My lovely wife's name is Amylin. It is pronounced like "Amy Lynn." To me, it is a lovely name and not that unusual. But it is IMPOSSIBLE for the world at large to spell, pronounce and understand. You usually have to spell it 3 or 4 times before someone gets it.
"Did you say a-m-y-l-y-n?"
" No, I said a-m-y-l-i-n."
"So it's a-m-i-l-i-n-n?"
Sigh.
Today, after shredding the 600 credit card applications we got in the mail, I decided to call 1-800-5-OPT-OUT which is the number that allegedly removes you from the mailing lists that generate those offers based on your credit score. I put in my information no problem and then went to put in Amy's. It is one of those phone lines where you are talking to a robot (at least that is how I picture it) and you just say your information and then it spells it back to you. It asked from Amy's first name and spelling.
ME: Amylin. a-m-y-l-i-n.
Robot: Did you say 'Amy. a-m-y?'
Me: No. Amylin. a-m-y-l-i-n.
Robot: I'm sorry. I didn't get that. Can you repeat that?
Me: Amylin. a-m-y-l-i-n.
Robot: Did you say 'Nasir, n-a-s-i-r?'
WTH? How is the name Nasir recognized (no offense to my readers named Nasir) and Amylin is not? And how does Amylin even sound like Nasir?
I hate robots.
