What do you like to be called?

My, my you are easily shocked Mollie you'll have to toughen up if you are to survive on GN.

I'm the Chaplain at a Care Home and I always ask the residents how they would like me to address them - and I have yet to be asked to use the person's formal title. Although I am happy to be called by my first name one or two of the residents prefer to call me Chaplain. I really don't mind what I'm called, but a few of the children I taught still can't bring themselves to use my first name and prefer to call me by my title and the initial of my surname.

I don't mind.... People can call what they like, as long as they don't call me early!!!!!

Anya, sweetie, I've been here since the beginning in 2011. I'm tough enough, just not rude nor I'll mannered.

I prefer being called by my first name, Val, I even like that better than Valerie. To refer to people as Mrs is so victorian and I would correct them straight away. This is something my parents generation did, not now in 2015. My parents would be well over 100 if they were alive. In my opinion is it snobbish and frumpy to want to be called Mrs something rather than the friendly way of your Christian name.

I would add "self-important" as well, val. Politeness isn't about such actually trivial details. One is who one is whatever someone else calls one.

I've got a surname that's often mispronounced and a first name I never use in full.

I think everyone should call me Madam.

It's a 'selling thing' the idea is if you are first name terms with someone, for instance a Customer Service person on the phone, if you use first names then you are less likely to get upset with them, or more likely to buy something. It's a bit like the Stockholm Syndrome with kidnappers.

For a short while I had a title, "Lady of the Manor of ......", which was purchased by my first mistake, shortly before I divorced him!
Gnetters can call me what they like

Interesting, missdeke, about the selling idea. I think it's also about equality.

I love to be addressed by my first name. To be honest, when I got married I didn't like my new surname. I still don't, but have to live with it. First names are friendly!

I called my MIL 'mummy' and my mum 'maman' - easy.

I remember friends in the 70s who would absolutely forbid their children to call them 'mummy' and 'daddy' - as it wasn't 'cool'. How silly.
But we do have many friends who are grandparents and will not have the grandchildren call the 'granny' and 'grandpa'- for the same reasons. Silly too in my book.

We have to wear name badges at work with just first names. I do find it irritating if customers over use it (usually men)

Had a married couple through the other day & they both said hello posie, thank you posie & goodbye posie - so 6 posies which felt a bit OTT in the time to scan the couple of items they'd bought.

Here in Cyprus you are referred to by trades people doctors dentist etc as Mr or Mrs then your first name, difficult to get used to at first.

Gosh - there's only one "narky old woman getting her bloomers in a twist" on this thread!!!! Good on Mollie for picking her up on it.

For goodness sake!! Was that necessary?

If you are talking to me kittylester, then yes. She was rude and then accused the OP of the behaviour that she was exhibiting. If our children or grandchildren were rude I would hope we would reprimand them and teach them that it is unacceptable. Makes me angry when the older generation moan about lack of manners in the younger generation but think they can act and speak as they please.
Articulate people are quite able to make their views known without being rude. I was, like Mollie, quite taken aback when I read her comments, not least the "put down" with the OPs name.

Mollie seems quite able to defend herself, without anyone else adding to the affray.

Reminds me of the old question "Is this a private fight, or can anyone join in?"

imo people shouldn't have to defend themselves or 'toughen up' to be on gransnet, although it does seem to be a requirement these days. Which is why a lot of people don't 'survive' on gransnet. I agree with both mollie and caocao.

Everyone is entitled to be called by whatever they choose. The grandkids call DH Grumps and his mum was horrified. She said "you don't let them call you that, do you?" Well he chose it but he likes winding up his mum, so told her he has no idea why they call him that.

I find Mrs .... very formal. I tend to give my full name without the Mrs when asked. I really don't mind being called by my first name so long as they don't shorten it. Only my best friend gets away with that.

Known as Mags by DH, Maggie by family, Margaret by colleagues. Really dislike being called madam although that is better than sir! As I do not like my surname I do not like being called Mrs ......... Does every greeting have to include a name anyway. Having said that, those mailshot letters that include Dear but miss out your name I find very rude. Just cannot please some people!

I don't mind anyone using my first name (as long as they ask me if I mind) because my surname is Greek and a lot of people seem to find it difficult to say - I can't stand hearing it mispronounced, which they do, even when I pronounce it carefully for them.

My daughter's friends always called me by my first name, which I didn't mind at all, even when they were tiny. When I first met my American son-in-law I told him to call me by my first name, but not long before the wedding 18 months ago, he lost his own dear Mum and as soon as he got married to our daughter (at the wedding actually), he asked me if he could call me Mum now, so, of course, I said Yes!

My husband's daughter, Alexandra,who is half Norwegian and half Greek and lives in Denmark as she is married to a Dane, has two dear little children aged nearly three and seven months and we had to decide what they were going to call me as they have two grannies already (luckily, we all get on like a house on fire!) In Scandinavia your Father's Mother is Farmor and your Mother's Mother is Mormor and they were used up already, so they asked me what I would be called by any English grandchildren and I plumped for Nana, which is what I called my grandmother and our daughter called my mother. So that is what they are going to call me!

Exactly Elegran well said and frankly, who cares as it seems most people actually agree with me that there's nothing wrong with being called by their first name.

Kitty no, it wasn't called for but then some people think it's rude to disagree with something openly. And others seem to think saying 'getting your bloomers in a twist' is Really Rude !!!!'

I'm trying not to LOL too much

I don't really mind what I'm called except for Jane10's 'cheeky young whippersnapper' types who are over familiar on a moment's acquaintance.
Hi to Tegan, Mollie, Cacao!

When on the telephone and asked 'who is calling' my ex would say 'Mr xxxx'.
I so hated to hear him say that.
It grated of such self importance.