Say whuh?

My name, Thane Plambeck, is not an easy one for people to recognize, write down, or otherwise deploy with any confidence. To all of you who have suffered in this way, my sincerest apologies. Together, we can only hope to make the best of a difficult situation.

Once I ordered checks for a new bank account. They came back imprinted

THANE PLAUBFUC

This was a chance to have a bit of fun. I called the bank.

THANE: Hi, I just got some personal checks for a new account I've opened, and my name is misspelled. Maybe you could send me some new ones?

REPRESENTATIVE: OK, no problem. What is the account number?

(I told her my account number. This was exactly how I hoped this interaction would go. My goal was to solicit a pronunciation of the last name...)

REPRESENTATIVE: OK, I've got it in front of me here. What is the mistake?

THANE: Well, the first name is correct. Ah, I've forgotten what it says for the last name, um, do you have it there?

REPRESENTATIVE: (Long pause). Let's see, P-L-A-U-B-F-U-C...
Um...PLAUB...FOOK?

THANE: (Apologetically) Yes. Well, one mistake is that my last name ends with a 'K'. (Pause). There are, of course, other mistakes also...

Computers have been known to express skepticism also:

DID YOU MEAN: Thane Plambic

{AltaVista Search Engine, 10 September 2002}

Here are some other names and responses I've encountered:

Thorn Clinebell
Shane Plumback
Tang Plamkley (see graphic above)
Dave Planter
Tom Clambake

"Thing?! Did you say THING? "

"Thane Earl Plambeck? Is that an anagram or something?"

I don't know...Why don't you ask the ALPHABET NAME CLERK?
Do it fast though...last time the PRANK BECAME LETHAL.

More...

BLACK EARTHMEN LEAP
TALK, RAMBLE, CHEAPEN
BE CALM, ARK ELEPHANT

Personal motto...

If urethane, then who am I?

Once I tried to pass myself off as someone from Thailand named Than-Ep Lambeck, but failed.

Here's a Google-derived gallery of ten other people named Thane.

Note added 24 August 2004: A misspelling with an accent.

Note added 14 Feb 2006: Plane Plambeck.

Note added 6 Mar 2006: You're so Thain.

Note added 8 July 2006: Walter Thane Baker.