Comments on: Coffee Names

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:55:11 +0000

haha thanks to all for sharing your similarly awkward foreign country name stories. TR– I particularly like your manly Chinese name of Tia.
Nashley/Chhaya- I remember well my 9th grade Spanish name of Margarita!! I also remember giggling whenever the teacher called on the twins in our class– two big tall dudes who were going by “Pancho” and “Guido”.

By: Coffee Names – Midwesterner in Mexico | Arabic names

Coffee Names – Midwesterner in Mexico | Arabic names — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:51:42 +0000

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By: Auntie C in DC

Auntie C in DC — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:48:21 +0000

Jules–I nearly choked on my non-Starbucks coffee just now reading your post; clearly your belly laugh is contagious. Your story reminds me of when I was a 3rd grader taking Spanish in NYC. My teacher “renamed” us with Spanish names, and my Sanskrit name was transformed into “Carlotta.” Much easier for ordering a tall eggnog latte. Miss you both and sending you mucho love.

By: T.R. Krier

T.R. Krier — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:38:25 +0000

Too Funny! Julie I adore the blog! I have had a similar experience here in China where R’s are not pronounced as they would be in English so Iam now known as Tia.I may go John’s route on this and take a new name. Mao or Red Lobster Yellow Lobster can’t decide……

By: Michael Wolf

Michael Wolf — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:23:47 +0000

My wife calls me Miguel most of the time, but these days I typically introduce myself as Michael. This is a newish policy, though, and sometimes I forget. So sometimes it turns into “Migue… esteee Michael”. Not very suave.

In restaurants where they take names before seating people, we usually go by Familia López or Familia Ochoa, which are legitimate translations, in Spanish and Basque respectively, of my real surname. Even though that’s only four letters long, most people here mispronounce two of them, sometimes three. I try to avoid that when I can.

By: nashely

nashely — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:21:12 +0000

Hahaahaha wow I love it ! This is the laugh I needed all day! Love your blog, I’ve been reading for a while but never commented. Or so I think. Anywho, this post reminded me of when I go to starbucks … My name is Nashely but pronounced Nayeli. There is always a barista that asks how to spell my name so I start with my sh and they look at me confused or later when they call me they say “uhh Nnn … Ashley?” So at times I’ll be in line and just say whatever name comes to mind. One day I was “Margarita”

By: Refried Dreamer

Refried Dreamer — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:09:25 +0000

I want a coffee name!!!! Hubby can just use his real name… nobody believes him anyways… Arnulfo. haha… (awful-waffle if I’m pissy.)

I love it.

By: Julie

Julie — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:09:20 +0000

Ha! Yeah, you totally win for “unpronounceable name in Spanish”. “Hoy” just doesn’t have the same elegant ring to it that Joy does in English.

By: Joy

Joy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:59:51 +0000

Brilliant! I think I’ll start using Itzaccihuatl…or Dolores Hidalgo.

(Seriously, though, dinner reservation tonight is for Sra. Victoria because I long ago gave up on Joy.)