Unique Problem: Two First Names

Alsark · 12 Jun 2015, 12:03 AM

I was wondering if anybody would have any suggestions for me on an issue that I initially didn't care about, but has grown to be a huge pet peeve of mine.

I have two first names - for the purposes of anonymity let's use "David Mitchell" as an example. When people receive work e-mails from me, it then says "Mitchell, David". There is no way to change how my name is displayed through the work e-mail system, so that's not an option.

As a result of how my name is displayed, I would say about 80% of the time, I get called Mitchell instead of David. Even people I have worked with for the entire two and a half years I've been here call me Mitchell. The funny thing is, my co-worker also has two first names, and this has never happened to him once.

Any suggestions? Even when people call me by last name and I go, "Hey, just FYI, my name is David," I've had people still call me Mitchell after that.

Should I just let people call me Mitchell? Should I just keep telling them, "Just so you know, my name is David" and hope something clicks?

I was thinking about making my name in my signature a much larger font or something, but I'm worried that may come across as a little immature or passive aggressive.

David · 12 Jun 2015, 12:59 AM

Welcome to the forums Alsark. For the folk who do this (at work) it is obvious that they are just not paying attention. You might want to address them by their Surnames, which may possibly cause them to think...

kaptitsky · 12 Jun 2015, 02:37 AM

If you are willing to look like you have a bit of an affectation, you might try doing a standard greeting at the beginning of mails, viz

Quote:

Hi, it's David.

I was looking at the profit reports and...

People will just get used to your greeting as a standard thing, a kind of politeness of identifying yourself to correspondents, quickly learning to accept it and skip over it.

But your first name will be there.

You have to do this on virtually all e-mails so it doesn't look like just people who get your name wrong are getting corrected. You may skip it for very formal e-mails (Dear Ms. Spenklehorn...) or short injective emails (Got it! David) but it should look like a habit, an affectation, not a correction.

That's my suggestion, anyway..

kijinbear · 12 Jun 2015, 06:30 PM

If email programs are messing up your name into "Mitchell, David", perhaps it will help to add your last name, too.

For example, if you use your full name "David Mitchell Smith", most email programs will render it as "Smith, David Mitchell". Most humans who see that will think "Mitchell" is your middle name, so they'll call you "David". There's still a bit of misunderstanding going on, of course, but at least it's better than what you've got now.

You could also try "David-Mitchell Smith", "David Smith", or even just "David" if you want everyone else to call you "David" anyway. The trick is to not let "Mitchell" be the last word.

**Gankaku** · 13 Jun 2015, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Welcome to the forums Alsark. For the folk who do this (at work) it is obvious that they are just not paying attention. You might want to address them by their Surnames, which may possibly cause them to think...

lol I like this.

Yeah don't ignore it, and don't let people call you whatever you want. You have to correct them but also try not to let it get to you. People have good intentions and don't mean to do that. Either explain it how it happened, and start using the name you want all the time (if you want them to use the first part of your name, i.e. David) or just tell them "Oh sorry but my name is David Mitchell. Both names please." Something like that.

I think, especially in the office, professionally, that as we are exposed to all sorts of names, hyphenated, foreign, names spelled differently, that we must pay attention to everyone's names - how they are spelled and how they are pronounced. I think a lot of people want to do this (and some people just don't care - even my parents say our daughter's name wrong almost all the time, but they do get it right sometimes. What's up with that!?)

SO in order to train people, you have to be specific, explanatory, and consistent. Explain when talking to people (with detail if needed) why your name is what it is (a story will make it stick). In emails be consistent. Don't do David sometimes, David Mitchell others. That's just confusing. When you do sign your last name, if you use David Mitchell as your first name, always use David Mitchell Smith, rather than DM Smith or something....

webecedarian · 15 Jun 2015, 05:00 AM

I'm not sure if you mean that you have a last name which is also seen a a first name (that's what I think you mean), or if you literally have two first names as you said (e.g. David Mitchell Smith).

Of course you should keep correctly them. Obviously, you could use your full name as a signature, but I wonder what would happen if you started to put a heading on your emails the way we'd do in business letters.

For instance, at the top of your work emails, you could put:

David Mitchell
Billing Department

Or, if you mean that you you have a last name that people think is a surname, do you have a middle name? If so, you could try David J. Mitchell.

Adrian Bell · 15 Jun 2015, 06:25 AM

Hmmm... If the main way they know of you is through email, how do they know what you look like?

chrisretusn · 15 Jun 2015, 07:18 PM

Depending on were you live two first names is not uncommon. My wife and my kids all have two first names.

My wife is normally called by her second first name. In fact when we first met I though that was her first name.

You didn't say what you system at work is. What works well for us at least is to put the two first names in the first name field/block with of course the last name in the last name field. The result is normally either Last, First Second or First Second Last. If there is a middle name or initial then it would be Last, First Second MI or First Second MI Last.

Not knowing you email system, have you tried putting both first names in the First Name field?

beeboy · 16 Jun 2015, 01:42 AM

The workplace is a funny place.

You make a point of correcting people about your name. Ah, you are touchy about your name and open the door to "button pushing".

Sometimes just going with it is the best remedy but I do agree with your email problem. That should be fixed.

You are lucky they don't tag you with a nickname like sh*thead. Seen it happen but the victim accepted it gracefully and wore it with pride. He did gain a lot of respect and affection for it.

Good luck.

12 Jun 2015, 12:03 AM	#1
Alsark Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 1	Unique Problem: Two First Names I was wondering if anybody would have any suggestions for me on an issue that I initially didn't care about, but has grown to be a huge pet peeve of mine. I have two first names - for the purposes of anonymity let's use "David Mitchell" as an example. When people receive work e-mails from me, it then says "Mitchell, David". There is no way to change how my name is displayed through the work e-mail system, so that's not an option. As a result of how my name is displayed, I would say about 80% of the time, I get called Mitchell instead of David. Even people I have worked with for the entire two and a half years I've been here call me Mitchell. The funny thing is, my co-worker also has two first names, and this has never happened to him once. Any suggestions? Even when people call me by last name and I go, "Hey, just FYI, my name is David," I've had people still call me Mitchell after that. Should I just let people call me Mitchell? Should I just keep telling them, "Just so you know, my name is David" and hope something clicks? I was thinking about making my name in my signature a much larger font or something, but I'm worried that may come across as a little immature or passive aggressive.

12 Jun 2015, 12:59 AM	#2
David Ultimate Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Canada. Posts: 10,355	Welcome to the forums Alsark. For the folk who do this (at work) it is obvious that they are just not paying attention. You might want to address them by their Surnames, which may possibly cause them to think...

12 Jun 2015, 06:30 PM	#4
kijinbear Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: ~$ Posts: 652	If email programs are messing up your name into "Mitchell, David", perhaps it will help to add your last name, too. For example, if you use your full name "David Mitchell Smith", most email programs will render it as "Smith, David Mitchell". Most humans who see that will think "Mitchell" is your middle name, so they'll call you "David". There's still a bit of misunderstanding going on, of course, but at least it's better than what you've got now. You could also try "David-Mitchell Smith", "David Smith", or even just "David" if you want everyone else to call you "David" anyway. The trick is to not let "Mitchell" be the last word.

15 Jun 2015, 05:00 AM	#6
webecedarian Essential Contributor Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 479	I'm not sure if you mean that you have a last name which is also seen a a first name (that's what I think you mean), or if you literally have two first names as you said (e.g. David Mitchell Smith). Of course you should keep correctly them. Obviously, you could use your full name as a signature, but I wonder what would happen if you started to put a heading on your emails the way we'd do in business letters. For instance, at the top of your work emails, you could put: David Mitchell Billing Department Or, if you mean that you you have a last name that people think is a surname, do you have a middle name? If so, you could try David J. Mitchell.

15 Jun 2015, 06:25 AM	#7
Adrian Bell Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Darlington, UK Posts: 938	Hmmm... If the main way they know of you is through email, how do they know what you look like?

15 Jun 2015, 07:18 PM	#8
chrisretusn Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Philippines Posts: 843	Depending on were you live two first names is not uncommon. My wife and my kids all have two first names. My wife is normally called by her second first name. In fact when we first met I though that was her first name. You didn't say what you system at work is. What works well for us at least is to put the two first names in the first name field/block with of course the last name in the last name field. The result is normally either Last, First Second or First Second Last. If there is a middle name or initial then it would be Last, First Second MI or First Second MI Last. Not knowing you email system, have you tried putting both first names in the First Name field?

16 Jun 2015, 01:42 AM	#9
beeboy Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 551	The workplace is a funny place. You make a point of correcting people about your name. Ah, you are touchy about your name and open the door to "button pushing". Sometimes just going with it is the best remedy but I do agree with your email problem. That should be fixed. You are lucky they don't tag you with a nickname like sh*thead. Seen it happen but the victim accepted it gracefully and wore it with pride. He did gain a lot of respect and affection for it. Good luck.