Though it took place nearly 45 years ago, I remember it like yesterday. We were on our way home from church and our son, then about five years old, was standing up right behind our front seat (yes, this was unsafe but we didn’t know that yet) telling us about his Sunday school experience.

At one point Dirk asks, “Dad, how do we say our name?”

“What?” I asked.

“Well, I thought we said it ‘HYOOS-muhn’ but my Sunday school teacher calls me Dirk ‘HIGHS-muhn.”

It was time for my boy to learn the facts of life about his surname. We worshipped at a Reformed Church in America ̶ originally the Dutch Reformed Church. Many members were from Sioux County in northwest Iowa which is heavily populated with families of Dutch heritage.

First of all,” I began, “when there’s a meal involved we answer to anything. However, our family pronounces our name ‘HYOOS-muhn.’ Your teacher is from Sioux County where they pronounced it ‘HIGHS-muhn. That’s how it is pronounced in the Pella area, too.”

Dirk seemed to get that so I continued.

“Some folks in Sioux County pronounce our name “HOYS-muhn.’ In the Netherlands, where our name originated, it is also often pronounced ‘HOUS-muhn.’ And in France they pronounce our name “HWEES-muhn.’

“Some relatives,” I continued, “pronounced our name “HOOS-muhn.”

By this time my son’s five-year-old mind had wandered to another subject so I shut up.

My wife struggled with some of the Dutch names at our church. She eventually learned how to pronounce TeStroete (teh-STROOT-eh,) Van Roekel (van ROO-kuhl,) van de Zandschulp (van-dee-ZAND-skuhlp,) Oostenink (OHSS-ten-ink) and a few others.

In our American melting pot surnames are wide-ranging and pronounced in many ways.

I began my news career in radio where pronunciation of names is critical. It took a while but I became familiar with most family names in our coverage area but there was always a new one to complicate things. Even more frustrating are those names that are spelled the same but pronounced differently.

Take Schroeder, for instance. I know Schroeders who pronounce their name ‘SHROW-der’ and I also know Schroeders who pronounce their name “SHRAY-der.” The trick is to know one family from another.

Then there are our Eastern European friends. The surname of a colleague in Sioux City was Olkiewicz, a rather common Polish name. However, it took me a while to learn how to pronounce and spell it. Ironically, the name is pronounced much like it looks: ‘OHL-kee-wits.’

There’s an old joke about a Polish guy who goes to the eye doctor. The doctor asks him to read the chart on the wall. The guy reads it ̶ LDCZOTEP ̶ and says, “Hey, I know that guy!”

Our Greek friends have some challenging surnames, too. I once knew a man whose last name was Papadopoulos – ‘PAP-uh-DOP-uh-luhss…’ I think.

Another colleague at the Sioux City Journal- Mike Casuscelli — was of Italian heritage. I learned how to pronounced his name –‘CASS-uh-SELL-ee” – before I learned to spell it.

I love genealogy and have much of my family traced back to the 17th century, some even back to the 15th century. Remembering some unusual names from the family tree I double-checked to see if there are any really difficult-to-pronounce names hanging from the branches. There are.

I have a five-great grandmother whose maiden name was Tjaberich Aeissen. On another branch is a five-great grandmother whose name was Tryne Lynemennss.

I guess a name like Huisman isn’t all that difficult. Still, combined with an unusual first name, it gets butchered frequently. I’ve been called Avid Hussman, Arid Houseman and Ervid Houston. I have also been called much worse so I don’t get upset with innocent mispronunciations.

The fact remains, our names are important to us so when I meet someone for the first time I try hard to remember their name and ̶ if it’s an unusual name ̶ try to pronounce it correctly.

If my name stumps you, it’s not a problem. Just don’t call me late to supper.