Miss Manners: So your parents stuck you with an unusual name; here’s how to handle it

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have an unusual, “made-up” first name. Nowadays it’s common for kids to have a uniquely spelled name, but I’m in my 60s, so it wasn’t common growing up.

The way I’ve managed it is: I only correct the pronunciation if I expect to see that person again. This way, I’m not constantly feeling rude by correcting everyone. And the next time I see that particular person, they may not remember exactly how to say my name, but they do know there’s something odd there -- so they ask.

GENTLE READER: This is a good guideline for handling a problem that is increasingly common because, as you point out, it has become common now to give babies uncommon names.

There are some good reasons to do this: family names, cultural references, and the unfortunately futile attempt to avoid what