Tuesday, August 4, 2009

My name is not 2 syllables long...




This is a pet hate, okay, maybe not so much the 'pet' but I HATE IT. Got it? My name is Vanessa. Thats Va-ness-a, not Van-ness-a, not Ve-ness-a or Ven-ness-a or god forbid Vi-nee-sa (yes I have been called that, and even had it spelt that way too).

Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind my name being shortened but please if you are going to abbreviate my name can you at least use the abbreviation I do?
I had someone tell me that their abridged version of my name was a nickname, how can something be a 'nickname' if only one person calls you that? It's their 'pet name' for you not a nickname. My nicknames have background to them. A story to tell, usually funny, more often than not involving some degree of gutter humour. I have a friend called Stork, that's right Stork, just like that lovely bird that delivers babies. He's not a Doctor or a Nurse, in fact he's not even in the medical profession, and last time I knew he didn't have any children either. His nickname stems from a funny incident in his school years and the name stuck. You can call his work and ask for Stork and they will put you through. In the sport I met him through not a lot of people know his real name. I love that!

Another peeve is when people call me Vaness. Just the first 6 letters of my name. People if you are going to go to the trouble of saying almost all of my name, can you do a kiwi impression and add an 'ay' on the end but leave out the 'y'.

But the ultimate loathing of all the things I get called is saved for one. One word, two syllables that makes me cringe. There are only a few people that can get away with calling me this and one was my Pop, sadly he passed away back in 97. Other people who have (or still do) called me this do it to goad me. They know I don't like it, they know that it irritates the hell out of me. But they call me it anyway. Some have called me it for so long now that it no longer bothers me. I don't really hear it, selective hearing you see.

That is why I call Abbey, Abbey. No shortening of her name. My poor little sister had her name shortened by us as a child and she hated it. I will let Abbey decide when she is older if she'd like her name shortened, and if so what she'd like me to call her. Til then she's Abbey, angel, bubba girl, beautiful girl.

Oh yeah that name I hate, its Nessie. What did you picture with Nessie? I picture a lake with two bumps sticking out or an 85 year old Nana.

7 comments:

Brenda said...

Hi Nessie...I'm Brendie how are you?

Bwahahaha!

Lurve you Vanessa.xoxo

ACTing Like A Mama said...

Ohh i love the name Nessie, and I can just imagine your pop calling you it!

I am the opposite- I cinge when people call me my full name - Allyson, I prefer Ally or Al or Alster or anything else but Allyson. I feel like I am in trouble if I hear the full name spoken!

With Dante we have nicknamed him "The Dant" (sounds like dont) doesn't actually shorten his name but it makes us giggle when we use his name like that. It sort of stuck.

My neighbour has a little girl called Lucy - lucy has a twin bro called Alex, Alex calls lucy, Luc - and my neighbour gets cranky at him for doing it - It doesn't bother Lucy and I think its cute - and sad that she is stopping them from using terms of endearments with each other in the form of a shortened name.

Ness said...

Lol, hey Brendie and Ally! I love being called Ness, in fact that is how I introduce myself most of the time. I even had my old boss calling me Ness! I call Abbey 'moo', most of the time and can't wait to hear what her cousins call her at Xmas. Last year, my nephew had trouble with Abbey and pronounced it more 'R-B', very cute! I probably worded it incorrectly as I'd love 'terms of endearment' as you put it Ally. I just dont want her to hate it! My sister is Juliet and got called 'Ulie' as my mum always said if she wanted her to be known as 'Julie" she would have called her that. Ulie - sounds like 'ewww leigh', no wonder she has her friends call her Ju!
I know what you mean about hearing your full name though, I always think I'm in some kind of trouble too!

Unknown said...

My husbands name is Hayden and people at work constantly refer to him as the H-Man or Big H. I want to punch them.

My full name is Aleksandra (spelling is Polish) and I've always been called Alex. Random people have called me Lexi, Alli, Al. My husband desperately wants to call me Sandy (I think he has some Grease thing going on). I told him if he ever does we are getting divorced. :)

Ness said...

Hi Alex, you made me giggle, sorry! I had a mental image of 'Sandy' in her pvc outfit punching someone in the head in a office cubicle! I love the spelling of your name, my niece is Alexandra but has been Lexie since birth.
I hope your husband refrains unless of course you dress up as her and have a little bit of role play? Or is that out with 4 kids?! I discovered your blog yesterday and love it!

Kerri Sackville said...

I'm happy with any nickname anyone calls me (one of my besties actually calls me Kezbollah - and I'm Jewish, so go figure) but I cannot STAND it when people spell my name wrong. Kerry, Kerrie, Keri... it KILLS me. Is it so hard to copy a name correctly Vinesah?

Ness said...

Pmsl that's the first time I've seen that spelling! Love kezbollah, ironic humour at it's best Kerri!