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single30-Apr-2005languageIseult Silver Star Survey Creator by votes911155.7%

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What is the most natural way to spell this name for you?

If you want things clearer, put yourself in the following situation. You're taking the names down and the name in question comes up. You're supposed to write it down yet you do not know anything about the person with the name (eg. who they are, their surname, their ethnic background, etc). Using your instinct, how would you spell the name in question. Remember, you have no idea who this person is and you are supposed to write their name down. There is no one you can ask for spelling.



VotesAnswer
45Sean
28Shawn
5Shaun
5Other
0Some other spelling

UserComment
Biggles Survey Qualifier
posted 1-May-2005 10:06pm  
Instinctively, always Sean.
Irene007 Survey Central Gold Subscriber Bronze Star Survey Creator
posted 1-May-2005 10:14pm  
Sean because it's the original?
bcollins
posted 1-May-2005 10:42pm  
I don't know. It's not something I've ever given much thought to.
Danger
posted 1-May-2005 10:50pm  
Shawn. Even though I think Sean's probably more common.
kirst
posted 2-May-2005 3:33am  
In order of what looks most natural to me: Sean, Shaun, Shawn
msgman Gold Star Survey Creator Gold Qualifier
posted 2-May-2005 3:50am  
Without any other information, "Sean", as that's the most common and the original way of spelling the name. I might also use "Shaun", if I suspected that the person was a chav, and "Shawn" if they were American, as both of these groups tend to use phonetic spellings rather than sticking to the original. Or maybe "Shorn" if it was a sheep * smile *
Maarten
posted 2-May-2005 4:14am  
Sean
Kristal_Rose Survey Central Subscriber
posted 2-May-2005 4:24am  
Sean, followed by shaun, probably never shawn. You never can tell with gaelic names though, something could end with idh, igh, ibh and it all sounds like ee.
BillyBobBob
posted 2-May-2005 4:47am  
Sheauwn
ROCKMAN
posted 2-May-2005 6:29am  
I would probably use the Sean spelling, mostly bacause it's shorter. * grin *
ROCKMAN
(reply to Iseult) posted 2-May-2005 6:33am  
* yes * Good question!
CarolL
posted 2-May-2005 7:09am  
Sean, because it's my cousin's name and it's the first name I ever came across that was spelled completely different from what it sounds like.
justjulie
posted 2-May-2005 8:31am  
schoen
autumnlight
posted 2-May-2005 8:41am  
Sean
Iseult Silver Star Survey Creator
(reply to ROCKMAN) posted 2-May-2005 9:39am  
Thanks
Iseult Silver Star Survey Creator
posted 2-May-2005 9:40am  
Sean seems most natural, but if I weren't thinking about it, my first instincts would be Shawn.
moonstone
posted 2-May-2005 9:57am  
Shawn
But I would hesitate between these 3 spellings listed..
moonstone
(reply to justjulie) posted 2-May-2005 9:58am  
* laughing out loud * that made me laugh
dilfreak
posted 2-May-2005 11:45am  
shawn....that's the coolest way to spell it.
Enheduanna Survey Central Subscriber
posted 2-May-2005 12:27pm  
Sean.
justjulie
(reply to moonstone) posted 2-May-2005 2:43pm  
* wink *
Updown
posted 2-May-2005 3:50pm  
Sean (only because I have a friend that spells his name this way).
Kristal_Rose Survey Central Subscriber
(reply to justjulie) posted 2-May-2005 4:04pm  
beautiful answer.
thevelvetcure
posted 2-May-2005 4:31pm  
Sean, as Shaughnessy is typcially restricted to countries with a strong Celtic culture
justjulie
(reply to Kristal_Rose) posted 2-May-2005 5:53pm  
thank you
* smile *
Matty
posted 2-May-2005 7:14pm  
Shawn
xxpinkheelsxx
posted 2-May-2005 7:53pm  
spelled how it sounds lol nice and easy, but i think shawn is a girl, sean is a boy...
LindaH Bronze Star Survey Creator Gold Qualifier
posted 2-May-2005 8:13pm  
Shawn. I think this is the first way I ever saw it spelled.
ROCKMAN
(reply to Iseult) posted 3-May-2005 4:54am  
Your welcome
Starfish
posted 3-May-2005 9:06am  
Sean, because I know one. I like to bug him by calling him "Seen" though.
judgescratch
posted 3-May-2005 10:18am  
Shawn
Zang
posted 3-May-2005 2:46pm  
As an adult, "Sean". When I was a kid, I would have gone with "Shawn" because that was the first way I saw it spelled. Now, I've seen "Sean" used most of the time. When I see "Shaun", it makes me think of Shaun Cassidy. Does someone else spell it that way?
verouge
posted 3-May-2005 3:18pm  
s-e-a-n * smile *
verouge
(reply to LindaH) posted 3-May-2005 3:25pm  
hi starfish. i prefer it "Sean" although my cousin's name is "Shaun".
TrinityAnn
posted 3-May-2005 11:14pm  
Sean only because i know someone who's name is spelled like that, what is the relevence of it? not trying to be rude, just curious
Kristal_Rose Survey Central Subscriber
(reply to TrinityAnn) posted 4-May-2005 3:00am  
haven't seen you around in a while.
Tazwert
posted 4-May-2005 1:27pm  
BTW, It should be "Sean of the Dead" * raspberry *
romkey Survey Central Gold Subscriber
posted 4-May-2005 2:21pm  
Siobhan

nah, I'd most likely spell it "Sean"
BerrieGrrl
posted 4-May-2005 10:58pm  
for me it's "shaun" cuz that's how my brother spells his name. my mom wanted him to be "sean", but she didn't want people mispronouncing it his whole life.
Cleo
posted 5-May-2005 2:12pm  
Shaun
Enigma
posted 5-May-2005 10:50pm  
I have always spelt it this way. Now I work with someone who has this name. A Scottish customer came in one day and told Sean the "proper" way to pronounce his name when spelled such is "see-awn" not "shawn" much to Sean's annoyance.
Gomezy3k
posted 6-May-2005 11:19am  
Shawn .....at least its close to phonetic spelling...
OfTheSoul
posted 6-May-2005 2:42pm  
My partial upbringing in the East dictates "Shawn". Abroad, though, the default seems to be "Sean". I have a friend (Sean) with whom I was discussing this matter, just yesterday!

He said the other day his bank teller said with all the confidence in the world, "Have a good day, 'Seen'!" Because his name is spelled "S E A N", she guessed wrong in its pronunciation, of course.

I don't know which is the more common way of spelling it, but I still would default to "Shawn".
TrinityAnn
(reply to Kristal_Rose) posted 7-May-2005 10:26pm  
yeah, ive just been busy, keep forgetin to check in here, forgot about survey central for a while. how have you been?
ihatespiders
posted 7-May-2005 11:41pm  
My sister spelled her son's name Shawn, but I still think she should have spelled it Sean.
Kristal_Rose Survey Central Subscriber
(reply to TrinityAnn) posted 8-May-2005 12:42am  
Busy, grander chapters of old themes. A visiting bro taking up much time.
TrinityAnn
(reply to Kristal_Rose) posted 8-May-2005 1:14am  
lol, least you got family you know cares for ya, better than the alternative
Kristal_Rose Survey Central Subscriber
(reply to TrinityAnn) posted 8-May-2005 4:18am  
Still true, but in this case, it was more a rescue from a likely alcoholic death after his rapid cycling sucession of seizures and detox. Fortunately the recovery has quickly gone miraculous in all aspects of life.
ElvisFan67
posted 8-May-2005 8:30pm  
I spell it "Shawn".
TrinityAnn
(reply to Kristal_Rose) posted 8-May-2005 10:02pm  
well....at least it looks like everything worked out for the best i guess
Katie_harris01
posted 9-May-2005 11:41pm  
Depends on whether the person is male or female...Sean for male, Shawn for female
gambler Bronze Star Survey Creator Survey Qualifier
posted 11-May-2005 6:58pm  
Other...........Shorn............. honestly?...Sean
YukonGold
posted 13-May-2005 6:09pm  
natural way? I guess the person is mute and I can't ask how it's spelt... maybe I've got some weird job that requires me to write names... this is a dumb survey.
iamdonte
posted 14-May-2005 11:58pm  
Sean for a guy
Shawn for a girl
sexy1
posted 15-May-2005 3:12pm  
sean, is more clearly spelt for me, as i know alot of guys who spell thier name like this
starrpickle
posted 16-May-2005 4:56pm  
whocares Whocares just kidding Shawn
lisa_32
posted 16-May-2005 9:52pm  
that is what works for me
leahdoll
posted 14-Jun-2005 2:56pm  
I love it spelled "Sean", but my first instinct would probably be to write down "Shawn."
gumpaz
posted 9-Jul-2005 10:35am  
Sean has always been the easiest for me.
mve17
posted 26-Jul-2005 5:57pm  
sean
Coco
posted 10-Aug-2005 11:28pm  
Shawn
patarnone
posted 12-Sep-2005 6:05pm  
I use a traditional easy to read version. When I worked for the Census as a phone enumerator, they told us to pronounce the name like you would like it pronounced. Spelling is the same way.

People always misprounance my last name, Arnone. The "e" on the end denotes the Sicilian heritage. If it was "Arnoni" with the Italian "i" people would say it right.

Al CaponE, Slyvester StallonE... Pat ArnonE.
lucylove
posted 21-Aug-2006 3:23pm  
All of these are natural for me because I know so many Sean-Shawn-Shaun's and have read the name spelled these ways so many times. And I don't remember which spelling came first. Here is a new way of spelling it that threw me off. A co-worker's name spelled Shun and pronounced the same as the other 3.
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