Tuesday, February 17, 2015

What's In a Name?

This is Phillip, my wonderful husband of 11 years.

What's in a Name? -- a must read for anyone who's ever been called by a nickname they don't like  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Yes, he is riding a kiddie roller coaster in this picture.
What a good dad.

He was named after his mom's dad Phillip Gordon, who was a captain in the Army Signal Corps and a really great guy.

What's in a Name? -- a must read for anyone who's ever been called by a nickname they don't like  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Grandpa Gordon in his uniform.

“Phillip” is what you'll see written on my husband's birth certificate, and his family has never called him anything other than Phillip. He's never gone by anything else in his life.

His name has 2 syllables in it: Phil-lip. You can clap it out if you want to. 

However, the world in general is absolutely convinced that his name is 'Phil.' Whenever we meet someone new, here's how the conversation goes:

“Nice to meet you, I'm Phillip."

“You too, Phil.”

Every. Time.

It's like some vast Truman Show-style conspiracy, where everyone seems to be in on it except for us. 

What's in a Name? -- a must read for anyone who's ever been called by a nickname they don't like  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Thinking about getting 500 of these printed.
Too much?
But we've lived in far too many places for them all to be conspiring against us together: Minnesota, Utah, Ohio, and now here in New England.

Everywhere, he gets called 'Phil.' Even the emcee at our wedding reception called him Phil (and now that I'm thinking about it, I'm wondering why we paid that guy full price. I mean, shouldn't there be at least a discount for calling the groom by the wrong name?)

Now, I have nothing against the name Phil. In fact, I've known several Phils in my life and they've all been nice guys. 

It's just not Phillip's name.

We've moved around a fair amount in our married life, but we plan to stay put here in New England. We're putting down roots.

Which is why I was so concerned when Phillip came home from his first day at his new job here and casually mentioned that the plaque on his office door read "Phil Evans."

"You have to get that changed!" I cried. "Right now, before all your co-workers think you go by Phil and that becomes your name for the next 40 years! It might already be too late!"

(You can see that I take this somewhat more seriously than he does.)

So off he went to Human Resources and asked for a new plaque that said "Phillip Evans." 

The next morning, he showed up at work to find that they'd gone overboard and put this up on his door instead:



What's in a Name? -- a must read for anyone who's ever been called by a nickname they don't like  {posted @ Unremarkable Files}
Not the real thing, just an artistic representation. Phillip's company has a strict no-pictures-at-work policy because of the government contracts they work on.

So thanks to me, he's not 'Phil' at work anymore. He's now the snobby guy who has to have his educational title and middle initial listed with his full name at all times.

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Unremarkable Files

28 comments:

Megan said...

Ha ha ha too funny. So how about you? People ever call you Jenn?

Jenny Evans said...

Only telemarketers trying to create a sense of familiarity with me so I'll buy whatever they're selling.

Anonymous said...

This is precisely why I named all my children names that could not be shortened even though people desperately try. I mean, how can you possibly shorten the name Brooke? Brrrrr?????? or Claire?????

Kendall said...

Wow! I don't have a name that can be shortened nor do I have a middle name, which is why I've always marveled at these things. But my name isn't an easy name either, so I've always tried to be particular about other peoples' names, even though I often forget. Maybe it's my not wanting to get the name wrong thing, because I can certainly remember a face and details about the person, but not a name. :) p

Louisa said...

My brother has exactly the same issue. His name always gets shortened to Andy by people who don't know him very well. He just isn't 'Andy' and doesn't answer to it anymore #sharewithme

Anonymous said...

In my country this is so common. People calling you nicknames. Not even a shortened name but a totally different one! Like my nickname is Leng and people would call me Darling!

I think its nice that he they corrected his name. A name is given to you for a reason and its you and being called something else wont just cut it =)

#sharewithme

crystal said...

All My kids have shortened nicknames. The baby gets called evey instead of eva as I intended but I don't think I will be able to get anyone to change now.

Unknown said...

Ha that's too funny. I completely identify though. I am Jennifer... not Jen. If my name is listed anywhere, I need it in full - all eight letters. Occasionally someone will call me Jen but my preference is Jennifer.

Thanks for sharing and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop.

Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo

Jenny Evans said...

Yes, once it starts, it builds up momentum of its own and doesn't stop. Hence my moment of freak-out when Phillip came home his first day of work and told me about the name on his door.

Jennie said...

Very funny! I'm a Jennifer and go by Jennie only my sister calls me Jen. Ha!
Thanks for sharing on my Friday Favorites linkup!

Let's Talk Mommy said...

This is brilliant. I have been having this issue in England. I am Jenny and I go by Jenny and I introduce myself as Jenny and everytime someone turns around bye Jen. NO NOT JEN! hahaah I hate being called Jen. It's now a joke as I correct everyone all the time. hahaha I thought I was the only one. Wait till I tell my husband about Phillip. hahaha Thanks for linking up to Share With Me. #sharewithme

Jessica said...

That's strange that people automatically shorten his name when you first meet! That would be annoying! -Jess
Sweet Little Ones

Jenny Evans said...

Looks like I should order you some name tags at the same time as Phillip!

Jenny Evans said...

It's a really odd phenomenon. I never would have guessed it would follow us everywhere we went.

Anonymous said...

I only go by Katie...never Kate and certainly not Katherine, but am a giant hypocrit because I specifically named my children so that they could go by a long or short name, and call them both!

Katie / The Surly Housewife said...

Shortening names is such a hot topic. My parents loved the name Katie, but figured I would want a more "mature" name when I was older so my full name is Kathryn. They have never once called me that. I guess when I turn a certain age, I am just supposed to start telling people to call me that?

Stopping by from the ShineHop!

Jenny Evans (sister, not author) said...

Poor Phillip, if he's anything like Dad and me (which we can pretty much count on), the whole title and middle initial thing has to be mortifying. And being seen as the office snob (if he is) must be so hard.

Unknown said...

"Ruin Jenny's Blog Conspiracy" LOL - I think you have another post in there somewhere! Thank you for the amusement this morning! My husband's family all calls him "Pete" but I've never known him as that, so it's weird to me - even after almost eight years. I typically go by "Angie" short for Angela, but rarely "Ang" - very few that I even tolerate with that. My brother is an Andrew, but growing up in school went by "Andy" though I've never been able to call him that. My sister is a Kristina, but we always called her Kristy at home - she switched to her full name at school, but it's weird for the family to use the full name. Names, and nicknames, mean something based on who is using them - or that's my point.

Jenny Evans said...

I've wondered before what it would be like to be called by a nickname in one place and your full name in another. I'm 'Jenny' across the board.

A friend's sister in high school was Mary (first name) at school and Beth (middle name) at home. I always thought that would've been trippy!

Jenny Evans said...

Eh, not so much. He's alright.

Unknown said...

I gave all my kids names that had nice nicknames, but my sister and a sister in law never permitted nicknames - Christopher Melissa, Jennifer, Marjorie, Michael. Another sister in law's kids go by very individual nicknames, and I have no idea who is who.

PurpleSlob said...

Poor guy! That is weird that it happens everywhere you go! I've been called so many names, it hardly bothers me anymore. I was 8 when my sister was born. From that day to this, we're both " Mish-inda" why did we have to be named Michelle and Melinda?? Then what did I do? Go and use the same first sound, hard c, for both my girls! Sorry kids!
Melinda

Jenny Evans said...

It doesn't really matter if you and your sister have similar names - it'll happen anyway. My brother Dan and still tease my dad to this day that our names our "Je-Dan" and "Da-Jen" because that's what we were called growing up!

Unknown said...

Igh. When they try to call me by my first name and make me think they are my friend, I'm not nice. Now I've been called write a few things. So I'll answe to just about anything now, like say, if you were too call. But telemarketers, no.

Emily Gibbons said...

My husband's name is Matthew. He always uses the full name. People automatically call him Matt. We get you.

Jenna Bregante said...

My first name is hard to pronounce, plus I'm not fond of it, so I'm grateful FOR nicknames. I cringe inwardly anytime someone uses my real name.
For this reason I gave (almost) all my kids names that can be shortened, so that they can have some say in what they would like to be called.
BUT to have people not respect or ignore what you'd like to be called (full name or nickname) is just rude. Anytime someone uses my full name, I KINDLY correct them and let them know that I really don't like my real name. Only once has someone ignored my request, because he thought it was funny. I'm anti conflict so I just acted like I didn't hear him anytime he used it. :)

Jenny Evans said...

Why would you DO that? I would never do that!

Jenny Evans said...

We did have those lovely friends who called my husband Phillip UNTIL reading this post and then it was 'Phil' from then on just to bug me. You know who you are...