Captain of an medium large transport suggests name change of similar sounding arrival fix names.

Attributes
ACN	331406
Time
Date	199603
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mcw
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 13000
ASRS Report	331406
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

No incident. This is to alert you to a possible problem due to 2 intxns on the msp meinz 7 arrival. The canen and conom intxns are both on the meinz 7. The controller who gave us the canen restr (10000 ft) was so busy with traffic, and spoke so rapidly, that canen was not distinguishable from conom! As a suggestion, the conom name should be changed to one not similar to canen. I did make a radio comment about the possible name confusion during a 'quiet time.' there was no comment from the controller. I realize the 'a' in canen could be pronounced long or short which then relies on the ending 'north' or 'M' for differentiation of intxns: too much risk for my liking, especially during msp 'bank time'/WX and ATC workload.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN MLG SUGGESTS NAME CHANGE OF SIMILAR SOUNDING ARR FIX NAMES.

Narrative: NO INCIDENT. THIS IS TO ALERT YOU TO A POSSIBLE PROB DUE TO 2 INTXNS ON THE MSP MEINZ 7 ARR. THE CANEN AND CONOM INTXNS ARE BOTH ON THE MEINZ 7. THE CTLR WHO GAVE US THE CANEN RESTR (10000 FT) WAS SO BUSY WITH TFC, AND SPOKE SO RAPIDLY, THAT CANEN WAS NOT DISTINGUISHABLE FROM CONOM! AS A SUGGESTION, THE CONOM NAME SHOULD BE CHANGED TO ONE NOT SIMILAR TO CANEN. I DID MAKE A RADIO COMMENT ABOUT THE POSSIBLE NAME CONFUSION DURING A 'QUIET TIME.' THERE WAS NO COMMENT FROM THE CTLR. I REALIZE THE 'A' IN CANEN COULD BE PRONOUNCED LONG OR SHORT WHICH THEN RELIES ON THE ENDING 'N' OR 'M' FOR DIFFERENTIATION OF INTXNS: TOO MUCH RISK FOR MY LIKING, ESPECIALLY DURING MSP 'BANK TIME'/WX AND ATC WORKLOAD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.