Why names matter

A person's name is likely the one word most closely tied to their sense of self and identity, often linking to their family, culture and heritage. People frequently mispronounce or misspell my name, and I repeatedly correct them (despite discomfort on both sides) because it is my name—an integral part of who I am, my identity and I demand that it be respected.

Often people belonging to ethnic minorities and bearing non-European names that may feel unfamiliar or unusual for some people to pronounce create a Western name or intentionally mispronounce their own name in order to make it easier for other people to pronounce.

This can be viewed as a thoughtful and considerate thing to do, but I would argue that we can learn how to pronounce any person's name, just as we learn to pronounce words in a language. The language will not change to suit our preferences and comfort level, and neither should a person bend their identity in order to make it easier for another person or even to avoid the annoyance of people repeatedly mispronouncing it (though I understand how frustrating that can be). Making the effort to say a person's name correctly is a matter of respect.