E as in Apple

At work, trying to get the spelling of someone's name to fill out a form (and talking in person to someone other than the woman whose name I was trying to get. And just to be clear, I was talking to an American-born English speaker with no speech impediments.)

Me: What's her name?
Woman: Mrcnfrmnra.
Me:  Sorry, what?
Woman: Mrcnfrmnra.
Me: Sorry, can you can spell that?
Woman: M-E, no I think, M-C.
Me [after writing M-C and waiting 5 seconds for her to go on]: Yes?  What comes after M-C?
Woman: N-E.
[I write N-E, then look up expectantly at her.  She smiles blankly back at me.]
Me:  What's next?
Woman: N-E.
Me: Another N-E?
Woman: N-E.
Me:  Right, I have one N-E -- is there another N-E?
Woman: N-E.
Me: Okay, so another N-E. [I write another N-E, bringing the total to MCNENE, which doesn't look like any last name I've seen before, but whatever]
Woman, shaking her head: No. N-E.
Me: I already have N-E.
Woman: N-E.
Me: There's a THIRD N-E? Mcnenene?
Woman E. E. As in Apple.
Me: E as in Apple?
Woman: Yes, N, E, as in apple.
Me:  A?
Woman: No, E.
Me  [erasing what I've written and replacing it with M-C-N-A, and then showing it to her]: Is this right?

[she nods]

Me: Great, so what's next?

Woman: N-E.
Me: Can you just say the whole name for me again?
Woman: Mrcnfrmnra.
Me, sighing.  Okay, so there's another N-E as in apple?
Woman: Yes. No. Wait.  M. M-E.

[I write M-E and she looks over my shoulder]

Woman: No, E as in apple.  They're all Es as in Apple.
Me: Gotcha. All Es as in apple. So M-C-N-A-M-A.....  Oh, is her name McNamara?
Woman: Yes.
Me:..... Great.