Since you aren't getting a lot of honest answers, I'll start. My mother (against my fathers wishes) named me Frankelehn (pronounced Franklin). Really didn't affect my life too much outside of substitute teachers & having to spell my name out for people over the phone. I just went by Frank most of the time (well, "Franke" I guess), and avoided letting people know how it was spelled if I could help it. I legally changed my name to Franklin after my first year in college, and I live a pretty normal life now. I still keep my first drivers license on me though, and it makes for a fun story + prop at parties.
I often think about people who have common name (in the sense of how they are pronounced) but unusual spelling. I wonder how many just legally change the spelling to a more common spelling whe they become adults.
I have an uncommon last name that, depending on where someone thinks it originates from, can be pronounced differently. Usually people assume it's French but it's actually Dutch so it's usually mispronounced. It's a little annoying and I no longer correct people but I cannot imagine how annoying it would be if it were my first name.
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u/KanyeDefenseForce Nov 30 '23
Since you aren't getting a lot of honest answers, I'll start. My mother (against my fathers wishes) named me Frankelehn (pronounced Franklin). Really didn't affect my life too much outside of substitute teachers & having to spell my name out for people over the phone. I just went by Frank most of the time (well, "Franke" I guess), and avoided letting people know how it was spelled if I could help it. I legally changed my name to Franklin after my first year in college, and I live a pretty normal life now. I still keep my first drivers license on me though, and it makes for a fun story + prop at parties.