What’s in a Name? The Importance of Names as it Connects to Identity
In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, H/Co’s Kylie Murphy reflects on the importance of names as it connects to identity and provides tips on how to support the AAPI community.
To truly celebrate and honor Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month this May, it’s important to distinguish that the Asian community is not a monolith, but a group filled with a variety of cultures, traditions, nationalities, and significant differences between them. And one of the ways you can uplift AAPI voices all year round is by understanding the importance of embracing people’s authentic identities in the United States.
A lot’s in a name. It’s an important aspect of someone’s identity. It’s a first impression. It can hint at the person’s ethnicity or cultural background. It’s a source of pride. Nonetheless, AAPI folks, like many other under-represented groups, have often had to deal with people mispronouncing their names while learning to navigate classrooms and workplaces. Are people just too lazy to care? Or are they blissfully unaware of how much names matter? Intentionally or unintentionally, this can be considered a microaggression at best and blatant racism at worst, on top of being emotionally taxing.
As a Chinese adoptee, I deeply relate to the constant microaggressions and occasional outright racism. Growing up in a predominantly white community in a small town in Iowa, I wasn’t very interested in learning about my culture since I was too worried about trying to fit in. Since transracial adoptees are of a different race or ethnicity than their adoptive parents, they provide a unique perspective because oftentimes they feel “in-between” both cultures.
For a long time, Asians have often been told to internalize these emotions, silently eroding our identity. Since the 19th century, Asian Americans have Anglicized and changed the pronunciation or spelling of their first names in an effort to fit in. According to Ellen Wu, a history professor and author of The Color of Success: Asian Americans and the Origins of the Model Minority, assimilation and integration were a way to combat racism since the mid-20th century, but it came at a hefty cost. This was done in order to blend in and make it easier for Westerners to pronounce their names or prevent any potential bullying due to mispronunciations or teasing.
However, in recent years there’s been a cultural reawakening and many Asian Americans are reclaiming their birth names, and adoptees are legally changing their names to their names given at birth or claiming a name that aligns more with their heritage. As a country, we have made some positive progress with diversity and inclusivity, but as seen by the escalating attacks on Asian Americans, there is obviously a lot of work that needs to be done.
I feel connected to my family since my full name is of Irish origin and all of our first names start with “K,” but sometimes I feel disconnected from my culture and identity due to not having a Chinese name. I was arbitrarily given a Chinese name by my orphanage but there wasn’t any meaning behind it. Since moving to Chicago, I’ve been making a more intentional effort to learn about my culture and connect with other adoptees that have similar backgrounds. Overall, I am a lot happier living in a more diverse area —I don’t have to constantly “tell my story” or get asked insensitive questions. I can finally blend in, in a positive way, instead of being a part of the 1% of Asians that lived in my hometown.
We can all do our part in being inclusive and it starts with what we decide to do on a day-to-day basis. Here are 5 actionable things you can do RIGHT NOW to support the AAPI community this month and from now on:
Learn how to correctly pronounce and spell people’s names. Proofread your correspondences with others to make sure their names and pronouns are correct. Be mindful of slip-ups and immediately correct yourself or reach out to the person later privately, without centering yourself as the “victim” or complaining about how “complicated this is.”
Support AAPI individuals in their journey of reclaiming their authentic identity or reconnecting with their culture.
Be an ally and an advocate, but be sure to center their voices. Speak up against casual racism —even when it’s your friend or family member.
Stop using microaggressions or perpetuating stereotypes, especially the Model Minority stereotype, which only drives a wedge between other racial minorities in the U.S.
Be mindful of the nuances of different cultures and promote inclusivity of the full range of AAPI heritage within the workplace when building communication plans.
