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How do you handle name variations?

Reminiscing on surname spellings and in my case pronunciations reminds me of doing National Service in the RAF. I was based at a Command HQ and worked under a Group Captain, a senior RAF Doctor and a Scotsman. As one was addressed by surname I recall the first time we met he pronounced my surname 'Speers' instead of the family preferred pronunciation of 'Spires'. I automatically reminded that my surname should be pronounced Spires, and spelled SPIERS.

He smiled and as best I recall he said "Nae laddie - Spiers (he pronounced it Speers) is a good auld Scottish name spelled SPIERS and I wont have it corrupted by Sassenachs". I shall call you 'Speers' as indeed he did for the next two years. Everyone else, including other officers and NCO's pronounced my name as Spires.

I remember telling my Dad who thought I should have stood my ground. Perhaps I should but for a quite life -and there was a degree of humour in the whole thing - I just accepted the status quo.

Years later when I researched the family I learned it did indeed have Scottish roots and there was even a small Hamlet called Spierston (Spiers town). Pronounced Speerston of course.:) (Quod in nomine?)
 
Alexander Bisset said:
I must admit as a Scot I'd not thought it could be pronounced any other way than Speers, sorry! :)
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No need to be sorry, over time I have met both sides of the equation.

The Spiers' who left Scotland back in the 18 Century settled primarily in Leicestershire and Worcestershire and some left these shores for America. My family hails from the Worcestershire settlers and became Spires and one or two changed the spelling to match the phonetics. However most retained the Spiers spelling but -again over time - were known as Spires. Not that long ago I checked on two Spiers' businesses in Worcester itself and found they fiercely insisted the name was pronounced Spires.

Communicating with some in the Leicestershire arm brings me to the conclusion most seem to regard themselves as Speers, though not all. In America I have found both pronunciations, although primarily it seems Spires holds sway.

I know not when or how pronunciations changed, except the English Midlands (and Worcestershire is most decidedly of the Midlands) tend to go their own way and regard Spiers to be 'pie' with an S in front and rs behind. The others seem to opt for 'pier' with an 's' either end.
 
I too would say Speers. I was going to say that TIM would pronounce this way, as the Welsh sound each vowel.
 
emjay said:
I too would say Speers. I was going to say that TIM would pronounce this way, as the Welsh sound each vowel.
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I think that it would be pronounced as Speers in Oz. (But then, it's amazing what the locals can do with PHAIR!).
 
Margery said:
I think that it would be pronounced as Speers in Oz. (But then, it's amazing what the locals can do with PHAIR!).
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That sounds intriguing - tell us more.
When I visited New Zealand I wondered if the place had been settled by people from NE Scotland. Nowhere else would 'Wh' be pronounced 'F', as in 'fit' for 'what' in NE Scotland and the NZ placename 'Whangarei';)
 
There are all sorts of unusual NE Scotland pronunciations eg: The parish of Monquhitter is an example of a common letter grouping that catches most out, it's the "quh" part that causes issues. I wonder how people here think that one might be pronounced.
 
Liberty said:
That sounds intriguing - tell us more.
When I visited New Zealand I wondered if the place had been settled by people from NE Scotland. Nowhere else would 'Wh' be pronounced 'F', as in 'fit' for 'what' in NE Scotland and the NZ placename 'Whangarei';)
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Ah, you mean Funger-ray?
 
Margery said:
I think that it would be pronounced as Speers in Oz. (But then, it's amazing what the locals can do with PHAIR!).
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I don't know why but people can't seem to understand that it rhymes with Chair. The amount of time I have been called "Margaret Farr" is unbelievable.
 
I had a friend with surname Bultitude. She said it OK, it was unusual, but surely not difficult to see how to pronounce it. She got variants up to and including Beatitude
 
There two well known main thoroughfares/subway stations in Toronto which cause much debate on the pronunciation of their names. Spadina is commonly pronounced, with "i" as in "mine" but the museum of the same name is traditionally pronounced with the "i" as in "ski". Newcomers nearly always opt for the second pronunciation and get blank stares when they ask for directions.
Bathurst Street gets three pronunciations , the long and short "a" versions of "Bath" which has been commented on in other parts of the forum and very occasionally Bat- Hurst. Those of us who are immigrants from the UK should perhaps get a definitive ruling, the street was named for the 3rd Earl Bathurst who organised migration from the British Isles to Canada following the war of 1812.
 
Have a go at Gogenhoe in Northamptonshire, you have to be a local to pronounce that one . Hold the left mouse button and pass the mouse -right to left - across the space at the end of the dotted lines to see if you are right. ...............Cuck-know
 
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