The name´s Olson, Queli Olson

We just finished the first quarter of school, which meant I spent eons calculating grades for my 560ish students. When I´m eyeballs deep in stacks of collected notebooks, I have to entertain myself somehow. Luckily, many of their names are really amusing... 


Maykol/Maycol - as in Michael

Beder - as in Peter

Schelsy

Yerson - as in Jason (I actually have a few Yersons)

Brady Keit Stiven - Brady Keith Steven

Brayan - as in Brian (I have a few of these, too)

Deybis - as is Davis

Deivy - as in Davey

Georch - as in George

Ayron - as in Aaron

Jailer - as in Tyler

Yampier - as is Jean Pierre (there´s another kid in this class named Jean Pierre, how confusing!). In yet another class, I have a Gian Pol.

Yan/Jhon - as in John

Ruth Lizdeysi - Still trying to work out if it´s Lindsay or Daisy

Yoissi Dhayanna - as in Jossie Diana

Jeidy/Haydi/Heydi - as in Heidi

Estefani/Estefany - as in Stephanie. Most Spanish speakers add an "eh" sound before English words that start with an S. For example, `estrawberry´ and `eskirt,´ so the additional E in this name is to be expected.  

I have a whole host of boys named Jhefferson, Jeffersson, Jhefersson, Jheffersón, Jefers

Nilton (I also have 2 Miltons)

Harlet - pronounced like `Arlette´ but spelled disturbingly close to harlot

Kevin Brandon De David Venegas Venegas - The double last name means his parents both have the same family names, which is actually fairly common; the two most common last names here are Mamani and Quispe, so I have a lot of Mamani Mamanis and Quispe Qusipes. I like the `Brandon De David´ part because having `de´ or `del´ in your name is normal - Johana del Rosario, Lucero del Mar, Alexander del Piero - but `Brandon of David´ is somewhat distinct.

Luz de Jesus - The first name of a fifth grade girl. Translates to "light of Jesus" which is a beautiful sentiment, but a little much. 

Owen Shorty Ale Apaca - I´m not sure they know what Shorty means, but this child is, in fact, very short.

Pool - That´s a first name, sometimes pronounced like `Pa-ool,´ sometimes like `Paul.´

Greisy - Thankfully, a middle name. 

Leonides - Unfortunately, a middle name. 

Yoshy 

Shirley Wihanca Marilyn Catacora Vizcacho - which brings me to a song I call "2 of these things are not like the other"

Usher - As is, the rapper. Pronounced `oo-shur´ 

Danex

Derkyn 

Fusadiam

Victor Hugo Orocollo Agua - the most literary of all my students

Yago - makes me think of the bird in Aladdin

Shunmyo - I´m still trying to work out this one. There´s definitely not anything Asian about the kid though. 

Brandol

Karenn - because the extra n makes it sassier

And my favorite - Queli. How one of my third graders spelled my name when she drew a picture of me.