Employee gets even with petty coworkers after they keep misspelling their name: 'It’s been effective at making sure they don’t do it again'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Nov 16, 2025 8:00 AM EST

Sure, everyone makes mistakes, but it really isn't that difficult to get someone's name right.

When it comes to your coworkers, these are the people with whom you are spending the majority of your days, regardless of whether or not you are close. The least these people can do is respect you, and yes, getting your name right is an extension of that respect.

This author recounted how their name is easily mistaken because there are several common ways to spell it. Think Shaun vs. Sean or Caitlyn or Katilyn. What was remarkable was that their coworkers managed to misspell their name in emails all the time, despite the fact that the correct spelling was right there in their email address.

At a certain point, mistakes like these start to feel intentional, which is what compelled this author to take matters into their own hands. If they couldn't spell the author's name right, even though the correct spelling was right there in front of them, why should the author spell their name right?

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  • A businesswoman texts on her smartphone while sitting in her office.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • The truth of the matter is that these coworkers do not sound like very good employees at all. If they can't spell their coworker's name right after being corrected on numerous occasions, it's not hard to imagine them making egregious typos in important emails and memos or accidentally offending a key client by confusing their names.

    There are two possible explanations for their constant stream of errors. First, they're doing it on purpose, which means they're horrible people. Second, they're not doing it on purpose, which means they are absolute fools.

  • I have a corporate job that requires me to write several emails a day to sales reps. Sometimes these reps have to get back to me and when they do they ALWAYS
    via Col_Atreides
  • misspell my name. For reference I don't have a hard name. But it is different than how a lot of people spell it. It'd be like. if you spelled Shaun, S E A N. It's correct but less common. Anyways, what
    via Col_Atreides
  • bugs me is that on Outlook they literally have to SEARCH my name. Meaning they have to find me by my correctly spelled name, but when they address me in the email, they misspell it.
    via Col_Atreides
  • To alleviate this problem I've been purposely spelling peoples names wrong when I address them in emails. An Austin might be an Austen. A
    via Col_Atreides
  • Don might turn into a Dan. Stuff like that. It's small but so far it's been effective at making sure they don't do it again.
    via Col_Atreides
  • A businesswoman puts her head in her hand, frustrated, while working at her desk.
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    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • XenoRyet Do I think this is the best solution for this problem? No. Do I think it's on brand for this sub, and thus very enjoyable? Yes.
    via Col_Atreides
  • Mizard611 I have a client who is always rude to me for no reason. I can write the kindest mail I can think of and she would always write back a rude one. So I too have picked up the habit of purposely misspelling her name whenever I mail her. It brings some silent relief.
    via Col_Atreides
  • Coder Joe1 The same thing happened to me in the military, but with my rank. I was an e-4 Specialist, but some junior officers would call me sergeant, private or corporal so I'd call them by the wrong rank to get them upset. When they'd inevitably point it out, I'd point out my own rank and that shut them down.
    via Col_Atreides
  • bski22 A civilian worker at my first duty station insisted on calling me Babs instead of Airman (last name) or Barbara. He only stopped when I started addressing him as Teddy rather than Theodore. It worked. The first of many adventures of my Navy career.
    via Col_Atreides
  • vikaraforeva same for me. and after correcting someone once and they proceed mispelling my name (also common name like Erik with a "k", not with a "c" at the end), i was mispelling theirs. lots of fun
    via Col_Atreides
  • CarmelJane Worked with someone with the same name as me, with one slight spelling difference. Eg Clare and Claire. She always wrote my name in emails, spelling it the same as her own. I occasionally did the same in return, spelling hers like mine. It's the small things...
    via Col_Atreides
  • Anonymous_user_2022 Useless knowledge, but related. In Denmark we have 975 Seans and 109 Shauns, which is opposite to your version of commonality.
    via Col_Atreides
  • Crown_the_Cat I HATE when people misspell my name or use the common nickname. I said Catherine, not Katie, not Katherine.
    via Col_Atreides
  • prisonbeary I've had to do this too, but with a prof in uni that I think just didn't like me lol. I previously emphasised my signature/name in a few different ways (italics, bold) before just addressing her something close but similarly off. Think "Hi Emma," instead of "Emily". She stopped immediately after.
    via Col_Atreides
  • Away_Prize_1948 My last-name is a common first name. So when people use the last name as my first name; I just start using their last name. And when they ask why I am calling by their last-name I just say I thought that was what we were doing.......
    via Col_Atreides

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terrible coworkers employment issues workplace-stories work stories work coworkers petty revenge workplace funny work stories employment
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