Is it just me? "Miss" prefix before my first name makes me feel old.

AprilSun

AprilSun

Senior Member
I have wondered for some time, if anyone besides me feels this way. When someone calls me for example, "Miss AprilSun" it makes me feel so old. :( I would rather just be called by my name without the Miss. I know I'm old but I don't like to be reminded. I have friends that have their grandchildren call me that. Am I the only one that feels this way? I was just curious about it and thought I would ask everyone here.
 

What's funny is a lot of people my age and older put the Miss in front of my name and they don't do it with other people we know, Next time I see some of these people, I'm going to ask them why do they do that, it's a little weird and they know I'm not older, they just automatically do it for some strange reason.
 
Funny that, April. I always think that Miss indicates youth, not age. Family friends are often called Auntie XXX to avoid the children sounding overly familiar. My aunt, who never married, was known universally as Auntie Sheila but I prefer children to just use my christian name as long as the tone is respectful.
 

AprilSun said:
I have wondered for some time, if anyone besides me feels this way. When someone calls me for example, "Miss AprilSun" it makes me feel so old. :( I would rather just be called by my name without the Miss. I know I'm old but I don't like to be reminded. I have friends that have their grandchildren call me that. Am I the only one that feels this way? I was just curious about it and thought I would ask everyone here.
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I agree, OP. I started noticing it about 10-15 yrs ago, and I don’t like it – so No, it’s not just you. (btw I'm in Ohio so I'm not sure it's geographical) I can understand when adults are trying to each manners to young children – but many times I’ve heard it from people in their 30s and older. When/if they call me “Miss (my first name)” I say “Oh, you can call me (my first name.” If it's someone I'm not going to interact with again, I just let it go.

I’ve also heard it used when addressing men. The neighbor of one of my brothers asked “Mr. (his first name), mind if I borrow your lawnmower?”

I was told by a few people it’s supposed to indicate respect. :shrug:
 
Miss/Mrs/Ms, whatever. Yes, Miss is an unmarried woman, Mrs. is married, and Ms. can be either. I think most of us know that. :)

I believe the OP is referring to people who say (Miss/Mrs/Ms) then use first name. ("MIss Mary" vs "Miss/Mrs/Ms Smith). That's the way I understood it, and that's what I was referring to in my post.
 
I have always preferred to be called by my Christian name (Kay) rather than Mrs ....Most professionals will now call you by your Christian name if you request them to address you by that ..
I was brought up to call adults by Mr or Mrs, We Also had lots of aunts and uncles that were not related to us
 
applecruncher said:
Miss/Mrs/Ms, whatever. Yes, Miss is an unmarried woman, Mrs. is married, and Ms. can be either. I think most of us know that. :)

I believe the OP is referring to people who say (Miss/Mrs/Ms) then use first name. ("MIss Mary" vs "Miss/Mrs/Ms Smith). That's the way I understood it, and that's what I was referring to in my post.
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In that case .... I prefer children address me by Mrs.. and my Surname.. NOT my given name..

As a side note... My parents were sticklers on a child NOT using an adult's first name.. always used Mr. or Mrs... Surname.. However, my parents had close friends that I called Uncle or Auntie.. even if we were not related.. THEN I could use the first name.. Uncle Joe... Or Auntie Millie...
 
Nobody ever knows how to pronounce my last name. My first is easy to say. So, at the doctor's office I usually hear "Mrs. uh...um...uh....mmmm....Miss (Jujube)?"

I was in the healthcare profession for many years. Often, the question of how to address a patient arose. Some offices felt that calling a patient in by using his/her first name was more "confidential" than using the last name. At my urologist, where about 80% of the patients are male and many have...uh....rather personal problems, you're called in by "Number ______?, number ______?"
 
I only experienced someone calling me Miss before my first name a couple of times by a coworker years ago. He was not that much younger than me, so I just assumed it was a form of respect, and not necessarily of old age. I do believe that Miss before a first name has southern roots.
 
Here using a patient's first name without being requested to do do is considered disrespectful.. I have always addressed a patient as Mrs. Lastname... Or Mr. Lastname unless the patient requested otherwise. There have been times I have asked a patient what they preferred to be called.. To just use a first name without having permission is rude. You have to remember that a patient is subjected to so many indignities as a normal course of treatment.. This is one area that they are allowed to make the decision even if it is something as simple as how they are addressed.
 
Well, I'm talking about people I interact with in a social setting, who even hug me up, kiss me on the cheek, I've known for a few years and so on, they just have a habit of referring to me that way and not anyone else in the group. I understand formalities and usage, my mother taught me well in that sense, I happen to had been very formal in speech for many years when addressing people, I was brought up with a lot of proper southern habits which followed me for a long time. Yes and please and thank yous and all that stuff which I was teased for, but, that's not me anymore and it's not the people who I'm referring to who seem to be addressing me this way so often which is why I find it weird. But even a couple of very close friends will refer to me that way sometimes, but, I know why they do it, the britches.

To be clear, I don't feel offended, it's just comes off strange because it seems I'm the only one they say this to, at least in my circle or in my earshot.

PS and their using my first name, not my last name when they use the Miss. These are mostly other single people doing this, my age or older, sometimes younger, but mostly my social circle.
 


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