A mum has shared the unconventional spelling she chose for her daughter’s name – but people can’t seem to get their heads around it, even almost 20 years on from when she was born
A mum chose an unusual spelling for her daughter’s name, but it’s still being mispronounced even as her daughter approaches her 20th birthday. Naming a new-born is a significant decision often filled with challenges.
Parents usually have to strike a balance between finding a name that suits their child as a cute, innocent baby and one that will also suit them as they grow into an adult with a job and other responsibilities. Some parents choose to honour a friend or family member with their choice of baby name, while others find inspiration in beloved books or films.
Some simply come across a name and instantly fall in love with it. However, for some parents, the key factor in choosing a name is its perceived uniqueness.
This can often lead to babies being given more unusual or quirky names, or traditional names being given unconventional spellings that completely ignore the rules of language and phonics.
One mum chose an unconventional spelling of ‘liberty’ when naming her daughter nearly two decades ago.
She’s frustrated that her chosen spelling still leads to mispronunciations at the doctors’, but people could see why the way she chose to spell such a common and recognisable word would cause confusion.
The mum shared her take on ‘liberty’ in the comments section of a TikTok video. She wrote: “My daughter’s name is Lybatee – she’s almost 20 now and the docs still pronounce it wrong.”
When asked about the pronunciation of the name, the mum clarified: “It’s pronounced ‘liberty’. We are from Bristol so our ‘Rs’ are quite strong so I didn’t want her name to have an R in.
“So it’s pronounced Lyb-a-tee. Docs still call her Ly-bat-ee. I like to be different.”
Her comment was shared on Reddit, sparking a flurry of responses.
One person said: “‘The docs still pronounce it wrong.’ Of course they do. That’s what happens when you don’t stick to the phonetic rules of the English language.
“Everyone out here thinking they can ‘Choose your own adventure’ in how people read a commonly held aspect of culture such as language or family roles… and then being mystified as to why no one got the memo.”
Another commented: “Or because you as a parent ‘like to be different’. I wonder if the 20 yr old daughter wants to be different, too, or is just fine being the reason her mom thinks she’s cool.”
A third suggested: “If the mum wanted to be different, she should have changed her own name!!”
A fourth quipped: “She exercised her Lybatee…”
Another person said: “Well, the thing with these is that it isn’t the mum that is different, she is still the same. It is the daughter that is different but not by choice”.
Another added: “So her pronunciation has an imaginary r because she knows everyone will immediately figure it out. I hope her daughter has come up with a pronounceable nickname for herself.”
And other person quipped: “‘I want to be different but I want everyone to immediately understand me and use my artisanally-crafted pronunciation rules’.”
