all the spell checkers I use ASK me if I want to spell the word the way I did, and offer to change it, and sometimes I add a form I don't want it to ask about again...(nite)..because I intend to use that at times.

If you REALLY wish to explore common usage and try several versions of a word..(especially an unusual word), simple use a major search engine. It works like a Delphic survey, and reports on hundreds, thousands, or millions of WWW uses of the word or phrase. You can usually discern the 'best' spelling, but you can also tell if alternate spellings are common, rare or non-existant. (Rhondda got 20928 hits, 'Rhnda' got 8...but Rhonda got 319392!! Which tells me that 'Rhondda' is a serious word with a special use....and a brief look at the first few dozen 'Rhonda's, make it plain than this form is almost always a woman's name.

Of course, all this assumes you care...and some indicate that it is very much like categorizing music to them....they'd just rather not bother.

Now, as to English vs. American spellings, you can choose your spell checker to reflect your preferences...(I prefer American, because English 'usually' has MORE letters (color-colour), and I am lazy. *grin*