How do YOU spell the Libyan dictator's name?

[Hawker007]

I think I have literally seen 18 different spelling of this guy's name:

Ghadaffi
Q'adaffi
Khadaffy


I think it has become a running joke on all the news channels to find new ways to spell it each day. Anybody know the reason why there are so many different spellings?

[thedeerehunter]

Dildo

[Hoopo]

Mainly it's because the AP stylebook changes over time. But not all news organizations follow the AP, hence various spellings.

Not 100% sure, but I think the rise of Aljazeera English may be having an impact here, with an English spelling that is more correct to Arabic.

Plus all proper nouns change over time within various cultures. The historical figure we call Columbus is called Columbo in Spain and Italy. Kansas was frequently spelled Kanzas on territorial maps.

I spell Moammar Khadaffi, btw, which I think was AP style around the time Reagan sent warplanes into Libya, c. 1986.

[IceHawkE]

Al Jazeera spells it "Gaddafi" so I am going to go with that.