I remember ever since elementary school, there would be students who would not wait for their names to be called out completely or even at all. The teacher (or substitute teacher) would glance at the name on the roster, scrunch their eyebrows, and make a nervous face. On cue, the student whose name that would inevitably be butchered would raise their hand. They would pronounce their name, removing the teacher’s task of having to try and a wave of relief would wash over the teacher’s face. This would become a routine. Sometimes, the student would add, “You can just call me [insert shortened version or replacement of name].” I always found this need to sacrifice one's name for the convenience of others to be unfortunate, and I naively thought that I would not see or experience this once I finished my years of schooling and university. 

During my first Registered Nurse position, I encountered many variations of my name. I was always astounded at how my first name could be butchered when it is just four letters long. After a few instances of correcting my colleagues, I decided that it was no longer worth my time and energy. Although it bothered me, I tried to move past it and solely focus on what needed to be done at work. In hindsight, there were definitely ways in which I could have better addressed the situation. For instance, I could have temporarily used a name tag for the phonetic pronunciation of my name. The correct pronunciation of a name matters greatly and is imperative to foster healthy work environments and professional relationships.

Ruchika Tulshyan, author of The Diversity Advantage: Fixing Gender Inequality In The Workplace and the founder of Candour (an inclusion strategy firm) said it best in Harvard Business Review. “Learning to pronounce a colleague’s name correctly is not just a common courtesy, but it’s an important effort in creating an inclusive workplace, one that emphasizes psychological safety and belonging.” Tulshyan expounds on multiple ways to avoid name mispronunciation. The first way is to politely ask the person to pronounce their name and to listen carefully and intently. Afterwards, you can also ask if you are saying it correctly. There are also websites aimed at helping people pronounce names properly (e.g., https://www.pronouncenames.com/). Tulshyan also states, “Once you’ve heard the correct pronunciation, thank the person and move on. Don’t spend a long time talking about how unfamiliar you are with their name.” This unnecessary perseveration can ultimately make the person feel more excluded and isolated. In addition, if you are introducing someone in any public forum, make a note for yourself on the correct pronunciation and rehearse it. When you realize that you have been mispronouncing a name, apologize without delay and make a note to pronounce it correctly going forward! Be an ally and step in to gently correct someone else if they are mispronouncing a colleague’s name. 

Nurse Columnist Rima Parikh is a psychiatric RN and an MSN-FNP graduate of Simmons University. She is passionate about public health and community outreach, and hopes to be a mentor to other young nurses and nursing students.