Research & Resources

Behind the experience of having diverse or frequently mispronounced names, there is science, resources, and news coverage that explores and outlines the impact that our names have on our identity. This list continues to be updated. Check it out!

Research

Dali S, Atasuntseva A, Shankar M, et al. Say My Name: Understanding the Power of Names, Correct Pronunciation, and Personal Narratives. MedEdPORTAL. 2022;18:11284. doi:10.15766/mep_2374-8265.11284
Kohli R, Solórzano DG. Teachers, please learn our names!: racial microagressions and the K-12 classroom. Race Ethnicity and Education. 2012;15(4):441-462. doi:10.1080/13613324.2012.674026
Mitterer H. A "names-as-fixed-effect fallacy" in studies of name-based racial discrimination. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Sep 20;119(38):e2209603119. Epub 2022 Aug 16. PMID: 35972975; PMCID: PMC9499510. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2209603119.
Najjar R, Noone J, Reifenstein K. Supporting an Inclusive Environment Through Correct Name Pronunciation. Nurse Educ. 2023;48(1):19-23. doi:10.1097/NNE.0000000000001285
Newman EJ, Sanson M, Miller EK, Quigley-McBride A, Foster JL, Bernstein DM, Garry M. People with easier to pronounce names promote truthiness of claims. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 26;9(2):e88671. PMID: 24586368; PMCID: PMC3935838. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088671.

Resources & News

Carnegie Mellon University: Phonetic Spelling Instructions. https://www.cmu.edu/hub/registrar/docs/phonetic-spelling-instructions.pdf
A teacher mispronouncing a student’s name can have a lasting impact. PBS NewsHour. Published May 16, 2016. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/a-teacher- mispronouncing-a-students-name-can-have-a-lasting-impact
McMASTER G. Getting foreign names right matters, psychology study shows. https://www.ualberta.ca/folio/2020/01/getting-foreign-names-right-matters-psychology-study- shows.html
How We Pronounce Student Names, and Why it Matters. Cult of Pedagogy. https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/gift-of-pronunciation/
M.Ed AH. Mispronouncing Your Non-White Students’ Names is a Racist Act. Medium. Published March 24, 2020. https://medium.com/@msalihodge/mispronouncing-your- non-white-students-names-is-a-racist-act-567dc33a8bdf
Gay R. Say My Name, Say My Name, Say My Name (Correctly!). The New York Times. Published September 4, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/04/business/how-do-you-pronounce.html.
Say my name: The importance of name pronunciation | Department of Medicine News. https://mednews.uw.edu/news/say-my-name
Communications NW. Study Finds People With Easy-to-Pronounce Names Are Favored. http://www.nyu.edu/content/nyu/en/about/newspublications/news/2012/april/study- finds-people-with-easy-to-pronounce-names-are-favored
Lynch M. The Lasting Impact of Mispronouncing Students’ Names. The Edvocate. Published June 25, 2019. https://www.theedadvocate.org/the-lasting-impact-of- mispronouncing-students-names/
McLaughlin C. The Lasting Impact of Mispronouncing Students’ Names | NEA. https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/lasting-impact-mispronouncing-students-names
The My Name, My Identity Campaign. https://www.mynamemyidentity.org/
Roy K, Ali Z, Kumar M. The racist practice of mispronouncing names. Published March 21, 2019. https://www.kuow.org/stories/a-rose-by-any-other-name-would-not-be-me
UC Irvine-led study finds ‘truthiness’ in people’s names. UCI News. Published February 26, 2014. https://news.uci.edu/2014/02/26/uc-irvine-led-study-finds-truthiness-in- peoples-names/
Gurchiek K. Want to Be Inclusive? Learn How to Pronounce Other People’s Names. SHRM. Published October 20, 2021. https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr- topics/behavioral-competencies/global-and-cultural-effectiveness/pages/want-to-be-inclusive-learn- how-to-pronounce-other-peoples-names-.aspx
Lombardo C, Wazwaz N. What Listeners Told Us About The Importance Of Getting Names Right. NPR. Published May 2, 2021. https://www.npr.org/2021/05/02/989609197/what-listeners-told-us-about-the-importance-of- getting-names-right.
What’s In a Name? Kind of a Lot. PostBourgie. Published February 26, 2013. http://www.postbourgie.com/2013/02/26/whats-in-a-name-kind-of-a-lot/
Nathoo Z. Why getting a name right matters. https://www.bbc.com /worklife/article/20210108-the-signals-we-send-when-we-get-names-wrong
Panwar R. Why Getting Someone’s Name Right Matters. Harvard Business Review. Published online January 11, 2022. https://hbr.org/2022/01/why-getting-someones-name- right-matters
Why it matters when you mispronounce your student’s name | EAB. Published August 23, 2018. https://eab.com/insights/daily-briefing/academic-affairs/why-it-matters- when-you-mispronounce-your-students-name/
Why mispronouncing a name can undermine a student’s identity – and how to help. Vox. Published June 1, 2020. https://www.vox.com/ad/21272071/name-mispronunciation-student-education-microaggression-classroom