Formal letters using my first name

I like to keep my name formal, being addressed as Mrs for business. There has to be a distance kept from being too friendly if any problems arose, it is also a matter of respect.

I live in France and they always use Monsieur or Madame, in business. I am uneasy when in the UK unknown people use my Christian name, they don’t ask. I have had a couple of emails, from UK legal firms today, I don’t know them from Adam but their letters start with, Dear Mokryna.

Valels

My 93 year old mum keeps getting letters from EON, they all start "Hi Evelyn" - she gets extremely annoyed and says she expects some respect from these companies. I agree with her.

Yes, the 'Hi' is perhaps going a little too far!

My 93 year old mum keeps getting letters from EON, they all start "Hi Evelyn" - she gets extremely annoyed and says she expects some respect from these companies. I agree with her.

This letter to my son at his business address certainly caused amusement!

For me it depends on the context- mostly I don't mind the use of first names. I'm not keen on the use of "Christian Name" to describe a given name. Millions of people in the UK have no christian name. Agnostics, Atheists, Sikhs, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jedi Knights. It's not a big deal but it's old fashioned and thankfully dying out

I have noticed a couple of times when speaking to an institution like a bank they have asked if they may call me by my first name and I always say yes. Doesn't really bother me one way or another. On a recent hospital visit I was asked the same thing.

I don't really notice.

Doodledog
I don't mind, so long as it's equal. I don't like being addressed as 'Doodle' to someone who calls themself 'Mr/Dr/Mrs Dog. It's one or the other, to me.

That's a good point, Doodledog. I agree with you there.

Scribbles - totally agree, l see no point in Mrs, Miss, Ms, Mr it rather gives too much away (often incorrect assumptions made). Men are simply Mr.
I prefer Dear "first name" "last name".

As long as they spell my name correctly I don’t mind at all.

Not really bothered must admit can’t remember the last time I received a letter everything seems to come by email.

I dislike being addressed as 'Mrs Clutterbuck'; she was my late mother in law. I've always been Ms since I was old enough to express a preference.
In fact, I see little point in these prefixes and get irritated when it is a required field in online and other forms. Why not simply address me as ' Dear Scribbles Clutterbuck' in formal communications? The use of professional prefixes such as Dr, Rev, etc should be optional where these are relevant.
And in a hospital situation, I can't help feeling that the person catheterising me or cleaning up my vomit ought to be on first name terms with me!

Just lost my message yet again. I think I am going to stop sending any posts as as often as not they just flash off and are gone forever.

Whoops big not bug although they would be a problem too

I m fine with it call me whatever you like can’t be bothered to get het up over something like that with all the bug problems around us

I don't mind, so long as it's equal. I don't like being addressed as 'Doodle' to someone who calls themself 'Mr/Dr/Mrs Dog. It's one or the other, to me.

In professional settings I prefer to be asked how I want to be addressed though - it preserves the professional distance which can be a good thing if situations become awkward. My MIL is in hospital and her board just has her given name on it, so all the nurses call her 'Ermintrude', not Mrs Dog. I think that's presumptuous. I know they would change it if she asked, but she's too ill and anyway wouldn't want to make a fuss.

I’m easy come, easy go !

I probably didn't like it at first but have just got used to it now so not bothered. I think it's best not to sweat the small things in life as they are not worth the worry.

I'm slightly more annoyed by strangers at the bank or whatever asking me if I'm having a good day or asking what I'm going to do today, because I know they're not really interested. But I often wonder if a few naughty people have replied with some really cheeky things. 😲

I think I've got thoroughly used to it to take a lot of notice about it any more, it's been around for so long. Although casting my mind back to my working life it was never a given to assume such a level of familiarity.

‘My surname is yours to take, my Christian name is mine to give’.

And I know many say ‘first name’, but to me, it’s still ‘Christian name’.

No, it doesn’t bother me - it’s my name, after all 😊

Doesn’t bother me in the slightest! So long as they spell it correctly.

I don't have a problem with it at all. It is my name, whoever is addressing me.

I prefer formality, especially when receiving a circular letter from a bank informing me of some further inconvenience in their service.

Many years ago I addressed a letter of complaint addressing the Chairman of British Gas by his Christian name, asking him how he liked it, and pointing out that they were not my "energy adviser", as their last letter had claimed, but one of my energy suppliers.

But I was amused to receive a series of letters from a bank with which I had no connection, addressed to Mr. Gone Away. My reply, adopting the name they had given me and seeking details of my sort code and account number, did not receive a reply.