My father, who had an evil streak, named my sister Ingegerd. It’s a medieval Swedish name not even used in Sweden. It’s pronounced Ing-E-Yaird. She spent a lifetime explaining it, spelling it and saying it over and over. (It contains a sound not used in English, so most people can’t “hear” it.) Finally, at age 55 she changed it to Ingrid.
My name is Bern, the capital of Switzerland. I’ve had problems and I feel it isolated me from early grade school companionship because nobody could say it. I’d have been much happier with Dan, or Bill.
I wonder how Kenesaw Mountain Landis felt about unusual names ...
Reminds me of an old joke.
A man named Joe butterwhomper applied to the courts to have his name changed.
When asked why, he said...”I got tired of people saying ‘Hi ya Joe! Wat do you know’?
Darn, Bern.
Like the Middle English letter "yogh"? Also known as "long y"? Sounds like a "y" that you make in the back of your throat?