Ah.
Got it.
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Spanish (Mexican Spanish) pronunciation.
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That’s how I say it. Phew!
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It’s okay. If we’re ever together, internet friends and I, and they have ANY sensitivity, they’ll call me Alice or Ulisha or whatever is in their heads, I’ll correct gently – not important that they get it right – and from then on they can do what they want.
Though I’m glad my husband gets it right – he speaks no Spanish, but made the effort. It’s one of those ways some people tell you they love you.
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Yes ❤ Quite so.
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“) I say, when called Debbie, “My friends call me Deborah”. That usually does the trick.
I have a friend from Argentina whose name is Alicia. It’s because of her I pronounce it A-lee-cee-ah.
It’s a beautiful name.
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Thank you – my mother named me after her sister. We’re both Alicia Guadalupe.
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I still get people that want to call me Vincent, and I try my best to enunciate clearly. So I can relate.
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Vincent, eh? Okay. Well, that’s odd, but definitely possible if one doesn’t hear too well. I prefer Benson. Benson is a great name 😀
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Thank you. You don’t hear it as a first name too often. Many years ago my first wife worked evenings at a fancy infant clothing store. One of her customers was in with her mother to buy clothes for Baby Benson. Cut to the chase the new momma was the sister of a girl I dated in high school. She thought I was so nice she named her first born after me. Of course the ex never got her name. Wierd.
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Now I want to know if your first wife worked in the cute little ‘dollhouse’ type shop on 82nd St, because my grandmother did.
That IS odd. But I tell ya, Benson is a fine name, and you’re a great guy. You probably make all the other Bensons look better 🙂
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Aw shucks. Thank you. The ex worked at some shop in Washington Square Mall. I can’t remember the name. This was in the 70’s.
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I do not respond to Al. My name is Ally. No one has ever called me Shelly, but I do get Sally once in a while. I dunno about people…
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See, now, I would think Ally is one of the easiest names ever! Ally, Ally, Ally… even babies can say Awwy. Sheesh.
You could never be Al. Nope, not seein it!
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Ally, ally, oxen free.
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I didn’t realize how hard it was for people to understand and say Joey. It’s just like Mary…we have an extra EE sound at the end. It’s not that hard to pronounce. I wonder what the “Shelley” woman would have yelled out if Benedict Cumberbatch walked in for a caramel latte.
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Oh, your name must surely be easier for people! This is not a rare problem for me, AT ALL.
I imagine Mr Cumberbatch asks for his orders with “Ben” — I know I would if I were him. Bless.
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I have to say I haven’t had too many problems with Mary. I only used to get upset with my aunt when she would call me Mary Jean as an adult. It sounded so childish to me. So, you can call me Mary J, but never Mary Jean.
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Gotcha.
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Well, Shelly–I hope you enjoyed your decaf caramel macchiato. 😉 My names (Tonya Rieley Hengerer) are constantly mangled, too. I understand. 😊
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It was delicious. They are always delicious.
I don’t find your name difficult at all, but then, you know, I READ. lol
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I love macchiatos, too.
Haha! I think it’s the double -er that sometimes gets folks.
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Maybe. They’re not ponderers, I spose. 😉
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Clever! No, they’re definitely not ponderers. 🙂
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I’ve been called Janice more times than I care to remember, the most memorable of which was one of my softball coaches. You’d think he would have remembered my name, but no! At least you got your drink…or is there a Shelly still waiting there???
janet
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There was not a Shelly in sight!
Janice, hm? I’d think coaches would be better than most, yes, I do. Should be, I suppose.
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Had to sign mine out today for a stand in nurse cuz she couldnt get that damn “B” out of her mouth. Even the student nurse corrected her.
Then come to find out that their “cute nickname” for me is Bob Squared. Witty. NOT. 😛
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Bob Squared isn’t nearly as enigmatic as Rob Squared. People, people, people!
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Sorry, just had to do it. Forgive me, PLEASE.
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Well…both names end in “y”…it could happen ??? I always give fake names at restaurants, not sure when it started. Sometimes, I like to use “Dufresne, party of 2” old Mitch Hedburg reference. ☺☺
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Hah! Yes, the poor Dufresnes 🙂
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This makes me feel better. I’ve been called so many strange names…
Now I usually say, “Eve.” But most people think it’s Eva.
Don’t ask me, Shelly.
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LOL! Thank you, it seems many of us suffer this way.
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No one knows how to spell LOIS. I get Louis, Louise…once even Rose. But Joey…..unreal. Truly, unreal.
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:O
That is SHOCKING! I’m sorry.
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It’s like a game with them, to see who comes up with the most outrageous name. Either that, or they’re deaf from listening to noisy hip-hop at full volume through earbuds.
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Joey, Shelley, Constance, Abigail. Anyone could confuse them.
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Only Joey could get 65 responses to this, while Shelley is waiting for his drink. My friend, Jolene hates her name, the song, and gives “that look” to cashiers who ask her not to take their man.
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Please share my feelings of solidarity with your friend Jolene.
There was no Shelly. Not even a dude one.
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Hahahaha! My friend got a totally random name on her coffee once, one that didn’t sound a thing like her name. I think they like to screw with people.
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I’m sure they do. They must. I mean, I’ve worked behind the counter, and it’s loud back there, but not THAT loud 😛
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My daughter had a friend from church named Jolene. She was Jolene not Jo, or Joey. Jolene. I have no problem calling her Jolene, and I never, not once sang to her that song.
My name is Deborah. I introduce myself as Deborah and yet there’s always someone who decides I must be called Debbie. Like you it’s not me or my name. I don’t answer to it when called.
I also don’t answer to “MOM” when in crowded places. Too many years spent at baseball and softball games with too many kids with yelling Mom! around so I tuned out sometime when my son was in Little League.
My daughter now grown up was playing in Bobby Sox and was calling me from the dugout; I never heard it. After yelling Mom for 5 minutes she was totally frustrated and belted out “WOMAN!” I turned to look. Since that moment she’s calls me “Woman” when out in a crowded place and needs to call out for my attention. I always answer. 🙂
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HAHA! Once, I was in a hobby store with my MIL and I called out “Mom!” and about ten women turned to look at me! So I know now.
I can appreciate you being Deborah. I fail to understand why anyone would think they know our names better than we do.
On behalf of all Jolenes, thank you for not singing the song 🙂
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I, personally, thought the name Jolene was pretty when I heard that song. But I would get annoyed if people thought it was funny to refer to the negative connotations of song every time they heard my name!
My husband just recently figured out the song “Amie” by Pure Prairie League was about the woman being with somebody else and him wanting her back. lol.
I don’t think anyone’s ever gotten my name wrong, maybe misspelled it.
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You’d think Sunny would be easy, but I get Suni scrawled on my cup an awful lot. With the GOT craze, I started throwing out my last name Lanning and, sure enough, it is hilarious to hear the room go quiet when an order for “Lannister” is called out. 😊
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Well that’s kinda fun! Sunny Lanning always pays her debts! lol
Suni, not so much, but whatever. People, people, people!
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Haha, that’s awesome! I’ve toyed with ‘Sunny sends her regards’ but I like yours better!
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😛
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Haha 🙂 Well, as long as they got your drink right! I usually give names like Michelle or Angela…. 🙂
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I related to your comment about Jo names. I was really sensitive about it when I was younger, but now – not so much.
Because my name isn’t hyphenated or 2 separate words, more often than not I get Joan-ee. It used to make me insane… now I just sigh.
My husband, years ago with his french accent, pronounced it Jowin – especially when he was talking quickly. I actually really miss it 🙂
I will respond to Jo, but interestingly very few people actually do … and no one – ever – has called me Joey. I guess I just don’t look like a Joey 🙂
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One night in urgent care, I was there with a Joel and a Joelle and it was the most fun, confusing, sad time ever. LOL
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Good grief!! As long as they kept all the medical tests and charts correct!
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I decided not to go into Library Science because I get, “Marian, Madam Librarian” quite enough, as it is. Oh, and my youngest stepdaughter, who met me when she was seven, told me, “I’m gonna call you Mary Ann, because I can’t say Marian.” Crazy li’l bird! Then she proceeded to call me Mar (as in mare). She had the first grandchild, so all my grandchildren call me Grandmar. Everybody thinks they’re bilingual. Ha!
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Haha! Marian is super easy, for pity’s sake. Grandmar is pretty cute though! 🙂
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I get called Mary Ann, Miriam, Marium — I even had a guy call me at my dorm room and start talking to me in Persian; they had misspelled my name in the campus directory as Marina, and he thought I was somebody from home.
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That last bit’s kinda cute. I like Miriam, but obviously you’re MARIAN. I can’t believe how daft people are about names. I judge them.
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