Traditionally speaking

On the phone this morning, placing an order, giving the sales representative my credit card information when this little exchange took place:

First name on the card?

Alison

Is that traditionally spelled?

Yes.

So that's two Ls.

No, one L is the traditional spelling.

No, I actually believe that two Ls is traditional.

[sigh]

Well, according to my mother who selected the name and the spelling and who knows much more about these things than you or I ever would, the spelling of Alison with one L is traditional for first names, and Allison with two Ls is traditional spelling when it's the last name and this comes all the way from Canterbury Tales, which, by the way, was not published yesterday, so I think I can safely say that my first name is traditionally spelled, with one L, whether you actually believe it or not.

[or something like that]

Interesting. And your last name?

We carry on. But when we get to the name of the person I was ordering something for and I spell that out, here's what I heard:

Hmmmm. That's a unique way of spelling that name.

[Grrrrr]

Okay, seriously, quit your job and go to work for the next update of the Book of 10,000 Baby Names or something. Do it. Please.

Update: I didn't want to mention earlier in case she read this post before receiving the delivery, but the above conversation was with a florist as I was sending my friend a congratulatory bunch of flowers for passing her Series 7 Exam. My friend called earlier to thank me and laughing, she said, After all that, on the card your name is spelled incorrectly with two Ls. But mine is spelled right.