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Silly Saturday: Caden Who?

By
Real Estate Agent with eXp Realty

Silly Saturday:  Caden Who?

With a name like Cadenhead, I have come to expect the pronounciation to be butchered (especially if I am on the telephone).  I just have to laugh at the way people butcher my name.

For the record, it's pronunced K-den-head.  That's simple enough right?  But even when people look at Cadenhead on paper, I still get called names such as these:

Can-den-head

K-duh-head (as in Duh?)

Cake-head (that's how one of my daughter's childhood friends use to say it.  It was too funny.

Cad-den-head (think Cadbury candy)

Can-den Who?

K-den Who?

Charita Who?

I have to pronounce my last name in syllables so that people understand me.  This doesn't go over well at the cleaners since they will ultimately be looking for clothing under the last name of Head as if Caden were my first name.

And let's not even talk about my first name.  Pronounced Sha-ree-ta (as in Sha Na Na) but spelled Charita.  It is not

Chair-rit-ta

Charity

Sha-ret-ta

Oh and did I mention that I use my maiden name as my middle name which is Hughley.  As I am writing this post, I've just discovered how to break it down phonetically.  Actually my family maiden name has two acceptable pronounciations:  Hue-Glee and Hugh-lee (think Hugh Grant, Hugh Hefner, etc). 

Not Hug-lee

Not Huge-lee

Not Hue-ga-lee

Not Hug-a-lee

It's Hue-Glee or Hue-lee

All right class.  All together now:  Sha-Ree-Ta Hue-Glee K-Den-head

But the very best part of having a name like Cadenhead is that once you've heard it, you are unlikely to forget it.

Call it Silly Saturday.  I'd like to see you spell check this post.

Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Kimberly I used to work in a bank that was in a small suburban town dominated by Polish population.  So I probably would have gotten it right off, I think:  Gad-zin-ski.  Seems simple enough right?

Feb 05, 2011 01:49 AM
Donna Foerster
HomeSmart Realty Group - Parker, CO
Metro Denver Real Estate Assistant

Good morning Charita~ I've always had the last night right.  Didn't know about the middle name (well maybe I've seen it on Facebook, but never thought of actually using it).  As for your first, I have to say...I did pronounce it CH orginally, then I was corrected to SH by one of our AR family members.  I get my last name mispelled ALL the time, but rarely mispronounced.  My maiden name was Negron.  You can just guess the fun I went through in school.

Feb 05, 2011 01:57 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

So what did you say your name is? I made it easy by marrying the right guy...Lee Rome. Even rhymes with home!

Cute post!

Margaret

Feb 05, 2011 02:17 AM
Barbara Hensley
RE/MAX Properties - Rockwall, TX
Homes for Sale in Rockwall County, Texas

This indeed a Silly Saturday post!  Very cute!  I enjoy and watch for your posts; however, I had never said your name out loud...now I know...at least I DID know...anyway, very cute.  One thing is sure, your clients will not forget you, even if they butcher your name.

Feb 05, 2011 02:43 AM
Christine Pappas - REALTOR®
eXp Realty - Willoughby, OH
When You’re Ready To Move, I’m Ready To Help

This is funny!  Glad you cleared this up.  I know I was even one who asked how to pronounce it - when I am responding to people, I like to call them by name in my head.

Feb 05, 2011 03:27 AM
Lisa Orme
The Master's Key Realty LLC -Windsor, CT - HARTFORD COUNTY - Windsor, CT
Broker/Realtor, ABR, CRS,GRI, PSCS, SFR, Notary Pu

Glad you are having such a wonderful day today Charita! Even my simple last name Orme gets mispronounced all the time....seems people just don't know what to do with the silent "e" at the end...

Feb 05, 2011 04:15 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Donna the last name is really easy when you see it on paper.  I don't know why people like to add extra letters to it.  Unless someone knows someone else by  my first name, they always think it's "CH" too.  Your maiden name.....it can just imagine life on the playground.  You know kids can be heartless.

Margaret you are so funny.  I'll tell you what it's not:  Clarity.

That's for sure Barbara.  Right or wrong, they'll never forget it.

Me too Christine.  Tni LeBlanc emailed me once to ask me how to pronounce it.  And if you think my name is trouble.

Feb 05, 2011 04:24 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Lisa I take that people alway pronounce it as if it were you Or Me instead of Orm.

Feb 05, 2011 04:45 AM
Donne Knudsen
Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA
CalState Realty Services

 ROTFL 

Feb 05, 2011 06:33 AM
Peggy Hughes/pha logistix, inc.
pha logistix inc - San Francisco, CA
SF NYC LA

Very funny post... thanks for the laugh!  I, too, had your last name correct but not the first.  Interestingly, many people call me Patty instead of Peggy - not sure why that happens, but it does!

Feb 05, 2011 06:34 AM
Donne Knudsen
Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA
CalState Realty Services

Oh, can I so relate. My first married name was even worse and it was actually really hard to get my maiden name back that I made it clear to hubby #2, I would not be taking his name. Don't even get me started on that name because hubby has his own trials and tribulations with people butchering his name.

Feb 05, 2011 06:36 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Peggy it happens because they only remember the "P."

That's probably a smart move Donne.  But you could have given us a clue.

Feb 05, 2011 07:46 AM
Tim Peterson
Wisconsin Realtor Safety and Concealed Carry Classes - Madison, WI
Realtor Safety Training Classes

Thanks for the lesson-very cute name you have there

Feb 05, 2011 02:31 PM
Jane Peters
Home Jane Realty - Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles real estate concierge services

You think you have a problem.  Jane Peters.  Simple enough, right.  With my accent, unless I say Jane Peeders, I become Jane Peaches, or most of the time, James Peaches.

Feb 05, 2011 05:21 PM
CA COASTAL ESTATES Lauren Selinsky Perez CRS
California Coastal Estates - Aliso Viejo, CA
"Your Real Estate Broker" #oclauren

You can't forget it because it's very different too. I am going to guess there's only one of you ;)

Feb 05, 2011 08:53 PM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

You're welcome Tim.  It pays to get hooked on phonics.

Jane that if too funny.  I don't know Jane, may "Peaches" can become part of your brand.  Think Anna "Banana", Cindy in Indy.

You could be Jane "Peaches" Peters.

Lauren there are a few Charita's or Sherita's scattered about the world.  I married into Cadenhead.  One think about it, if I run into another Cadenhead, it's very likely that we're related in some way by marriage.

 

Feb 06, 2011 04:19 AM
Donne Knudsen
Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA
CalState Realty Services

Charita - As a child, I was called the Dairy Queen because back then Knudsen dairy products were much more prominent than they are now.  I am still getting asked if I'm related to the Knudsen dairy family and how nice that would be and blah blah blah.  Furthermore, I am constantly called Donna and not Donne (pronounced like Donny) and I am commonly told that the person just thought that was a misspelling and that my name was really Donna.  Don't even get me started on my hubbies last names (a whole other post) or the butchering that people do with spelling both my names. 

Feb 06, 2011 06:36 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

I'll have to admit Donne that when I called you, I was a little nervous about pronouncing your name correctly.  I think I pronounced it as if it were Don.  I'm not familiar with Knudsen dairy products, but if it were that popular, you'd have to expect that question.

Feb 06, 2011 08:59 AM
Joni Bailey
101 Main St. Realty - Huntsville, TX
Your Huntsville / Lake Livingston Area REALTOR®

I am either called Joan or Johnny. That doesn't bother me, but "Do you love Chachi?" really does!

Feb 06, 2011 01:15 PM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Chachi Loves Joni.  I can see how people might think your name is pronounced Johnny, but I just never thought to pronounce it that way.

Feb 06, 2011 04:42 PM