This is directed primarily at BE native speakers. I am a native AE seaker. I hear my German friends saying thing all the time that sound slightly wrong to me by I am not sure whether they are making an error or just speaking BE.

For example, I hear all the time things like:

"I wonder what that person is called."

"What do you call your baby?"

These sound funny to AE ears. One must say in AE:

"I wonder what that person's name is."

"What's you baby's name."

"To be called" means, in AE, either

--to have something as a nickname; e.g.: "My name is Robert but you can call me 'Squiggy'."

--to say that someone can call you something that is not technically your name or to use an informal version of the name; e.g.: "My name is Robert, but you can call me 'Bob'." OR "Call my by my first name, since we are friends--call me 'Bob', 'not Mr. Smith'."

--to say what some inanimate object is called; e.g.: "Toyota calls their new hybrid the 'Prius'."

--to say how you say something in a different language; e.g.: In English, we call what you Germans call 'Latzhozen' 'Overalls'."

Am I right about the difference between BE and AE on this point, or are Germans just making Sprachfeher?