Solstice?

My last name is Tsaltas. It is Greek, but I am only a quarter Greek. Three quarters of the time, though, people mispronounce my last name.

Mistake number one: Solstice.

How does that even happen? I know I don't have a normal last name, but come on. There is clearly no "s" after the "l." That is a simple literacy problem, not a difficult last name problem. I think Solstice is probably the most common way people mess up my name...sad.

Mistake number two: Tuh-saltas. 

I understand this one at least a little more. Because there is a "t" there. I get it. But it doesn't actually take up a whole syllable. Speaking of that...

Mistake number three: Saltas. 

The "t" is not silent. My dad always says, "It sounds like the word 'it's' without the 'i.'" I guess a lot of time if there is an extraneous-looking consonant at the beginning of a word, it's silent. But Tsaltas isn't one of them, so stop leaving the "t" off of my name! Poor lil consonant : (

Mistake number four: Saltazz. 

As in, rhymes with jazz. Just, no.

People also frequently misspell it, most of the time on awards when it is engraved into metal. So I have an array of things that say, "Tsaltis," or "Saltis," or "Saltas." People are going to think they're not my awards! Curses.

Restaurant reservations, etc., prove exceedingly difficult as well. Sometimes we'll just use first names. Because we're so damn tired of spelling our name, only to hear, "Wait what?" Yes, there is a "t" AND an "s." And prescriptions...Walgreens should know by now, but there is still the occasional mistake where they'll say, "We don't have a prescription for that name." And even though we already said, "Tsaltas, T-S," we have to repeat it. And lo, they have found the prescription! 

Anyone else have a difficult last name? I know boyfriend's name is pretty intimidating as well. And one of Suitemate's. Share yo stories with meh, friends!

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