Dear Readers
Do your baby a favour. Do not call her
Isla (or him
Islay).
The reason for this is that every idiot on the planet pronounces the 's' - usually as 'z', just to make sure it's really ugly.
I used to be lumbered with this name. I deed-polled it because it was either a deed poll or decking the next person who added a zed to it.
The deed-poll was one of the best things I ever did: other people are more confident about dealing with a person with a name that they recognise, I am more confident about meeting new people. [I expected my increase in confidence, I was surprised by the difference it made to other people.]
I would seriously suggest to anyyone that if your name is hanging around your neck like the ancient mariner's albatross, change it. The change depends upon your situation - you might need to fix semi-literate parents' spelling (e.g. change
Micheal to
Michael), you might need to find a spelling that clarifies the pronounciation (Gaelic names are shockers for having a raft of silent letters and letters that are not pronounced as they are written) or you might need to ditch a train-wreck of a name and start again.
This message was edited 12/21/2011, 8:12 PM