What's your name? Do people frequently spell it wrong or struggle to pronounce it? Is it a familiar name like Laura? When someone says your name do 15 other people turn around (this was my life growing up named Kelly in the 70s)?

Your name is very personal and can be an indication of your culture and sometimes family traditions. For reference, I'm from a very Irish family...thus, my Kelly name.

What happens when someone cannot say your name and asks to call you something different? How does it feel when a person anticipates their name being a possible problem and just tells others to "call me...." instead of their real name? How does this affect the feeling of inclusion?

In the NPR article and podcast, "Why Pronouncing Names Correctly is More than a Common Courtesy," Noor Wazwaz discusses this very issue. Noor states that "a person's name is a connection to their identity, and extension of who they are.... Pronouncing someone's name correctly isn't just a common courtesy. It's far more than just the syllables that come out of someone's mouth. It's an important effort to create an inclusive society, a way to emphasize safety and belonging."

Check out the full NPR article or Podcast linked above for more!