Beyond Pronunciation: The Importance of Correctly Writing People's Names
Dears Readers,
It's a beautiful Saturday, 4th March 2023, from the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. I am excited to start this month with an unpopular blog about correctly spelling/ writing people's names.
Please note pronunciation is a different scenario; therefore, we stick to why it is crucial to write handwritten or typed names correctly. Throughout the blog, I will quote the reasons, e.g. "respect" and "professionalism". I hope you enjoy it. To make the scenarios relatable, I will make a dummy character called "Nasugmae Mary" and use her occasionally.
The most spoken yet underutilized reason is "respect". This reason comes to my list because when you write out someone's name and correctly spell it's a huge sign of respect; remember that it's the first sign that you value their identity and take the time to get the details right. Practice this, and you will observe that it will go a long way in building a positive relationship with "Nasugmae Mary" and create a good impression of you as a thoughtful and considerate person. To give you a perspective, imagine you're writing to a potential employer called "Nasugmae Mary" to apply for a job. If you misspell the employer's name in your cover letter, it could create a negative impression and suggest that you should have taken the time to research the company or the hiring manager. On the other hand, if you address them by their correct name, it shows that you value their identity and that you're serious about the job.
As discussed in the example above, we identified "professionalism" as our first reason. Professionalism rings in your ability to pay attention to details and take work seriously because when you're writing a professional email, cover letter, or another document, correctly spelling the recipient's name is crucial for professional and credibility reasons. Sometimes such minor mistakes can harm your chances of getting a job or establishing a good work relationship with the potential employer.
I wouldn't emphasize enough on this one "clarity". One time in my department, we had two men called "John" and "Jon" whose work was closely related. One day there was a complaint against "John" that was accidentally communicated to "Jon" via email and resulted in a bad situation which was resolved. Spelling someone's name correctly can help avoid confusion or misunderstandings, as in the case of "John and Jon", and can even harm your relationship with the affected parties. Legally misspelling names is so severe that it can result in requirements such as affidavits, as in my case, because sometimes school administrators and government officers did not write my name correctly, and the mistake was discovered way later to undo.
I hope you have noticed how interconnected these reasons are; if you did not, the following reason is "attention to detail". I am a scholar, so let us use an academic example my professor shared during my first postgraduate day. Let's say you're writing a research paper and citing a source by an author with a difficult name. If you misspell their name in the citation, it could undermine the credibility of your work and suggest that you didn't do your due diligence. However, if you take the time to spell their name correctly, it shows that you're meticulous in your research and respect the author's identity. This example demonstrates that spelling someone's name precisely is a sign of attention to detail, showing your thoroughness and meticulousness an essential quality in many contexts. Try this, and you will give a good impression of yourself as someone who cares about doing things right.
This one is my favourite of all time, "etiquette"; based on cross-cultural interaction at work or school, I want to give you a scenario you can relate to. Imagine you're writing to a team member in your research group from a different country whose name has cultural or linguistic nuances you're unfamiliar with. The first sign that would ring that you are not interested in learning about their culture or that you need to be more sensitive to their identity is if you misspell their name. Yes, I said it; the good news is that if you take the time to learn and spell their name correctly, they will understand that you respect their background and are open to cultural exchange. Please remember on your next trip and in your work or academic and social interactions that spelling someone's name correctly is a matter of etiquette and a pathway to establishing long-lasting relationships or connections.
I will end with reasons shortly; "avoid embarrassment" is the sixth reason. When I began writing, I may have given a one-sided example, but both parties should know that misspelling someone's name can be embarrassing, especially to someone you don't know well. Because getting their name wrong can make you look unprofessional or even disrespectful, and worse, it can also be awkward if you realize your mistake later and have to correct it. Some people are easy, but some would take this as a dealbreaker; it's best to double-check the spelling or ask for clarification if needed.
Finally, "personalization". I share this tip with my mentees just starting corporate life; for example, imagine you are a grants manager writing a grant request to a potential donor. It will be essential to address them by their correct name in the email to make the message more engaging and personalized, creating a sense of connection which may increase the likelihood of them responding positively.
Parting shot; do not make excuses for misspelling people's names; if it's a new name/ culture/language, ask for clarity and apologize if you accidentally do it, but do not give reasons. Until next time I wish you a happy new month.
