When making reservations, putting names down, etc., I usually leave my name as "Pickles", literally, not the slave name on my passport or driver's license. Or we'll use Mrs. Pickles' codename, "Bun". Of course, in nice places in Asia with great CRM (both electronic and people-based), she's now addressed as "Mrs. Bun"...

Hello, Hermonie. I'm Eleanor Roosevelt, but you may call me Eleanor.

I use that name all the time. A lot of people never even blink.

If an FA called me by the first name on my BP, I probably wouldn't respond. Only because I usually use a shortened version of my name (ie John instead of Jonathan or Steve instead of Steven). I have always had the problem of people being too familliar without actually knowing me. I have longer hair than many men (pony tail) and this seems to make people think that I am their long lost college drinking buddy. I actually had to fire one person because he simply could not refrain from calling me 'Dude'.
Edited to add: Does this mean we all should stop refering to Mr. Peterson as 'Randy'? http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by HigherFlyer (edited 10-08-2003).]

On AA in business class transcon (flagship service) last week, the FA addressed me by my first (given) name. Didn't ask -- just did it.

Strange.

I have a relatively common surname, so I always provide both ("This is [first name] [surname]"). Perhaps I should just start saying "this is Mr. surname."

It is unusual abroad to know the first name of someone met casually or even professionally. In the US, it is more common to know the first name, but it is still inappropriate to use it until asked.

I can't say I've ever had anyone from a travel related service call me anything other than Mr XXX, If I'm likely to have more than one dealing with a person, FA's hotel staff, I like to tell them to just call me Spike, I've been Spike for 20 years and only my family call me by my real first name.

BTW, anyone been on the ET ride at Disney, where they ask you for your name at the start and ET says goodbye at the end? I had great fun with my friends kids making up obscure names for ET to attempt!

ET is actually at Universal Studios, we always use different names, sometimes with a theme, like rhyme (Terry, Larry, Jerry, Mary), or characters from a movie or book, and sometimes we all give the same name.

I went to the classic type of British school for boys where we were known by our last names only. When we have school reunions it is apparent that we mostly still do not know the first names of those we spent years at school with. How do you handle that? It seems quite inappropriate to have a good reminiscence with former friends, now successful business people, and call them "Smith" (or even worse "Smith P." where there were multiple Smiths) to their face.

Even more surprising at these get-togethers is our old schoolmasters, now mostly retired, who never addressed us by anything other than the last name as well, now can recollect our first names only too well even after all these years. I asked one how he did it. I just got a smile. By the way, they all had nicknames to us, though we would never have dared to use them in their hearing. We were so surprised to learn they actually used these names to each other in the staff room!

Being a "Smith" myself, I rarely get addressed by Mr. Smith. But what really bugs me is when they ask how to spell it. Are these people morons. Any other way of spelling it and it is not pronouced the same. Smyth or Smythe are both pronounced with a long "I". Smithe should be pronounced Smeeth (most of the time) But Smith is Smith.

Fascinating topic!

The use of my first name from someone who doesn't know me is way too touchy-feely for me. I also dispute the implication above that it's airs and graces to insist on being referred to as Mr - that's completely the wrong way around. It should be 'Mr' by default, and the use of my first name is simply a modern-day political correctness step too far.

On a cultural level my favourites are the Japanese, as someone already mentioned above, plus people from the deep South of the USA - and surprised they haven't come up yet in this thread.

I don't understand the full implications of the Japanese 'rules' but I am currently addressed as 'lastname-san' by anyone who doesn't know me extremely well, 'firstname-san' by people who do know me well when they're referring to me between themselves, and 'first syllable of last name-san' by those latter people directly to me. I don't know why.

I've also had two separate working stints in 'the South'. In the first, as a football coach, I was always referred to as 'Coach' - without fail, 100% of the time, by parents and children. If I ever said 'call me Dave' I automatically became 'Coach Dave'. Never ever just 'Dave'.

In my second stint in the South, in a 'proper' job, I was always called Sir in the first instance by absolutely anyone who wanted my attention. Excuse me Sir, would you like some help with that Sir, from any person of any race, colour or generation. Equally 'Ma'am' was used to address females. Once someone knew me on the job though I was always called 'Mr Dave', and I in turn was encouraged to use this same form of address to them. Only amongst friends outside of work was I called Dave, but always 'Mr Dave' by friends or family of theirs. I of course adopted the exact same set of rules when talking to anyone else.

That's manners in my book, and the world would be a better place if everyone thought so. Call me old-fashioned I guess . . .


[edited because even though I have manners, sometimes my grammar doesn't.]

[This message has been edited by kiwibigdave (edited 10-09-2003).]

Try to think kind thoughts to the persons who have to ask this. If they get your name wrong (and that has probably happened to them before), there may be hell to pay.

I knew about Smyth and Smythe, but I had never heard that Smithe was to be pronounced "Smeeth." Plus, given that people have all sorts of accents when speaking English, that's hardly a telltale sign either. (I'm not in a position where I have to ask for spellings. I do have a last name which people reasonably ask how to spell because some variations are reasonably possible.)

Read a tale once [almost certainly urban legend of course] about a lady who gave her details over the phone like "Yes, it's Smithe, with an e".

The item was delivered addressed to "Mrs Smith-Withaney"

I quite enjoy being addressed as 'Mr Davidson' and to be honest it is something I expect from a premium carrier like British Airways. I'd rather they called me Mr Davidson or Sir but not Fraser.

Charter airline check-in staff have called me Fraser before though I havent had to deal with them for a few years (luckily) and at that time it was 3am after a 90minute drive to LGW so I couldnt be bothered to say anything

I was once waiting for an appointment, when the latino receptionist came out and announced "Mr Honez you are next" "Mr Honez?" " Oh I'm sorry... Mr Jones!"

Ahh Fraser. One down, two initials to go http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...um/biggrin.gif.
goodo

With the exception of the travel industry, and a certain local sandwich shop in the village where I work, first name usage seems the norm in British Business so I'm not normally bothered either way.

I've only done business in the US once (well twice if you include an internal training course) so I never really got a feel as to whether or not it is more formal on the other side of the pond though UA check in staff were quite rude.