AITA for not correcting my teacher when she got my name wrong which lead to embarrassing her in front of the entire school and losing $50?

Jonathan Hours
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In a bustling school auditorium, a teenage girl cringes as her math teacher, Ms. Lime, smugly calls out “June-uh” during a name-guessing contest. Joona, pronounced “Doon-uh,” has long used the nickname “June” to sidestep confusion, but Ms. Lime’s refusal to use it leads to a public flub, costing her $50 and a slice of pride. This Reddit tale weaves a quirky clash of identity and authority, with Joona caught in the crossfire.

Readers can feel the awkwardness of the moment and Joona’s quiet dilemma. Was she wrong to stay silent, or was her teacher’s ego the real misstep?

‘AITA for not correcting my teacher when she got my name wrong which lead to embarrassing her in front of the entire school and losing $50?’

I have a pretty confusing name. My name is Joona ('June-uh') but it's said Doona ('Doon-uh'). Apparently my mom was really into fortune tellers when she was pregnant and she was told I was going to be a boy, then she refused to see what gender I really was because ' Fortune tellers are never wrong!' and ' I trust her'.

Welp fortune tellers are a scam, I'm a girl and pregnancy hormones are wack. However my mom had planned my name to be Joon-gi in honor of her brother Joon-ho. Well obviously I'm not a boy so my mom as creative as she was(thx mom), named me Joona. However as you can tell the pronunciation doesn't exactly match the spelling.

Usually I get a 'HUUUUH WHERE'S THE D' and people freaking out and saying 'I'M SOOOOO ASIAN'(????). Even worse is the fact that everyone knows my older brother, John and my younger brother Jim. Then our names get compared and it's just an entirely other thing(thx dad). So to solve this problem I just use a nickname, 'June'.

Sounds like Joon and ironically enough, I was born in June so it really fits. My mom also doesn't care because once again 'June' and 'Joon' but she still calls me Doona. My dad calls me Joonie Doonie which my friend make fun of me for but parent pet name, amirite? I also never correct teacher when they say my name wrong, I just say 'you can call me June' which most do.

Apparently that doesn't work with all teachers because when I met my math teacher this year, 'Ms.lime' she said June wouldn't work for her. 'Nicknames are childish so she doesn't use them' and well I didn't want to start the whole Doona mess again so I just let her call me Joona. Well fast forward to friday and there was this teacher competition to lift up morals or something.

It was about 'how much do you know about your students?' , one part of the competition was remembering all your students names. Well Ms.lime was tied with one other teacher and she had to guess my name. The other teacher got her students name right so if Ms.lime got it right there would be a tie breaker which Ms.lime was sure to win.

Anyways as you can probably guess she called me 'June-uh' and was all smug until our principal said she was wrong. She said she wasnt and asked the principal to put me up on the stage. I came up and confirmed my name was said 'Doon-uh' and Joona was just how it was spelt. The thing is Ms.lime made a big fit about her being right before I came up the stage.

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So yeah people were kind of laughing and Ms.lime was embarrassed and had lost the $50. Fast forward and my mom gets an email about how disrespectful it was for me to LIE about my name for so long and cause her to lose the $50 which is a teacher's way of telling you you're an A**hole. My friend says I'm the AH and so does my brother . So AITA?

This auditorium showdown isn’t just about a mispronounced name—it’s a lesson in respect and communication gone awry. Joona offered “June” to simplify things, but Ms. Lime’s dismissal of nicknames as “childish” shut down dialogue, setting the stage for her own embarrassment. Her reaction—blaming Joona for the $50 loss—points to deflected accountability.

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Educational psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck notes, “Teachers who foster open communication create environments where students feel safe to share” . Studies show 30% of students with uncommon names face mispronunciation issues, impacting their sense of belonging . Ms. Lime’s refusal to engage with Joona’s preference created a barrier, not a bridge.

This reflects a broader issue: the power dynamics in classrooms. Joona’s hesitation to correct her teacher stems from fear of confrontation, common among teens. Ms. Lime could’ve asked for clarification privately, fostering trust. For Joona, practicing assertive communication, perhaps with a counselor’s guidance, could help.

See what others had to share with OP:

Reddit users didn’t hold back, knitting together sharp takes with a thread of empathy. Here’s what they had to say about this name-game fiasco.

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EleanorOfAquitaine- - NTA. Of course you’re not. Nicknames are not childish. MANY adults go by them. Could you have told her how to pronounce your name? Sure, but I would guess she’d have pronounced it with the J-sound regardless. As a side note, I feel your pain: I have an unusual name as well & I’m in the middle of two brothers with completely “normal” names. It builds character...I promise.

[Reddit User] - NTA. You are not the first person (and won't be the last) to lie to a teacher about your name for simplicity's sake. It seems a little silly to not correct her but doesn't make you the AH. Fast forward and my mom gets an email about how disrespectful it was for me to LIE about my name for so long and cause her to lose the $50 which is a teacher's way of telling you you're an A**hole

Your teacher isn't saying she's hurt she didn't know your real name or feels bad or anything. She is saying not knowing your name cost her $50. You're not an AH, she's just an immature sore loser that couldn't let go of her loss.

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Theresajanehall - I be passing that email on to the teacher's bosses who might not be to happy about a teachers not knowing their students names and now is blaming them for their actions.

noctevespertilio - NTA. It's her own problem if she didn't bother to ask how it was pronounced. Nicknames are very very common, especially ones that don't follow people's actual names, and it also wasn't right for her to reject your request.

TragicWolves17 - NTA. You gave her a nickname to use and she called it childish, then refused to use it. It’s also not your fault that she never bothered to ask if she even had the pronunciation wrong

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Solrackai - You are NTA, and your teacher is sort of an ass for taking this so personally. And I really enjoyed reading your post, it just oozed personality.

GullahGullahGirl - You are Absolutely NOT the A**hole! I have had similar experiences growing up ( my name is Tangela, rhymes with Angela). I have had enough teachers and other adults express to me that my name is too 'ethnic' and embarrassed me in front of a class or other group of people,

so I learned to use my nickname or just answer to whatever bastardization of my name is easiest for the teachers. As soon as this teacher said that she refused to use nicknames because they are childish, I too would have made the decision to just let it go and move on, to avoid any discomfort for either of us.

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I think the teacher was embarrassed and instead of learning from the moment. She harbored in hurt feelings and the loss of $50... But Woe Be Unto Her had she contacted my Mother to complain about not winning $50 as opposed to feeling as if she were unable to make a genuine connection with one of her students!. Again, You Are NOT The A**hole! And your name is as Beautiful as you are Sweetness!

neonfuzzball - NTA The key thing here is that your teacher created a situation, because of her ego and authority. You gave her the name you prefer to be called, and she dismissed it \*and made it clear that your preferences would not be taken into consideration and that the teacher's authority over your name was absolute\*

While it's not her fault she didn't know your proper pronunciation per se, in the end this is her fault because she came out of the gate and created a situation where a student was so uncomfortable that they didn't feel they COULD inform the teacher.

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Think of it this way: say you have a friend who is diabetic and needs to eat a snack during class. You have a substitute teacher who doesn't know this. Sub comes in, and yells at every student who asks a question or points out something that is 'wrong' with how the lesson is being taught.

Sub yells at people for sneaking snacks, screaming 'there is NO REASON you can't all wait until lunch!' Your friend therefore is afraid to mention their medical exception. Is it the subs fault if your friend suffers from low blood sugar incident? Most people say no, because the sub technically didn't know.

But in truth the answer is yes- the teacher is the adult, who has so much power in this situation. Their job is not just to dictate lessons, they are responsible for the classroom and the children's wellbeing in it. Part of that is making sure the classroom is a safe space.

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Kids aren't just learning to read and do long division, they are learning how to be adults. They need that safe space where they can speak up. Your teacher failed at classroom management, and got penalized for it. She's just embarassed her poor ability to relate to students became public.

eugenesnewdream - INFO: So you never actually told Ms. Lime that your name is pronounced Doona? I mean, even if she'd agreed to call you June, she wouldn't have had any way of knowing your real name?

[Reddit User] - NTA!! A full grown adult should’ve respected what you wanted to be called the first time. It’s her fault for being too stubborn and prideful to care about your preferred pronunciation — not yours for correcting. She’s just trying to pin the blame of her bad habits on you :/

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From slamming the teacher’s stubbornness to cheering Joona’s low-key approach, these comments are lively but pointed. Do they unravel the issue, or just tangle it up further?

This story of a mispronounced name and a teacher’s bruised ego highlights how small misunderstandings can spark big moments. Joona’s choice to let “June-uh” slide wasn’t malicious, but Ms. Lime’s refusal to listen set her up for a fall. Was Joona wrong to stay quiet, or was the teacher’s rigidity the real blunder? What would you do if your name caused a public mix-up? Drop your thoughts and name tales below!

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