Kellners, Kellners Everywhere

As long as I can remember, my last name has been a problem. I remember my dad pronouncing it "Kneller, K N E L L E R" or sometimes "Kneller K N E double L E R".... Wondered why he did that. Didn't take long for me to find out. Probably the most common misheard version was "Miller". Don't know how many times if I just said "Kneller" (For those uninformed, the K is silent), the clerk would look and look and not be able to fine my file. Sometimes I would say "Kneller with a K". Well that would through them for a loop and I would need to start over. So I would then say, "It's like your knee, the K is silent". After fumbling around a bit they would then find the file and I would feel embarrassed as if it was my fault that they couldn't figure it out. Then comes the written version. I started putting a card, driver's license, or something that had my name written on it so we wouldn't have to go through all that. Invariably, they would then say "Oh, Kellner"... I do remember hearing my dad say, "Look at it" Where is the "n"? Tending to be a bit less confronting, I would go back to the "It's like your knee KNELLER". Of course I don't know why this confusion should surprise me. How many people do you know who pronounce "Pharynx" as Pharnyx or "Larynx" as Larnyx?????
So why am I boring you with my daily cross to bear? You see, the only time I had ever heard Kellner or saw it was when folks confused my name. I have been known to look in phone books for Knellers and Kellners and rarely found either one. Recently my world came crashing down. A new apartment complex went up on my route to work. This is the same route I've taken to work, hospitals, etc. for 19 years. Here is the sign in front of the complex:

I almost drove off the road. Of course at first, I thought it might be a relative, but quickly noted that the "n" was indeed after the "ll" and it was truly Kellner. You realize that now, all Knellers in the CU area now have our frustrations turned up a notch or 2 because there is no chance people will get our name correct now that they have seen this wretched sign. So should I call them and complain? Probably not. There may be a time that I do call them and ask them to read this post. Surely they will get a kick out of it.

Well that isn't the end of this tale. Last week Georgia and I finally got to take a trip to Door County, Wisconsin. We had gotten a late start and were nearing the end of the trip when lo and behold, a road popped up, then again, and again. Somewhere between Milwaukee and Green Bay Wisconsin there is a little town named ....... yes..... a town; Kellnersville. Anquish rose. There it is again. Why must I be tormented by these people? Here is some info: http://www.city-data.com/city/Kellnersville-Wisconsin.html Kellnersville

I'm trusting that all you Knellers whether by birth or by mate choice fully understand my problem. Only those female Knellers who "married out of the name" can chuckle as they escaped this issue. I know some really great people who carry the name (Kneller) and although we have traced our lineage to Bavaria, Sir Godfrey Kneller did his part to give us a bit of status in old England.  Godfrey Kneller
Of course, if you look too closely at him, you will get more confusion over the name. Gottfried Kniller
Kniller, Kneller, Kellner, Miller..... I give up. Guess I will continue to be Kneller K N E L L E R and just smile as I got through the process of getting folks to understand who I am. I must wonder how many young ladies hesitated before "taking" that name, or felt duped once they too realized the difficulty of bearing the name!!!