There are words that always make me hesitate, which is something I tell businesspeople who take my writing classes when they worry about getting every word right.
For example, I always pause and think twice when I write "food desert" for an article--one, because it's not my favorite bit of jargon and I'd love to delete it, and two, because "food dessert" sounds a lot more appealing.
My niece Coral is a victim of this brand of confusion all the time. She rides in horse shows. And I've yet to hear the ring announcer who doesn't introduce her as "Corral."
On the plus side, it inspired us to support Corral while Coral was competing in a two-day event at the North Carolina equestrian center. Corral is a nonprofit organization that makes riding available to girls who might not have the chance otherwise, giving these girls a chance to build confidence and excel in other areas of life, as well.
But maybe you should expect a few pronunciation hitches when you name a kid Coral. I was about to call it just deserts....or should that be just desserts. I paused and thought about it. No, surely I don't mean "only the sweet stuff after the main course." I Googled for backup. And for the effort, got exactly what I deserved.