Hello, my name is ...
September 26, 2012 With the recent launch of my pattern shop and impending book release, I've had a few raised eyebrows about my last name and how to pronounce it. Believe me, I tried really hard to convince my husband to take MY last name. But my grandfather was Albanian and my maiden name was only slightly less ... er ... problematic ... for (most) North Americans. So for those of you who are curious I'm re-publishing my first blog post from Feburary 14th, 2011 where I address the matter of how to say my name without hurting yourself.
* * * * *
Before your head explodes, here's how you pronounce it:
... kinda sorta. At least that's how I say it.
Lemme 'splain.
First Name – no, I didn’t go through a rebellious phase where I had my name legally changed just to be obnoxious. It’s always been this way. (Even Margaret Atwood questioned me about that at a book signing in 1993.)
For years I wished I had a name that people would automatically know how to spell - like Jane or Barb or Lisa.
I’d say “Kristyne with a K” but they’d have CH written before I got to “with a K”. So they’d change the C to a K, making my name start Kh.
And then it went down hill from there.
Over the years I learned to just start spelling. To all erasers out there, “You’re welcome.”
Last Name – (can I buy a vowel please, Pat Sajak?) I love my husband. Very much. He’s from Poland. I’m not. He can say our last name properly. I can’t. Even after 16 years of marriage. And I'm fully aware that when I do try to pronounce it correctly, I look like a baboon doing kegels while lip-syncing to the Beatles "Hey Jude".
So I don’t.
And you probably shouldn't either.
Unless you're Slavic. Or a linguist.
Just call me Christine ...
with a K.
I'm good with that.
Reader Comments (41)
K!! I'll just call you that, it keeps it simple...you are too funny! My name is soooo common, I have to give my address everytime I go to the doctor, pick up a package, go to the bank, register for something, rent a movie, get a prescription, you name it! I always wanted to change my name too...to something more exotic and unique.
Your site is so pretty! I love the colors and logo is beautiful. Keep up the good work!
Funny. Welcome to the blog world. -- michele
Kristyne, congratulations on your blog! Great job! You are hilarious, I'm sure everyone will have a blast reading your blog.
Tee hee ... I always avoid saying your last name when I need to introduce you .... hahaha ... cause I'm always afraid to mess it up. Glad to hear that I'm not the only one ;-)!
Keep up the good work girlfriend! You're amazing sense of humour will keep us all entertained for a long time to come!
Hi Kristyne (I have spelt that right, haven't I ?)!
Welcome to blogland and thank you for your visit to my blog, it's lovely to meet you.
If this post is anything to go by, it's going to be fun to visit here. :)
Vivienne x
Ha, ha! I'm married to a Czech native. I now have a last name that is the Czech spelling of a Polish last name. I'm still perfecting the art of pronouncing our last name after 7 years. And I still have to think about the spelling when I write it, at least sometimes. To make it worse, my first name (Kari) means curry in Czech. I've got a weird name in both English and Czech. At least we both have unique names!
What a great first post! I love it! Stopping in from BYW and thanking you for your kind comments. =)
Jennie
I love my Polish surname Prazner...pronounced Praz-na!
That said, I ALWAYS spell Krystena!!
A kegeling baboon. Wow, how's that for a visual? haha, love your sense of humor!!
ha, ha!!! love that . I'm originally from Slovakia and my name is Svetlana, people always ask me if there is an easier name I go by and I always say It's Svetlana, I absolutely hate shortening my name, they always get it after a few tries.And thankfully my husband's name is wonderfully short while my maiden name used to stump even people in Slovakia, try saying Svetlana Skumanicova 3 times in a row- my kids do that as a tongue twister.
Funny, I can totally relate My name is Terrie which always managed to stump people with the extra "r" and the elusive "e" on the end. But even more difficult was the last name of vojtech> I learned to know that it was my turn for roll call when the teacher would look confused and then look up with a sort of wierd blank stare .........
aww..... well I did get used to it........by high school :)
But it makes you unique right ?? :)
...and just a little side note, I have a daughter named christina that I spelled that way specifically so she wouldn't have the same name issues that I did :)
I'm with you, Kristyne! My real name is Hildegard (an old german name quite popular in my grandma's generation) ... try to pronounce this! And don't get me started on my last name! The only positive thing: I'm the only person in the whole wide world with this unique name;-) Are you the only one too? Hildy
I learned how to pronounce Slavic names from a fantasy author Elizabeth H. Boyer. Her books are based off of Slavic folk tales. She put a pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book. "Vowels are like those in Italian or Latin generally. A as in bAth or fAther; E as in wEt or wEigh; I as in sIt or machIne; O as in Obey or nOte; U like OO in bOOk or dOOm. ... Y is always a vowel and should be pronounced like I above."
Love your blog! You make beautiful things!
Oh, Kristyne, I love reading your blog, and watching all the gorgeous things you make... and let me say that here in Slavic part of the world your last name is nice and easy to pronounce. It's all about English spelling. I feel it every time they try to write my last name in English, as it is... well, at least by now it's spelled in my passport like Youshchenko. A complete brain twister to remember! Such names are much shorter when written in Cyrillic letters (as we've got 33 in our alphabet - wide choice for any occasion!)
HA! My aunt (by marriage) has been married to my uncle for nearly 40 years, and still slaughters their last name (which has a Spanish "J"). My cousin was detained on his HONEYMOON in Miami, because his last name is so incongruous with his Kentucky accent and the fact that he doesn't speak a word of Spanish - the hotel clerk assumed the credit card was stolen and called the cops! :)
I feel your pain and I raise you I LIVE YOUR PAIN...yep, my first AND last name are problematic for everyone! ;p My maiden name is almost as bad...and yes, I DO pronounce my married last name differenty then my hubby does. I try. I fail. ;p
Here's to eastern Europe and all those Slavic immigrants!!! ;p
You have no idea how many times when writing a comment I have had to go back and re-write your name Christine!!!!
I'm getting better at it now though. ;)
V x
OMG......finally someone who understands. I am a Kristy with a K and y..........and yes that is my given name, not a nickname. And yes they go with the KH before you can help them. And me too....the last name issue......they say it wrong and spell it wrong. Ok wanna be sisters.....we could be Sue and Jane Smith?
Great explanation of how to say your last name!!
Hi Kristyne. I know what you mean when you spell out your name but they still write it another way. My problem is with our last name. It's MacDonald. I'll say "Mac" but they'll still write it as "Mc". We can fill in 10 pages of forms with our name and it will still be addressed to us as McDonald! Hugs from Christine with a "Ch"!
Fun post... thank you for the little lesson! My son's former girlfriend was from Poland and she tried to teach me some of the language. Nearly impossible, so it made me feel better knowing that after 16 years of wedded bliss, you still have challenges with the last name. hehe
I am looking forward to your book being published! Very exciting news.
(I'm glad that I have a name that doesn't even need a last name to go with it. Everyone knows me by it... like Madonna)LOL.
Kegel? As in the pelvic exercises? Too funny. Love you. Love your name. Love your patterns. Love your blog. Love your writing. Love your.....oh well, you get the idea. ;-)
cool!
While my name is not Czech, Slavic, or whatever, I can still relate to what you go through. My first name is actually two names. I have no middle name. Funny thing is my birth certificate says I have a first name and middle name, but my parents said that it was NOT supposed to be that way. Oh well... needless to say, my name is Mary Lynn, and I've been called: Mary, Marilyn, Mary Ellen, Mary Ann, Mary Jane, and yes, even Marylynn (instead of spelling them separately) - you name it! Ugh... And let's say my maiden name resembles a tennis term. B^P Married name has been misspelled as well. It's funny how common English names can still be messed up! ;-) So, just call me ML, and I'm fine with that! B^D
I went to school with an "Erik with a K". That is how he always introduced himself. "Hi, I'm Erik. With a K". I always loved hearing him say that. He loved that K, but really didn't like his name being spelled wrong. My name is always spelled wrong and mispronounced. Even by my family.
Hi Kristyne,what to say,it is what it is! Whatever the name,we all love you! And we can deal with it!! Makes you special!
Thanks for a very informative and entertaining introduction to your name! I'm sure it isn't always easy to bear (or pronounce) -- but look at what amazing character it has built!
Holy jamoley.....hey you works for me.......my last name is small but pretty awful through the primary school years 5-11....bird poop etc...but I survived!!
Oh friend... you lost me at baboon doing kegels .... ROFLOL ... while lip syncing to Hey Jude... BAHAHAHAHAHAHA... I am sitting here, hubby says time for bed and I have my head in my hands laughing hard to myself on the couch all alone and tears streaming... and he asks what's up... I have to say oh nothing... just a blog I love... her post today cracked me up... and then I simply said - don't ask.... ROFLOL
Ha ha... You crack me up! I've always wondered about that last name of yours. Good to know. :-)
Also, 2 out of 3 times I've been in the hospital having a baby they have called me Ross. I do look like a Ross.
This cracked me up! Both my maiden and married names are German, so I can relate. (I'm not sure we even pronounce my married name "correctly", but it would probably involve spitting, so I think we'll just leave it be.) I also go by my middle name, so that's even more confusion! Just call me "Mom" and I'll answer LOL
From all of us boring girls born in the 60's named Lisa, we are jealous of your cool name and spelling! Very few people ever misspell Lisa!
Hi Christine!
I feel you! I went from a maiden name of Gomes <---nice and easy! to Skonieczny, my hubby is Polish too! People get tripped up when they see the odd letter combination but it's not so hard once you decode it :)
As a new blogger myself I am happy to have found your blog, it is chock full of wonderful, pretty, and inspirational ideas.....thank you! for all you do. x
Laurie
Eeek!! See I spelled your name wrong in my previous post! I appologize, Kristyne!
I have a surname that's much easier to say but is usually spelt incorrectly, maybe I should start automatically spelling it out instead of waiting for them to ask ;o) The nearest I can get to pronouncing your surname correctly is 'chipwreck', which conjures up all sorts of interesting 'chips overboard' images in my head!
I understand I truly do. My mother did not like traditional spellings and even made up my middle name. I then have an unusual surname. I have spend my life explaining it!
I got such a kick out of reading this post!!! I feel your pain. I moved to Germany a few years ago, and quickly learnt that as soon as they ask me my name and surname (good ol' english first and last name) I start spelling... lol Also, after getting married, I kept my maiden name because I can't pronounce my husband's surname. It's a tough one even for the Germans!!
Hi Kristyne, you're not alone.....people have trouble pronouncing and spelling my name too....Meredithe, luckily I married a man with a relatively simple surname, ( Clark) except is that with or without an "e"?
My sister married a lovely Chinese guy whose surname is pronounced Young but is spelled ieong, so she has to spell it all the time, she doesn't even bother saying 'young' until she's given them the spelling as they will have already written Yo instead of ie.....my daughter is called Charley and people insist on calling her Charlotte, she even had report cards from school saying Charlotte and I would have to check it was hers as there was another girl in her class already called Charlotte
My mother's maiden name is Wojciechowski so I could get most of your last name. My parents went the Irish route of my father's family and gave me an Irish name so I can relate to the problems with spelling it, and the pronunciation--oy vey. I married an Irishman with a not so common last name that is pronounced different ways depending on where in Ireland we are. Double oy vey. At least they can spell both names right off--I just have to say that my last name is "... with a C". Siobhan is a very common name here & I still whip my head around whenever somebody says it, though. That or Mom--I answer instantly. LOL
I just have to say this... If you like to read, you should get the audio book version of Brigid Pasulka's "A Long, Long Time Ago & Essentially True" book. It's a great book no matter how you read it but the narrator gets the Polish accent down so well. The author describes it as a love story to the people of Poland.
Ha! And I've thought You are Polish, and You are Krystyna :D
I'm Polish :) Greetings for you and you husband :)
Merry Christmas!