What’s in a name?

We’ve got a lot of letters in our name. We know this and try to make it as easy as possible.

I got incredibly used to saying, “With an E” right after giving my last name. So the transition to a just as distinctive name as Kerstetter wasn’t too difficult. For me.

The other day at the pharmacy I told the tech that I needed to pick up a prescription for “Kerstetter with a K.”

Technician: “Can you spell that?”

I slowly spelled it out. She goes digging through the bins.

Technician: “I’m sorry, you said K-U-…?”

Me: “No, K-E-R-S…”

Technician: “Oh! K-E-T…”

Me: “K-E-R!-S-T-e-t-t-e-r.”

After two more spelling battles the pharmacist in the back pipes up.

Pharmacist: “They just called that one in a few minutes ago. We can have it ready in 30 minutes.”

I returned to the pharmacy accompanied by my husband and elected to let him talk.

Brad: “We need to pick up a prescription for Kerstetter, with a K.”

Different Technician: “Can you spell that?”

Brad: “Yes, it’s K-E-R-S…”

Technician: “Hmm…. Let’s see, K-I-R.”

Really? Can this really happen multiple times?

We write and speak very clearly. But there’s something insane about the way people interpret names, for instance did you know that you can spell “Kerstetter” with a C or a Q?

Does this happen to anyone else?

 

6 thoughts on “What’s in a name?

  1. When I took my husband’s last name of Burton I thought I had it made. (I grew up with Clinesmith) but I get Barton even when I spell it immediately after saying it.

  2. Everyone had a hard time with Myers and now they have trouble with Gibbs. When asked to spell Myers one day I started with M-Y and then the lady said E-R-S? And I was like no.. ZQ-R-S. She believed me. I just think people refuse to stop and think once in a while.

  3. Pingback: My Curse | ProbablyRachel

  4. Pingback: Friday Five: Words that Drive Me Crazy | ProbablyRachel

Leave a Reply to Johanna B Cancel reply