'Sounds like an antifungal cream': My teenage dad chose my name

“It is spelt the worst way possible,” the woman complains.

Laura Jackel

3 min read

July 11, 2024 - 9:15PM

High School

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Choosing a name for your beloved baby is a pretty important task. Which is probably why you shouldn’t do it when you are a teenager with a fixation on Game of Thrones.

For one woman who this week posted to a Reddit forum, this is exactly what happened to her when her 14-year-old dad chose her unusual name.

“My name is Dystini, pronounced like Destiny, just spelled the worst way possible,” the woman explains.

“Apparently it was supposed to be Destinee, but clearly this spelling made much more sense.”

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Image: iStock.

"Pronounced wrong in every way"

“I’ve heard my name pronounced wrong in every way you can possibly think of, when assistants at the doctor’s office stare too long at the next patient’s name, I know it’s my name they’re trying to figure out, and I’ve pretty much stopped correcting people unless they ask me if they’re correct!”

Dystini explains that her father picked her name out at the age of 14 for his then future daughter.

“After babysitting a two-year-old named Destiny who was raised by some hippie friends he [chose it] so that when people go out with me they can say, ‘I have a date with Destiny’.”

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"My mum chose the spelling"

She goes on to explain that while he had the name planned out, it was her mum who has since died, who decided on the unusual spelling.

“[My mum] was only 18 when she had me, and she passed away when she was 26. It’s nice now that I’m not as self conscious about it, it’s like the one thing she gave me that I can always see.”

In spite of it being a memory of her mum, Dystiny writes that she would actually quite like to change the whole thing.

“If I’m honest, I don’t even really like my name to begin with. It’s a name I feel like doesn’t grow with you, like it’ll be weird to be an old lady named Dystini.”

"Move to NZ and problem solved"

Her post appeared in the reddit ‘tragedeigh’ thread which is a space for dilemma’s around given names that have been misspelled or completely made up - as in poor Dystini’s case.

The comments offered some thoughts on the woman’s unusual name and advice on how she could continue to live with it or change.

A few observant folk from this side of the globe said she might need to relocate to the land of the long white cloud.

“It’s written like how a New Zealander would pronounce ‘Destiny’,” one user wrote with a few more agreeing or adding a South African accent to the mix.

With a second adding: “Sounds like destiny with a kiwi accent? Maybe just move and the problem is solved.”

A few others in the thread felt like the name sounded like a product brand name or medical condition: “Sounds like an antifungal cream,” said one user not too kindly.

Many people felt that the name was obviously a variation of ‘Destiny’ and that those who couldn’t see that were the idiots.

"Keep on owning it!"

“I really don't understand how people mispronounce names like this. It's obviously a variant spelling of Destiny. Why not just give it a shot first before trying out some other weird pronunciation? Or have I just become too used to weirdly spelled names?”

Most agreed the best approach was just to embrace it: “ I'm glad you are good natured about it and love it for the best reasons.”

“I'm sorry about your mum. I think you should just keep on owning it,” concluded another.