Last November I told you of my name dilemma.
I’ll quickly recap that post and save you from having to click over and re-read:
I grew up being called “Jenny.” I decided several years ago that I prefer to be called “Jennifer,” though people who’ve known me for a long time call me Jenny. My parents call me Jenny, my inlaws call me Jenny, Tate calls me Jenny. I don’t mind being called Jenny, but when I meet someone new I introduce myself as Jennifer. I sometimes get in sticky situations at gatherings where some people know me as Jenny and some people know me as Jennifer. People feel awkward when they think they’ve been calling me the wrong name.
I don’t know how many times I’ve heard, “Oh! I thought you were a Jenny (or Jennifer)!! What should I call you?”
Mostly this problem was resolved when we moved to Indiana, with the exception of a few of Tate’s coworkers to whom he introduced me as Jenny. This wasn’t a problem because my “Jennifer” friends never really had an opportunity to co-mingle with Tate’s “Jenny” friends.
Now that we’ve moved back to Tennessee, though, this name problem is rearing it’s ugly head.
When we lived here before, I went by Jenny. Now that I’m reconnecting with old friends, I’m having to remember that they knew me as Jenny. I continue to introduce myself to new people as Jennifer, but have already run into the problem of an old friend saying, “Oh! I thought you were a Jenny (or Jennifer)!! What should I call you?”
That sound you just heard was the sound of me deflating in defeat.
It’s EXHAUSTING I tell you, trying to remember which name to use. When I sign emails, when I call someone, it’s a neverending hassle.
And don’t even get me started on the whole OTHER facet of my name dilemma. Jen.
I don’t know, maybe I just need a whole new non-nicknameable name like Kay or June or Mary. What do you think, do I look like a Hazel?
Hazel it is then. Or should I call you Haze?
Mommy Daisy´s lastest post..Fun fun fun
People have been misspelling/mispronouncing my name since um, forever. It’s why I vowed to give my kids easy to pronounce names that can’t really be shortened. So far, so good.
I love Hazel.
Kirsten/Mama Ginger Tree´s lastest post..It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year
hmmm… did you notice?? SAME f-ing dilemma.
i always respond with, “just don’t call me hey-you.”
i tend to go by all 3 (4?). old old friends call me jenny. i go by jen in more personal settings. and jennifer is reserved for formal settings. (and my g-ma still writes jenni? don’t ask.)
jen´s lastest post..coconutbelly holiday newsletter – spin cycle
I don’t think you can pull of Hazel. Maybe Esmerelda.
I constantly get called Jennifer, which isn’t even my name, and no one can seem to spell my name, even though it’s the same spelling as in the bible. Go figure.
all things BD´s lastest post..We’re Back, and Ready for Christmas
that’s why i like janet. not too many permutations (oh please, NO ONE calls me jan except my mother).
on the other hand, to my great disgust, all three of my sons have shortened (or outright CHANGED) their names.
arghhh…..
the planet of janet´s lastest post..All dressed up and somewhere to go
From one Jennifer/Jenny/Jen to another, I feel your pain!
I’ve done it twice now. I went from Mandy to Amanda in Junior high/High school and when we moved to Israel I started to use my Hebrew name, Ahava. Only grandma and parents still call me Mandy, but all my Israel friends switch back and forth between Ahava and Amanda. My email has both names so nobody gets confused.
Rabbi’s Wife´s lastest post..It’s Magic…you know!
It’s frustrating! Have you found that whatever you tell people you’d like to be called, they revert to whichever one they find easiest. It drives me up the wall!
Vic´s lastest post..Guest Post at UrbanVox.Net
My dad went by ‘Bob’ for most of his life. Then he hit about 60, and decided that his mom named him ‘Robert’ and that’s what he was going to go by. Even my mom had to start calling him Robert! Am I ever glad he still lets me call him dad! Whew!
badness jones´s lastest post..Roarrrrrr!!!!!!
I’ve switched from Jenny to JR to Jen/Jennifer and finally at 19 to my middle name, Rayne. I keep a mental list of who calls me by any Jennifer derivative and who calls me Rayne. It was quite a delima for our wedding service, since my whole family calls me some J name but the person I married only calls me Rayne. It’s also a HR nightmare. I think it’s harder for people because it’s an unusual name. I don’t think Mary Katherines who go by Kate get so much flack. I would still rather deal with those issues than go by Jen/Jennifer/Jenny because there are just SO many of us.
Rayne of Terror´s lastest post..Our morning walk in the woods went something like this:
My sister is Jennifer, grew up as Jennie, now she’s a Jen, but I call her Gina.
Definitely not a Hazel. I had a persian cat named Hazel who always managed to get poop stuck to her butt.
I have a similar problem with my real name, which is one of the reasons why I gave my kids names that didn’t have a lot of options.
Let’s just say there were a ton of my first name in college and I didn’t even get to use my first name. I always was referred to by my last name, now my maiden name. Some of my friends still call me that and it confuses the heck out of my friends who only know my married last name. Oi!
Ashlie- Mommycosm´s lastest post..Wordless Wednesday: Magic of Christmas
I have the same dilemma with Margaret & Maggie, especially when I go back “home” to NY.
Mags´s lastest post..Wigged Out!!!
How about “You can call me Your Highness”?
Shelly´s lastest post..Random Holiday Questions
Shelly, You don’t think that’s too pretentious?
Well, okay, then! It’s settled! From here on out, I would like to be referred to as “Your Highness.”
I never minded going by Brittany before, until about 1999ish, then it was a hot mess of people misspelling my name and then throwing in a chuckle after hinting my last name was spears. Since then, i try to go by Britt…though she is slowly fading away, so maybe my Brittany days will be back.
brittany´s lastest post..Something is burning, and for once…it’s not my soul.
Ha. My name is Jennifer, and I was never a Jenny, but I am from time to time a Jen. I sometimes ponder whether I know someone well enough to sign an e-mail as Jen, and I have pretty much decided to stay Jennifer at work, even with my good friends. It’s weird, I know.
Jen´s lastest post..Moving on
“Oh you can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay, or you can call me RayJay, but ya doesn’t hafta call me Johnson!!”
Frankly, I don’t care what they call me as long as it ain’t ‘late for dinner’.
lceel´s lastest post..Tis the season for ….
I am so very grateful to have a name that is only shortened to one thing, which happens to be something which makes me violent. It’s amazing how fast people learn to not shorten your name when you punch them for it.
Burgh Baby´s lastest post..I Probably Should Have Asked the Question Before I Bought Those Toys
I feel your pain. My name went from Cindy to Cynthia somewhere around age 23. So my husband, his family and friends call me Cynthia while my family and old friends call me Cindy. Family events involving both families can get very confusing!
As a fellow Jennifer, I grew up with an even MORE annoying dilemma: My mom’s name is Jenny! People thought I was Jenny Jr. Somewhere around 7th grade, I had a friend who started calling me Jen. And it stuck. I tried to bring Jennifer back briefly in college because I thought it sounded more professional, but when I went to join the union (I’m in theatre), realized I couldn’t have my name unless I officially shortened to Jen. So, Jen it is.
Jen L.´s lastest post..The funniest thing in the whole world
I’m a Jennifer who goes by Jennifer. Yet people always shorten it to Jen. I know that shouldn’t irk me, but it does. Don’t force a nickname on me, please!
Same problem…Cynthia, Cindy…Cyn? Just call me Warden;)
Nap Warden´s lastest post..Here’s Your Castle!
I guess I’m lucky that even though I have to pronounce my name for people more than once (eleventy times if in a loud place), there is never a nickname issue.
I do like the suggestion of Esmeralda.
patois´s lastest post..Wordy Wednesday #39: I Triple-Dog Dare Ya
Just go by Your Highness PlayGroupie and call it a day.
Im in the same boat. I always went by Jeanie up until I met my hubs and he liked Jean my real name better and somehow magically renamed me.
I don’t even know what my old friends call me now..when I email them I sign it Jeanie, you know in case they forget who I am. My parents always called me Jeanie and it actually sounds weird that they call me Jean. At this point I give up. Call me whatever you want just don’t call me late for dinner.
Jean@workingmomma247´s lastest post..Wordless Wednesday- Photo Christmas Card Decisions
Ha! I know this scenario all too well – I don’t have a solution, either – I just leave it for people to call me whatever they want.
My proper name is Anne-Louise – family, DH and close friends call me Annie – but since DH introduced me to all his friends and co-workers as Annie – that’s what I am to them. I however always always introduce myself to new people as Anne-Louise – which is my name after all – so people I’ve met ‘in my own right’ call me Anne-Louise.
I have found though that the combination of the unusual name and my accent make it difficult for Americans to wrap their minds and speech around Anne-Louise – so sometimes I just say ‘Annie’ to make it easier on myself lol!
Annie´s lastest post..Quest for Peace of Mind
Oh – I can so relate. I am Suzanne. Not SUSAN. My family and people who knew me as a child call me Suzy. My friends from high school call me Sue. I’ve gone by my full name Suzanne since the day I got out of high school. Why couldn’t I have been given a one dimensional name like Mary?
I go through this all the time. My name is Lorraine, but I go by Lori. Except at work there are a lot of Lori’s so I go by Lorraine. And I hang out with my coworkers a lot. It gets confusing. That’s why I wanted to name all of my children names that didn’t have nicknames!
Lori´s lastest post..Take That Martha!
How about I just call you Mutt?
Old family joke.
Sorry.
tracey´s lastest post..Trying to be positive
Yeah I get that same thing with my name…ugg.
Trixy. Definitely Trixy.
Texan Mama´s lastest post..Got Opinions? Check.
I say tell everyone, not just new people, Jennifer. It’s not like you’re saying to call you Starshine now or something. Or is that coming??
Wendy´s lastest post..wanna get warm? too many options….
I know exactly what you mean. My family and my friends from grade school call me Kathy. My friends from high school and work friends call me Kathryn. And some of my college and different work friends call me Kat. I prefer Kathryn, Kat is fine too. Only my family can call me Kathy without me flinching. I just don’t feel like a Kathy I guess. Then again, it is kind of endearing when a friend calls me Kathy because it is a reminder of how long we’ve known each other.
Kat´s lastest post..Many Thanks
When I graduated from college, I tried to use my real name (instead of my nickname) since I was a grown-up. My college friend told me, “I could never call you [real name]…that’s too RESPECTABLE.”
Uh…thanks.
Slacker Mama´s lastest post..back to life … back to reality
That is why the girls have names that can’t be shortened.
I have called you Jen via email before-I am sorry.
You could just go by Playgroupie-but then there are those that may get the wrong idea…LOL
Domestic Extraordinaire´s lastest post..Would you like meds with that?
/sigh
I have this problem. Not with a nickname, but with how people say my name. My mom and close friends call me one thing, others call me something else. It’s because my name is French. /sigh I prefer the French pronunciation, but I can’t get people to say it correctly.
Bridge´s lastest post..freecycle: the good, the bad and the ugly
I have the exact same problem. I like to blame it all on my husband. I introduce myself by my full name, he refers to me by my nickname, everyone is confused.
mayberry´s lastest post..The story so far
I always introduce myself as Barbara, but expect it to be shortened to Barb. I have friends who call me Barbs, Barbie, Babs, even Babsie. It doesn’t matter to me, as long as I can introduce myself however I want. If someone gives me a nickname from that, then I think of it as a term of endearment and just go with it.
Barb @ getupandplay´s lastest post..Tribute to Elder Wirthlin
if you can’t keep straight who calls you which name, in an email, i’d sign -J. and leave it at that.
they should know who you are by the email addy.
as far as in person, i’m afraid you’ll probably always have to say “whichever is fine”. it’s hard to get people to change. i still call my brother ricky. he dropped the y about 10 years ago.
funny to see how many jennifers are commenting here! there’s a lot of you out in this world.
mpotter´s lastest post..let’s talk TiVo
Hazel? Whatever.
You’re a Trixie and you know it.
Heather, Queen of Shake Shake´s lastest post..Detox-uh-fa-kay-shun
I always lamented the fact that I didn’t have an easily shortened name like yours (Sierra doesn’t really have any nicknames). But now? I’m not so sad. Hah.
flickrlovr´s lastest post..This is my baby.
Oh, do I totally understand this dilemma.
My name is Dominique. My family growing up called me Nicky and that’s what I went by in school until about second grade when I made the decision to be Dominique all the time. So everyone “back home” who has known me since I was seven calls me Nicky.
In college I had a friend who consistently called me Dom (even though I hated it), but she was my best friend so what can you do? It is a sign of endearment to her and I love her dearly.
When I met my in-laws (before I got married) they tried to shorten my name to Dom and my husband told them I didn’t like it. So when my best friend called me Dom in her speech at my wedding, the in-laws were puzzled. “I thought you didn’t like that name?” they said.
So I do have a preference and if people ask I tell them so. Even if it’s someone who has been calling me something else, it’s not too late to tell them to change it.
But don’t get me started on how to sign Christmas cards or emails!!
NGS´s lastest post..45 x 365 #33
That’s already coming back to bite you? Sheesh. I think you should go by the letter J. Just J.
My sister, Rebecca, has been fighting her nickname, Becky, for years. She’ll nearly bite your head off if you call her Becky or she’ll say “There is no one here by that name.” My name is soooo long that I hated it in K-garten. It is also unusual–I had one telemarketer spell it out–all 11 letters-TWICE–because she didn’t dare try to pronounce it.
I say, if Jenny bothers you, insist everyone call you Jennifer–maybe give out electric shock therapy to help them “remember”.
Annjeanette Martin´s lastest post..Lab Rats
I have that same issue with amanda or mandy…our parents just did not have a clue what they were setting us up for!
mandy´s lastest post..
Funny (or not) I have the same problem. When I went away to college I purposely shortened my name. Now that I live near my hometown again all the people who “used” to know me are clashing with all the new friends I have here. Ugh! And of course whenever I’m calling someone “old” I have to use my full name or they don’t know who I am.
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Lisa, Binks, Biatch – it doesn’t matter much to me.
I’m just happy they are calling me anything.
Binks´s lastest post..Christmas Meme
how about Jay Jay
UrbanVox´s lastest post..Drinks are on me!!
Up until the end of your post I was going to comment “Settle it all and go by Jen all around” .. but then it doesnt sound like thats gonna work for you. My name is Samantha to some, Sam to most, Sammy to a few more than a few .. and Sammie Rae to even more few than a few. A FEW even call me Sammy-kammy-whacky-brown, dont ask.
Love,
MADNESS
Madness´s lastest post..Confessions of a fizzled out blogger