... but I didn't think it was that difficult to figure out what to call me!
My parents made the decision to give both of us more formal official first names, a family name for a middle name and a nickname to go by. I'm Elizabeth King, but I go by Betsy. She's Margaret Hampton, but goes by Molly.
While I've always LOVED the name Elizabeth, I've never gone by it ... never ... and I don't respond to it. Instead, I had the pleasure of correcting teachers & professors every semester when they went through the class roster, "I go by Betsy". I also have bills, credit cards, bank accounts, and all sorts of paperwork that has one or both of my names on them. That's always fun to figure out which one it is, "The name on the account is Elizabeth. Oh wait, it might be under Betsy!"
Anyhoo ... I've been at work for 4 1/2 years! A lot of the people that I work with have been there since my first year. I've only ever gone by Betsy to my colleagues, but my e-mail address & work badge both say Elizabeth (because that would be the name on official employee paperwork). Lately, I've noticed that there is a handful of women who only call me Elizabeth. It's always interesting when I don't respond immediately or ignore them because I don't know they are talking to me. I don't understand it ... they don't see my name as Elizabeth that often. At this point ... how can I correct them?
Ahhh! The joys of having 2 names!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Yes, I have 2 names ...
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8 comments:
I'd suggest you just confuse them more!
Beth ... Liz ... Eli ... Zeb
When they ask "What should I call you?" you have a wonderful opportunity to say whatever you'd like.
Perhaps this is a genetic flaw. Have you noticed that you call your puppy by at least half-a-dozen names?
Just wondering.
I thought this was going to be a rant about Besty ... but no! Just be happy that both your names are fairly common and that no one has a problem figuring out how to pronounce them.
2 comments, actually:
1. I wish people would call me by my full name Bethany. Even if it's how I introduce myself to others I end up as Beth.
2. I love the name Betsy, too. It's my Catholic Confirmation name I picked out for myself! I'm glad to call you Betsy!! :)
Yesterday at our faculty meeting, the P. said "and thanks to Mrs. ChEEtum for taking a group of students to St. Louis."
Almost everyone chuckled a little bit when he did that - they all know it's Chittum, but he still says it the other way.
Just like you, at this point, it would be much more awkward to correct him!
The kids were joking today that they were going to start saying things to him like "We sure do like Mrs. Chittum. We're so glad Mrs. Chittum is our journalism teacher. Thanks for hiring Mrs. Chittum." Just to see if he ever changed the way he said it!
Brenda suggested that next time they call me Elizabeth & it takes me a minute to respond I should say, "Oh, I'm sorry. Nobody ever calls me Elizabeth, so I never answer to it!"
Yes, it could be worse. I could have a different spelling that people could never figure out. However, I know I have another blog in me to whine about all the people that spell my name BeSTy! I hate that!
I only ever spelled your name incorrectly b/c I'm a careless typer.
But it is the worst when someone spells my name wrong. Still have people at work do it after 3 years.
I think most of us have name issues. I fought the nickname Rach for years, telling people that I prefer Rae. Now I just give in. I spend more time these days saying, "It's MISS Cahill, not MRS."
In your case, I think you should just tell those work people that your name is Betsy. Maybe ask if you have their name correct :)
This post was full of realizations for me & some of you!
Jill had no clue that my middle name was King. I will now start calling Beth, Bethany. I never knew that Rachel didn't like Rach (sorry). I also correct my students when they call me Mrs. McKnight by showing them a picture of Mom and telling them how we aren't the same person. AND I realized that I think people at work just get confused. Last week, within hours, one of the culprits called me both Elizabeth AND Betsy.
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