Of the 21 top swimmers on the synchronized swimming team that I coach, we have 4 swimmers named Alison, Alyson (Aly), Allison (Allie), and Alice. Tell me that's not confusing!! Especially when they are upside down underwater and we're calling their names on the underwater microphone ...

Sounds like my ballet class way back when: 5 Melissa's 4 Nicole's and one girl whose name I can't remember...
Maybe wollsucht (http://www.wollsucht.de/catalog/) still has some felted tweed in the right color? Since you'll be in germany anyway... (see, I can be totally normal ;-) )

I know the feeling - we 'Anne/Ann's go through something similar - there's nothing wrong with the spelling A-n-n - it's just that it's not my name.

Oh yes, Danielle, I've noticed that the name has become much more common than it was when I was a kid. I'm definitely introduced to a lot more children with that name than adults. Best of luck keeping them all straight! ;0)

I remember figuring out that 1% of the students with whom I went to college were named Al(l)ison. And yes, I do always ask, "how many l's?"

my sister is allyson (ally) and the poor thing could never find anything personalized with her name spelled right (remember how big personalized pencils were in grade school)...she always had to draw in an extra "L".

When I was in college, I liked this band "Alison With One". Apparently this is a common thing.

But then, I understand. I am clearly a Jenn with two N's. Those Jens with one are completely different.

I was one of five Katies in my first grade class, including another Katie S.... I ended up going to my middle name that year. And to top it off, I'm a Katharine, *not* a Katherine (as everyone wants to misspell it - I've had more misspelled IDs than I care to think about); and yes of course I compare with the other Kate/Katie/Katharines I meet. :) Not that many of us anymore - or is it a regional thing? I moved states a few years ago...

I'm a Kelli with an "i" -- I often get a "y" on the end. I'm due with a girl in the next few days/weeks and we're going to name her Allison -- two Ls just like Mom!

My Daughter is an Emily from the big Canadian Emily boom of the mid-nineties. All through preschool and elementary school there were always 3 or more Emily's in her class so she became known, always, as Emily A. This continued for so long that she began signing her xmas/mother's day/birthday cards to ME from "Emily A" Poor thing! We now live in a different province and don't know any Emily's in her age group here.

And it's the same with Lori/Laurie. Although now I've met a Lorie--and I can't believe how many Laura/Lora/Lara's there are, too, in my kids' classes (the moms--not the kids!)

Hi Alison,
I always ask the spelling of Alison, starting with one l or two. Merry Christmas from a long time reader of your blog and one l in return.
Alison

Cute!

We tend to call our friend Allison "LLLL," to distinguish her from Alison. :)

Its the same with megan/meagan/meghan/maygen/etc, etc...

at least I dont have one of the ie or y? names... :)

Well, you could use craft wire from somewhere like Michaels, or pipe cleaners from the dollar store. :)

(Or were you trying to remember where in the house you keep the wire?)

My Alison is an Allyson.

I'm a one-L Alison too ...

My favourite Alison story is from my first job, taking a test ride in one of the aircraft I was responsible for. The flight engineer as a lovely old guy, and I was probably young enough to be his granddaughter. He tried to trick me by asking 'how many Alisons are on the aircraft?" The correct answer was five - one inside the aircraft, and four Allison turboprops on the wings ;-)

I'm a Sarah with an H, and yes, it is the first thing we ask each other! Cute ornaments!

Oh yeah, Andrea, where in the house I put the wire. Help! ;0)

I luv these harry potter ornaments I have made them for all my harry loving friends for xmas this year....hehe
luv Abby

My daughter is a 2L but, her grandfather who she is named after, is a 1L.

Sarah beat me to my "Sarah with an H" comment.

I named my daughter Rachel (in '88) because I thought it was unusual without being weird...and then discovered that every other mother in the world felt the same way. By the time Rachel was in grade school she was one of six or seven Rachels in her grade.

I'm Sara, and in high school (many, many years ago) I had a good friend Sarah.

Love the ornaments!

It's the same with Michelle / Michele, too. :o)

I went through school with (at least, my mind fails me...) three other 2-L Michelles. In college, I earned the name 2-L because I was Michelle with 2 L's, to go along with Jennnnnn, who had 2 N's.

I'm Allison, not Alison, or Allyson, or Alyson, or Alicen, or any of those others!! One of my co-workers just told me this morning about the Elvis Costello song "Alison," and was just listening to it as I read your blog. You should go listen too, for all of us Al/l/i/y/sons in the world! :)

I have an Alice, but she is actually an
ALLIS. Two L's and all. When she was born in 95 Allison was a popular name so we dropped off the O and N and got Allis. I work with a woman who's daughter is Allison, but she is an ALICEN. Neat!!

Mine's Janis, so it is always asking if it is Janis with an S or a CE. :D

Commenting late on this post, but I had to -- I'm a 2-N Janna. There aren't many Janna/Jana's around, but way too many of them have only a single N!

Hope everyone's over their jet lag.....