It’s a Mouthful: Pause to Properly Pronounce Names
By Karyn Odway
During a recent nature walk, I spotted a chipmunk whose cheeks were stuffed with acorns. Before darting into the woods, it paused – perhaps realizing it was carrying something valuable that required care.
That little chipmunk reminded me of conversations. We often rush through introductions, meetings, and attendance lists, trying to pack as much as possible into every minute. Yet a small and important thing we carry from person to person is a name, and it deserves a moment of care, especially when it comes to pronouncing it properly.
August ushers in new beginnings. Students wonder if a teacher will stumble over their name during attendance on the first day of school. College graduates start new jobs, meeting new coworkers. Healthcare providers welcome new patients. Every introduction presents a choice: rush through a name or pause long enough to say it correctly. That slowing to acknowledge a name communicates far more than pronunciation. It reveals respect.
National Wellness Month encourages us to build healthy daily habits. One worth adding for emotional wellbeing isn’t found in an app. It’s pausing long enough to strengthen supportive social connections by learning how to pronounce the names of classmates, colleagues, patients, and clients correctly. Relationships grow through intentional moments, and few gestures communicate respect more quickly than saying someone’s name the way it was meant to be spoken.
Names are tied to identity. They often reflect family history, cultural heritage, faith traditions, or stories passed from one generation to the next. Asking, “Would you pronounce your name for me?” tells another person: You matter enough to me to learn how to address you rightly.
That simple question often opens the door to a deeper conversation.
Scripture reminds us that “a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Learning to pronounce someone’s name well is one expression of speaking words that are thoughtful and fitting. Even if your own name is common, the Golden Rule still applies: Treat others as you would want to be treated. Every person deserves the dignity of hearing their own name spoken with care.
Research supports what many of us instinctively know: Correctly pronouncing names fosters belonging, inclusion, and psychological safety, while repeated mispronunciations can leave people feeling unseen. In every profession – especially healthcare and disability communities where trust is foundational – taking the time to learn another person’s name demonstrates value and validates relationships.
Technology can help.
LinkedIn allows users to record the pronunciation of their names.
Smart phones enable you to add phonetics to your contact information.
Many physician profile pages now include brief welcome videos in which providers introduce themselves by stating their full names.
Watching a short video before a meeting or appointment, listening to a person’s LinkedIn page, and reading contact information with phonetics as a reminder not only helps you pronounce a name correctly but also begins building a connection before you ever shake hands.
Still, certain applications like Siri and Alexa can fall short on articulation accuracy.
Technology can assist us, but it should never replace our curiosity.
As more colleges experiment with AI-generated commencement announcements, uncommon names can still be mispronounced during one of life’s momentous occasions. That’s why I appreciate higher education like Northern Illinois University – my alma mater – where well-prepared readers take the time to learn how to properly pronounce every graduate’s name. That extra effort expresses, “You were worth the time to know your name rightly said.”
I’ll admit this lesson challenges me too, working with physicians and healthcare leaders from diverse cultures and backgrounds. My own uncommonly spelled first name and frequently mispronounced surname remind me how important this is to do. And to be patient with people who mispronounce. I ask people with unique names to repeat theirs. I also write down pronunciations phonetically and practice before meetings. Even then, I occasionally get it wrong. When I do, I apologize, ask again, and keep trying. Extending grace is part of communicating kindly.
And if you have an uncommon first or last name, don’t be afraid to speak up. Be strong and courageous.
Kindly say, “It’s actually pronounced…” Offer a smile. Even share the story behind your name if the opportunity presents itself. Most people genuinely want to get it right; they simply need space in the conversation to learn.
Those small moments reflect the values that have guided CyanPoint for 15 years: integrity in pursuing accuracy, excellence in communication, and collaboration built on respect. Storytelling begins by honoring the person behind the story. Clear communication deepens understanding, strengthens trust, and creates lasting connection.
Like that chipmunk, sometimes the most valuable things we carry deserve an extra moment of care. In a world that idolizes the rush of work, pausing to pronounce a name correctly is an act of kindness with lasting impact.
If we truly want to communicate well, we must consider learning another person’s name or kindly teaching others how to pronounce our own. Sometimes a punctuated pause creates a caring connection.
