Another one-name post

[notuninvisible.livejournal.com]

I feel like I should post more lists and less just one name at a time, but today in Starbucks the woman in front of me was named Uiyula. (Ou-ee-you-la). And then on that cheesy little map they have where you can stick a pin on where in the world you're from, she put hers in Alaska. So I Googled it, and as I thought, it's Native American. Specifically, it's Inupiaq for whirlwind.

The cockles of my heart are always warmed by Native Americans who have untranslated names. But the workers in the aforementioned Starbucks whined about it not being a real name and being really hard to say, which surprised me because firstly, it IS a real name, and secondly... it's not that hard for me to pronounce. But that might just be me.

Thoughts?

Comments

[satunian.livejournal.com]

When a customer orders a drink, they're required as part of the customer service thing, to0 go through a spiel, including upselling an item that you probably don't want and asking for a name to put on the drink. Asking for a name A) allows the customer to feel "personally welcome" (or so Starbucks thinks) B) ensures the customer gets the drink they ordered, especially in times where you're making 20 different drinks for 20 different people who are all standing around not paying attention anyway, and what should happen but Jane picks up Joe's extra sweet with whip caramel macchiato and goes into a tirade on the barista saying "THIS ISN'T THE SUGAR FREE SKINNY VANILLA LATTE I ORDERED" while the barista is thinking "I know, because that drink WASN'T FOR YOU, moron" and C) also discourages shrink from customers because once they reveal a name to go with the face, suddenly it seems the employees are way more aware of you. Though generally that only discourages people already uneasy about theft.

It's a policy many other food and beverage service places employ as well, especially when you don't have servers bringing food to you.