Lenka 5 | 3535 5 Mar 2010 / #31My cousin name is Małgorzata but when she moved to Germany everybody changed it into Margot. She didn't want them to call her that and every time she said "I'm not Margot-I'm Małgorzata". Now she's living there 20 years but she still is using her original name. If you want to keep your real name you have to be prepared for problems with pronunciation and spelling.
Olaf 6 | 955 5 Mar 2010 / #32referred to as Agnus for shortHopefully not pronounced with silent 'g' ???The tendency to use other language's equivalents of first names is rather old-fashioned.One of my favourites are: German name Ruprecht and Swedish: Björn.
Trevek 25 | 1699 5 Mar 2010 / #33My cousin name is Małgorzata but when she moved to Germany everybody changed it into Margot.I have another Kasia friend (and a few more) who went on a course in UK. She wrote her name, Kasia, on her badge and everyone kept calling her Kas-ee-ya.
ggoss - | 1 11 Jun 2010 / #34My name is Malgorzata and i always introduce myself as Gosia (shortname) or Malgorzata, which hardly anyone is able to pronounce. I live in uk and i really hate it when people change Polish people using the English version of their name. how pathetic...the other thing is when i tell Brits that my name translates into Margaret, they ask me: what are you, 80 years old?
pjs 26 Mar 2011 / #35Yes lots of Georges ,johns. Part of the briefing they get in Poland before they get to England. Their English is atrocious(not to say non existant) and yet they want to run the show.!!!"Back to poland, learn English ,pay, your dues and come back Polish fellows. You'll always be despised if you don't.People have an acute sense of the coucou in the nest scenario.Cheerio
JonnyM 11 | 2608 26 Mar 2011 / #36Part of the briefing they get in Poland before they get to England.Briefing from whom?
isthatu2 4 | 2692 27 Mar 2011 / #37Their English is atrocioushhmmmmmmnon existanthhhhhmmmthe coucou in the nest scenariois that some sort of Greek salad?
PennBoy 76 | 2429 27 Mar 2011 / #38Polish people should use their real names instead of the english version I think.If English speakers could pronounce my name correctly i would prefer for them use it.
isthatu2 4 | 2692 27 Mar 2011 / #39We are rarely given the opportunity though, if you already know that "margaret" is likely to be Malgorzata and call her that,well,thats great,but you cant expect every english person to know these things.Ive even had a malgorzata insist I call her margaret even after she realised I could pronounce her real name like a native,had explained that "margarets" are either 80 + or from Zimbabwe and I can sing most of the old uprising song ;)
beckski 12 | 1609 28 Mar 2011 / #40Polish people using the English version of their name?My daddy was Piotr. He usually went by the name of Peter or Pete.
Spirit 1 | 26 1 Aug 2014 / #41My grandfather was named Miecheslaw, I guess the Polish for Michael, but on entry to the US it was changed to John. Go figure.
Wulkan - | 3136 1 Aug 2014 / #42I guess the Polish for MichaelYou guessed wrong. His name was Mieczysław and it's not Polish for Michael.
Spirit 1 | 26 1 Aug 2014 / #43I assume you know better than I. Was it just ethnic? With no connections? No equivalents? I like it better than "John...."
Wulkan - | 3136 1 Aug 2014 / #44Was it just ethnic? With no connections?Yes, all the names ended with "sław" are Slavic.
jon357 73 | 22632 1 Aug 2014 / #46No. Mieczyslaw is a Polish given name. It doesn't mean son of anything. A nice name, rather old-fashioned now.
Looker - | 1129 1 Aug 2014 / #47Mieczysław is a name of Slavic origin, can mean: the one who gain fame with a sword (miecz). Also: a man with the strength of a bear; or to batter, fight gloriouslyPossible English equivalents: Mecislaus, Mitchel, Mitch
Spirit 1 | 26 1 Aug 2014 / #48Thanks looker, Wulkan and Jon for helping me learn about my heritage.In Google translate if you separate the name as such: Mieczy sławIt translates to "sword of fame."Who would have guessed?
spiritus 69 | 643 16 Oct 2014 / #50This has been going on for decades.Members of my own family have anglicised their names. Personally, I have never agreed with it.It's easier for English colleagues to remember one name then it is for you to have to remember all of their names.
Wulkan - | 3136 16 Oct 2014 / #51It's easier for English colleagues to remember one namewhat if this name has sounds that English language doesn't have?
Wulkan - | 3136 17 Oct 2014 / #53and thay fail and although told that it's wrong they keep saying that way just to annoying name's owner, do you think it's good?Instead of expecting an English speaker to say Grzegorz correctly you can just introduce yourself Greg, it's absolutely normal.
spiritus 69 | 643 17 Oct 2014 / #54I get your point and it is upto each individual but a person's name is part of their identity. I was born in the UK with a Polish name and refuse to change my name to make it easier for people. Ok-I am called Marek so it's not THAT difficult but you'd be surprised how people still get it wrong e.g. Merrick and even Maverick ! I just make the other person feel stupid when they get it so wrong.Funnily enough I was going to give an example of Grzegorz being used correctly. Last year I was in Lytham St Annes and was talking to a Polish chef at the hotel. All the staff called him Grzegorz.
Gdyniaguy14 - | 22 17 Oct 2014 / #55Unlike Poland the UK has been a home for people from different cultures for centuries. Some cultures have adapted to anglicise there names and some haven't. My family name is and anglicized version of an Irish surname and we've been in England since the 1880's and people still can't pronounce it.
Paulina 15 | 4429 18 Oct 2014 / #56Unlike Poland the UK has been a home for people from different cultures for centuries.Unlike Poland? Lithuanians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Jews, Tatars, Romani people, Germans, etc. I don't know, maybe the UK had more and more "exotic" or sth, but it's not like Poland was always so monocultural :)