Try saying my name

This is in response to CL's blog bout funny weird English/Christian names. At first I wanted to post a comment there but as it got longer... I might as well post it here. :P

Ok, so try having a pretty nice name like mine, but having people around you who can't even pronounce it properly. I know you guys must be thinking, "But Natalie is such a common name now!" Yes, maybe. To English-educated people like us. But how bout the rest??

In my line of work, I have to talk to a lot of people working in hardware stores, carpenters and contractors. So when they ask what's my name and I tell them, this is what they repeat back:

1. Angeline (always the first name that they think of)
   
2. Madeline (the second one)
   
3. Nadgalene (???)
4. Nagalie (this was written in a fax!)
5. And the one that top it all --- Italy. Yes, this is a true story. You can confirm with my colleague cos she was the one who heard the phone call and someone said she wants to talk to "Italy". My colleague was laughing her head off while she transfer the call and I was laughing as well. And I told that customer, yeah I want to go to Italy but my name is N-A-T-A-L-I-E.
   

You know it may be the way I pronounce my own name that other people don't get it... but I don't have this problem when I was studying in Australia cos everyone got my name right at the first try. :)