The thing about names

I had a conversation with a gentleman Saturday who kept referring to me by the wrong name. The entire time. On the awkward spectrum, this ranks fairly high because both parties involved can easily become embarrassed if the truth is revealed.

For his purposes, I was "Barbara." To be sure, NOT my name, not even a very pretty name (no offense Barbaras.) Not once, not twice, at least five times he referred to me as such. I could have corrected him, but by the time I realized his error was not actually an allusion to another woman, it was too late.

I was Barbara. I felt bad correcting him so late in the game, even though we had just become acquainted half an hour earlier. His mistake, so why should I be embarrassed? Good question.

I reasoned he associated my last name with a famous Barbara of a similar last name and thus when searching for my first name when memory failed, he remembered my memorable last name and went for the familiarity point.

What kills me is how someone can manage to say your name that many times in a conversation. Not only say it, but say it wrong.

Perhaps I'm unusual, but I rarely say someone's name while conversing with them. In fact, if I even slightly doubt my name recollection, I will entirely avoid naming names all together.

Think about it:

"Hey, how are you?...So how's work at such and such...Have you ever gone grocery shopping at Wegman's? Oh really, they sell pickled pigs feet?" That sort of thing.

No need for first names. That's not saying you have to be impersonal, but practical.

When in doubt, my name isn't Barbara and you don't ever have to reference me when we're already speaking face to face.

Ok, John? or was it Ralph?