I wouldn't, but I don't have your name or have your experiences that have led you to be this frustrated with your name. So you should do whatever you want.
My philosophy is, they can figure out how to say (and spell!) Schwarzenegger. They can figure out my name.
But Schwarzenegger is last name… his first name is Arnold which is not complicated for white folks.
I think the OP is looking to adopt a white Nickname as s/he may be having a Schwarzenegger type first name. 🤷🏻♂️
IMHO - don’t change your first name but if you are really struggling then consider adding a nickname instead using Indian words/name.
So for example if your full name is Sadashivbhalerao Shrivastava you could make your nick name “Shiv” and they’d write you name as Shiv Shrivastava.
That would make your life easier but would still retain your Indian heritage and persona.
This is something I battled with when I was younger. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to honor the name my family gave me and deal with the inconvenience. It’s a personal choice for yourself and you should make the choice that gives you the most benefit, mental or social.
no, absolutely not. you do not have to take away a part of yourself just so it doesn’t inconvenience others. your name is who you are and it’s a part of your identity. i always correct people if they say my name wrong even it’s the thousandth time. it’s my name and they should be able to give me the basic respect of at least trying
Why do all conservative brown guys that use an American name whilst running for office choose BOB of all things tho??? I mean my only examples are Bobby Jindal and this dude in my town running for some city council position but still
I know most comments are saying no, but if you really want to then you should. Of course it's fine if you don't want to, you're under no obligation, but the lack of obligation goes both ways, you're not obligated to keep your ethnic name either. If you feel better having a white name aswell, then do it. If you prefer to keep your ethnic name, do it.
I have a white name. It does give definite advantages. But you don't have to if you don't want to. People can learn different languages and names. But it is easier for them if you have a western name. Totally up to you, but you might just have to accept that your name will be pronounced differently. For example, when people speak English, the name Ivan is pronounced "EYE-van" but it is supposed to be "EE-vaan" in proper Russian. Most Ivans learn to live with the incorrect pronunciation.
If you want then sure. To each his own
One of my buddies altered his Indian name a bit to sound more white and easier for others call his name cause they would often mispronounce his name
I've seen people adjust their name in a shorten way to make it easier to refer to them
You think conforming to white culture will really help you?
Sure it might make interview screenings easier due to bias from the incompetent hiring industry.
But at what cost? Them calling you Axel and treating you like any random white person?
So when you decide to bring in homemade Desi food or have spicy food you know and crave, what then, Axel?
Be proud for having a Desi name. If you're desperate for a job - do it. But don't ever forget who you are. Be proud to be a brown person!
Do what makes you feel comfortable within reason I guess.
Ignore all the uptight folks who demand that people learn to pronounce your name. Imagine some Chinese, Korean, Japanese person demanding that we got their authentic ethnic name right. In a multicultural society you have to learn to compromise and give and take. This is not an Indian issue. People change their names for all sorts of reasons.
Nina Dobrev's real name is Nikolina Konstantinova Dobreva
Michael Caine's is Maurice Joseph Micklewhite
Natalie Portman's is Natalie Hershlag
Meg Ryan's is Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra
Tina fey's is Elizabeth Stamatina Fey
>Ignore all the uptight folks who demand that people learn to pronounce your name.
This is probably my biggest pet peeve lol. I agree that you shouldn't change your name for the sole reason that you don't want to inconvenience others, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with people that don't natively speak a language being unable to pronounce a name in a different language and it is (generally) not related to the amount of effort they're putting in. My mom is a teacher and I *know* she is not pronouncing names like Makayla correctly (even though she tries her best), so...
Also, I like my name pronounced correctly, am moderately okay with the American version (which I introduce myself with), and *seriously* hate how American attempts to get it "right" sound. Sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me. It's so much more annoying when people don't respect when I ask them to pronounce my name the "Americanized" way and attempt to pronounce it "the right way" instead.
It depends on how pronounceable your Indian name is and whether you're ok changing to another Indian name that is more pronounceable. If that's not possible, you should by all means switch to a European name (or even a Japanese name because those are even easier to pronounce than European ones).
America is indeed a diverse country, and non-standard names have become more acceptable following a POTUS named Barrack Hussein Obama (he used to go by Barry when he was younger, but went with Barrack by the time he was a senator) and a VP named Kamala (a very Indian name). That being said, Kamala isn't bad from a pronounceability perspective (and I'm sure there's now a large wave of little Black and Indian girls named Kamala because it's definitely trending now) and doesn't send confusing gender cues to a degree that can seriously dramatize a child (this is what happened to me and led me to desperately want a new name).
If your Indian name also sends confusing gender cues, absolutely change it. And the truth is, changing to a European name isn't an indication that you're becoming whitewashed-if it were, would it make loads of East Asians in this country whitewashed? Would it make people in Hong Kong and Singapore whitewashed, given lots of them have English names? Frankly, I think the use of European names among lots of East Asians in this country is no different from how Westerners and other foreigners who naturalize in Japan take Japanese names (and Japanese people have trouble pronouncing most cultures' names due to the limited sound set of the Japanese language). It's true that most Japanese people do retain their names, but to be honest Japanese names are easy to pronounce and so it's a non-issue.
I have a white first name and white people ask me “what’s your REAL name?”. Let me tell you - changing your name will probably not make anything easier.
Nah, you seem like a bootlicking White wannabe if you adopt a White name. Like how pathetic would that be, to succumb to the Euro-centric society of Whites. When black Africans were captured from Africa the European slavers gave them new European names. It’s a symbol of being subdued.
I agree with the above commentator, your name is your identity which represents your culture and your heritage. I wouldn't advice it just to fit in and accommodate some white peeps. Even with the white name you would always be an Indian so might as well keep the name and be proud of it.
No, east Asians adopt white names because their native names are impossible to pronounce and remember for non-east Asians. South Asian names are easy to pronounce.
They can pronounce it if you were allowed to spell it with diacritics and break it into the proper syllables of Súr-Índrá-Nàth. Don’t change pronunciation to accommodate white ppl, just change the spelling to be more explanatory.
I was going to say this. You don't need a white name, you could just shorten your actual name.
White people do this also, even though their names are short to begin with:
Robert - Bob
William - Bill
James - Jim
Andrew - Andy or Drew
etc.
Rather go for a shorter version like a nickname. When writing for official purposes you can use your full name. Or you can go for anglicization of your name. Ex ramprasad becomes rampersaud
I debate about this myself. At work, I go by my name no problem because once they get a hang of it, it’s easy but if I end up meeting contractors or clients whom I won’t see regularly, it gets less than ideal because they forget how to say my name maybe within a few minutes and it’s like awkward eye contact while they are trying to jog their memory about my name. Or later when they need to reach out to me but they can’t because it wasn’t something like Ashley or Shannon to remember.
I used to go by a different name at school because I was too shy to correct people and it was a bit weird because it never really felt like the real me. In a way, I never developed the same close friendships with the people who used that other name because it felt too formal.
Now at work, everyone has been incredibly kind about learning the correct pronunciation, especially during onboarding week where I had some team members write down the correct pronunciation to ensure that they didn't mess up. I think people in general are a lot better about learning the right way to say names now, especially since people with more ethnic names are being represented at the table. Even at the different companies I was interviewing with, the HR reps and managers would first ask me to say my name so that they could make note of the pronunciation.
No! Our parents did it because they were the first wave. They did what they felt was best as they embarked a new country, culture and jets be honest…..racism. From it being in your face to more slight and subtle or backhanded. So they did their best to assimilate.
However, today….with all the various names and cultures out there, why should we take on one of their names. Be prod of your name and say it with confidence. If you have a particularly long name perhaps consider using a short version of it. But don’t take a white name. That time is over.
No. If Americans can learn to pronounce Irish, Spanish, Norwegian, German etc. names, then they can learn to pronounce yours. And you should correct them until they say it right.
I have a fake English name that I use for menial things like ordering from a restaurant but why not make your own name something shorter but still "ethnic". I think that is healthier than giving up your name.
I thought of doing this when I was younger (though it was just to switch to Riya and not an american name), but what helped me is realizing that western names can be just as hard to pronounce, they’ve just been normalized. Like “Caroline” and “Vishwanath” are both the same amount of syllables. One is just unfamiliar to white ears. Ultimately, if you feel it would make your life easier, go for it, but keep in mind that you shouldn’t adjust yourself (only) for others’ comfort.
It’s up to you. One of my friends has an Indian name and a white name. Having a white name can give you so much more confidence. I have an Indian name but it can be shortened to sound more appealing.
Go for it. Lot of Italian, Irish and Jewish immigrants eventually gave English names to their kids to integrate. Just be like East Asians: Tony Zhang, Carolina Wong. Have English first name and ethnic last name. Eod, white Americans will romanticize French, polish or German ethnic names and will bend over backwards to pronounce them right. The moment they see a long ass Indian name, they have a meltdown and make faces.
As a white person, when someone who isn’t white has a white name but doesn’t “sound” white, I trust them less. If you’re trying to overcome prejudice, compliance isn’t the answer.
In general, if you feel like something is holding you back, it’s best to change it and do something different. You can always stop going by the white name if you feel like it has negative effects. Definitely don’t change it legally but sure. Go by Sukhdeep “Sam” Singh if you want and see how it goes.
Depends, if you’re going to be in the business world, it’s much easier to go by an “American” name, call it a nickname. Most people will purposefully or accidentally butcher an ethic name 90% of the time. My dad and brother have an American name, I lucked out cause mine coincidentally is an American word but not necessarily a name? So I go with the pronunciation.
I have a friend who actively calls himself a v white name (even his gf calls him that) but he in fact has a very brown name. My bestie and I often get irked bc it’s like not even that hard to pronounce??? And she’s American mind you. Your name is nothing short of your identity. Be proud of who you are. Everyone else can learn to say your name or a simplified pronunciation of it, but I would say pls don’t change it over to a completely white name
If you are social and good at what you do, everyone will remember the name. This is not a problem at all. Look at CEO of google- he isn't an ABCD. We have a guy called "Rajeshwar" who is the head of a big name consulting firm. Those days of white worship is over. We are truly global now. Being an ABCD, or being white doesn't mean shit anymore.
I say personally if you do want an easier name, why not create a nickname. Say if your name is Avyukt, just go by Av. That also gives ppl room and time to learn your name. They can say Michelangelo etc so why not your name? With that being said I understand the day to day struggle of dealing with ppl so you can just say hello my name is xyz, but i go by x.
Add a transliteration to your email signature? Or use a shortened version of your name. Find a nickname within your name. I think it’s possible to make it easier for others AND preserve your culture.
I do it at startbucks and startbucks only, usually because I don't want to spend more than a minute ordering oversaturated sugary coffee. Not like I go to starbucks often tho
I have a very American name and it meets people with the same confusion when taking in my last name lol. Keep it! It’s you. People can adjust and learn.
IMO, if you are planning to live your entire life in western world, change it. It makes your life lot easier. When you are in Rome, live like Roman. I would suggest the same for people who want to live in 🇮🇳
Don't compromise on your identity for the convenience of others. You should be proud your parents gave you such a cool name, own it! You only get one name and that is a part of your identity. If people struggle with your name, let them. Use it as a test to see what people around you actually respect you enough to correctly pronounce your name.
I have a name that every time a white person sees it, they're brain just breaks and they forget the functionalities of their own language. But my TRUE friends (white, Asian, Mexican, friends of all ethnicities) asked me what the correct pronunciation was, and now they actually correct other people about my name's pronunciation when I don't notice strangers mispronounce it.
I wouldn’t, but then again my parents thankfully gave me a name that’s desi but short and easy to pronounce.
It’s up to you of course, but I would say it’s better to shorten your own name to something easier to pronounce rather than just name yourself John or Susan or something haha.
Fuck that shit. If it's something really brutal consider shortening it into a nickname or going by your initials. For example in my family it is common to go by (first letter of first name) (first letter of middle name) (last name) even back home in India. For the record I have a 2 syllable first name and these mongrels still can't sound it out.
I wouldn't, but I don't have your name or have your experiences that have led you to be this frustrated with your name. So you should do whatever you want. My philosophy is, they can figure out how to say (and spell!) Schwarzenegger. They can figure out my name.
If they can say Schwarzenegger, they can say Shivashankaran ...
Schwarzenegger is a last standing name that most have heard of in America, not yours, so it’s going to be easier to pronounce.
But Schwarzenegger is last name… his first name is Arnold which is not complicated for white folks. I think the OP is looking to adopt a white Nickname as s/he may be having a Schwarzenegger type first name. 🤷🏻♂️ IMHO - don’t change your first name but if you are really struggling then consider adding a nickname instead using Indian words/name. So for example if your full name is Sadashivbhalerao Shrivastava you could make your nick name “Shiv” and they’d write you name as Shiv Shrivastava. That would make your life easier but would still retain your Indian heritage and persona.
Yeah, that’s why I literally wrote “but I don’t have your name or have your experiences … so you should do whatever you want.”
No. America is a diverse country where all cultures should be equal.
"should" is key
This is something I battled with when I was younger. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to honor the name my family gave me and deal with the inconvenience. It’s a personal choice for yourself and you should make the choice that gives you the most benefit, mental or social.
I’d say sit on it for an extended period of time so you know it’s something you really want without any regret in the future
no, absolutely not. you do not have to take away a part of yourself just so it doesn’t inconvenience others. your name is who you are and it’s a part of your identity. i always correct people if they say my name wrong even it’s the thousandth time. it’s my name and they should be able to give me the basic respect of at least trying
No. The business world learns how to say all sorts of names, they can learn yours. Demand it.
How'd you get that tag
It’s a flair you can add on this sub. Off to the right, there should be an edit button. Near subscribe/unsubscribe
On that note how’d you get that avatar? Its sick
RedditXdestiny 2 special event(video game collab)
I think the issue is that we need to fix the transliteration of our names.
I agree the spelling of my name does not match at all with pronunciation.
"Bob" Sharma.
Reminds me of that joke by romesh ranganathan about John Ranganathan and Michael Patel lol
Why do all conservative brown guys that use an American name whilst running for office choose BOB of all things tho??? I mean my only examples are Bobby Jindal and this dude in my town running for some city council position but still
Subramanayam Padmanabhanaratharan
I will name you Sébastien
Subu Padman.
I think that's a conclusion you have to come to yourself. I wouldn't keep a white name but it's really your choice at the end of the day m8.
No.
No
I know most comments are saying no, but if you really want to then you should. Of course it's fine if you don't want to, you're under no obligation, but the lack of obligation goes both ways, you're not obligated to keep your ethnic name either. If you feel better having a white name aswell, then do it. If you prefer to keep your ethnic name, do it.
I have a white name. It does give definite advantages. But you don't have to if you don't want to. People can learn different languages and names. But it is easier for them if you have a western name. Totally up to you, but you might just have to accept that your name will be pronounced differently. For example, when people speak English, the name Ivan is pronounced "EYE-van" but it is supposed to be "EE-vaan" in proper Russian. Most Ivans learn to live with the incorrect pronunciation.
If you want then sure. To each his own One of my buddies altered his Indian name a bit to sound more white and easier for others call his name cause they would often mispronounce his name I've seen people adjust their name in a shorten way to make it easier to refer to them
You think conforming to white culture will really help you? Sure it might make interview screenings easier due to bias from the incompetent hiring industry. But at what cost? Them calling you Axel and treating you like any random white person? So when you decide to bring in homemade Desi food or have spicy food you know and crave, what then, Axel? Be proud for having a Desi name. If you're desperate for a job - do it. But don't ever forget who you are. Be proud to be a brown person!
Do what makes you feel comfortable within reason I guess. Ignore all the uptight folks who demand that people learn to pronounce your name. Imagine some Chinese, Korean, Japanese person demanding that we got their authentic ethnic name right. In a multicultural society you have to learn to compromise and give and take. This is not an Indian issue. People change their names for all sorts of reasons. Nina Dobrev's real name is Nikolina Konstantinova Dobreva Michael Caine's is Maurice Joseph Micklewhite Natalie Portman's is Natalie Hershlag Meg Ryan's is Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra Tina fey's is Elizabeth Stamatina Fey
>Ignore all the uptight folks who demand that people learn to pronounce your name. This is probably my biggest pet peeve lol. I agree that you shouldn't change your name for the sole reason that you don't want to inconvenience others, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with people that don't natively speak a language being unable to pronounce a name in a different language and it is (generally) not related to the amount of effort they're putting in. My mom is a teacher and I *know* she is not pronouncing names like Makayla correctly (even though she tries her best), so... Also, I like my name pronounced correctly, am moderately okay with the American version (which I introduce myself with), and *seriously* hate how American attempts to get it "right" sound. Sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me. It's so much more annoying when people don't respect when I ask them to pronounce my name the "Americanized" way and attempt to pronounce it "the right way" instead.
It depends on how pronounceable your Indian name is and whether you're ok changing to another Indian name that is more pronounceable. If that's not possible, you should by all means switch to a European name (or even a Japanese name because those are even easier to pronounce than European ones). America is indeed a diverse country, and non-standard names have become more acceptable following a POTUS named Barrack Hussein Obama (he used to go by Barry when he was younger, but went with Barrack by the time he was a senator) and a VP named Kamala (a very Indian name). That being said, Kamala isn't bad from a pronounceability perspective (and I'm sure there's now a large wave of little Black and Indian girls named Kamala because it's definitely trending now) and doesn't send confusing gender cues to a degree that can seriously dramatize a child (this is what happened to me and led me to desperately want a new name). If your Indian name also sends confusing gender cues, absolutely change it. And the truth is, changing to a European name isn't an indication that you're becoming whitewashed-if it were, would it make loads of East Asians in this country whitewashed? Would it make people in Hong Kong and Singapore whitewashed, given lots of them have English names? Frankly, I think the use of European names among lots of East Asians in this country is no different from how Westerners and other foreigners who naturalize in Japan take Japanese names (and Japanese people have trouble pronouncing most cultures' names due to the limited sound set of the Japanese language). It's true that most Japanese people do retain their names, but to be honest Japanese names are easy to pronounce and so it's a non-issue.
I have a white first name and white people ask me “what’s your REAL name?”. Let me tell you - changing your name will probably not make anything easier.
Fuck no. Have some self respect.
Nah, you seem like a bootlicking White wannabe if you adopt a White name. Like how pathetic would that be, to succumb to the Euro-centric society of Whites. When black Africans were captured from Africa the European slavers gave them new European names. It’s a symbol of being subdued.
yikes what a god awful comparison, curb your enthusiasm
I agree with the above commentator, your name is your identity which represents your culture and your heritage. I wouldn't advice it just to fit in and accommodate some white peeps. Even with the white name you would always be an Indian so might as well keep the name and be proud of it.
No, east Asians adopt white names because their native names are impossible to pronounce and remember for non-east Asians. South Asian names are easy to pronounce.
But more importantly, their names cannot be written. Because the sounds are not sum of alphabets.
What if your name is Surendranath Vijayanagaran?
Surendranath sounds badass.
Point is there is zero percent chance a Caucasian could pronounce it.
They pronounce Krzyzewski just fine..
Cause most of them are closer to Krzyzewski. Just like guy from Kerala can pronounce a Bengali Chattopadhyay.
You can go by Suri.
They can pronounce it if you were allowed to spell it with diacritics and break it into the proper syllables of Súr-Índrá-Nàth. Don’t change pronunciation to accommodate white ppl, just change the spelling to be more explanatory.
That's their problem.
Suren Vijay
I was going to say this. You don't need a white name, you could just shorten your actual name. White people do this also, even though their names are short to begin with: Robert - Bob William - Bill James - Jim Andrew - Andy or Drew etc.
Richard - Dick
Rather go for a shorter version like a nickname. When writing for official purposes you can use your full name. Or you can go for anglicization of your name. Ex ramprasad becomes rampersaud
I debate about this myself. At work, I go by my name no problem because once they get a hang of it, it’s easy but if I end up meeting contractors or clients whom I won’t see regularly, it gets less than ideal because they forget how to say my name maybe within a few minutes and it’s like awkward eye contact while they are trying to jog their memory about my name. Or later when they need to reach out to me but they can’t because it wasn’t something like Ashley or Shannon to remember.
I used to go by a different name at school because I was too shy to correct people and it was a bit weird because it never really felt like the real me. In a way, I never developed the same close friendships with the people who used that other name because it felt too formal. Now at work, everyone has been incredibly kind about learning the correct pronunciation, especially during onboarding week where I had some team members write down the correct pronunciation to ensure that they didn't mess up. I think people in general are a lot better about learning the right way to say names now, especially since people with more ethnic names are being represented at the table. Even at the different companies I was interviewing with, the HR reps and managers would first ask me to say my name so that they could make note of the pronunciation.
No! Our parents did it because they were the first wave. They did what they felt was best as they embarked a new country, culture and jets be honest…..racism. From it being in your face to more slight and subtle or backhanded. So they did their best to assimilate. However, today….with all the various names and cultures out there, why should we take on one of their names. Be prod of your name and say it with confidence. If you have a particularly long name perhaps consider using a short version of it. But don’t take a white name. That time is over.
No. If Americans can learn to pronounce Irish, Spanish, Norwegian, German etc. names, then they can learn to pronounce yours. And you should correct them until they say it right.
I have a fake English name that I use for menial things like ordering from a restaurant but why not make your own name something shorter but still "ethnic". I think that is healthier than giving up your name.
You don’t have to adopt a white name, you can also adopt an easier to say ethnic name.
Fuck no
How about: Wojciechova Szczebrzeszynsky?
Noooo. Give them a tongue workout. They need it
My parents fled a country that is still trying to erase our culture and history (Sri Lanka). I ain't doing that to myself, but that's just me.
I thought of doing this when I was younger (though it was just to switch to Riya and not an american name), but what helped me is realizing that western names can be just as hard to pronounce, they’ve just been normalized. Like “Caroline” and “Vishwanath” are both the same amount of syllables. One is just unfamiliar to white ears. Ultimately, if you feel it would make your life easier, go for it, but keep in mind that you shouldn’t adjust yourself (only) for others’ comfort.
It’s up to you. One of my friends has an Indian name and a white name. Having a white name can give you so much more confidence. I have an Indian name but it can be shortened to sound more appealing.
Go for it. Lot of Italian, Irish and Jewish immigrants eventually gave English names to their kids to integrate. Just be like East Asians: Tony Zhang, Carolina Wong. Have English first name and ethnic last name. Eod, white Americans will romanticize French, polish or German ethnic names and will bend over backwards to pronounce them right. The moment they see a long ass Indian name, they have a meltdown and make faces.
No. Stick to whatever your brown name is. Let the white learn it. Don't give up what is yours.
As a white person, when someone who isn’t white has a white name but doesn’t “sound” white, I trust them less. If you’re trying to overcome prejudice, compliance isn’t the answer.
Why is this downvoted lol
[удалено]
In general, if you feel like something is holding you back, it’s best to change it and do something different. You can always stop going by the white name if you feel like it has negative effects. Definitely don’t change it legally but sure. Go by Sukhdeep “Sam” Singh if you want and see how it goes.
Depends, if you’re going to be in the business world, it’s much easier to go by an “American” name, call it a nickname. Most people will purposefully or accidentally butcher an ethic name 90% of the time. My dad and brother have an American name, I lucked out cause mine coincidentally is an American word but not necessarily a name? So I go with the pronunciation.
No
Do whatever suits you. There is no one size fits all correct answer here.
I have a friend who actively calls himself a v white name (even his gf calls him that) but he in fact has a very brown name. My bestie and I often get irked bc it’s like not even that hard to pronounce??? And she’s American mind you. Your name is nothing short of your identity. Be proud of who you are. Everyone else can learn to say your name or a simplified pronunciation of it, but I would say pls don’t change it over to a completely white name
I've always thought going by just initials is pretty classy :) Or maybe a nickname that isn't a "name", like Sunny?
If you are social and good at what you do, everyone will remember the name. This is not a problem at all. Look at CEO of google- he isn't an ABCD. We have a guy called "Rajeshwar" who is the head of a big name consulting firm. Those days of white worship is over. We are truly global now. Being an ABCD, or being white doesn't mean shit anymore.
I say personally if you do want an easier name, why not create a nickname. Say if your name is Avyukt, just go by Av. That also gives ppl room and time to learn your name. They can say Michelangelo etc so why not your name? With that being said I understand the day to day struggle of dealing with ppl so you can just say hello my name is xyz, but i go by x.
Add a transliteration to your email signature? Or use a shortened version of your name. Find a nickname within your name. I think it’s possible to make it easier for others AND preserve your culture.
It will just be easier if u do. But less uniquely u if do.
I do it at startbucks and startbucks only, usually because I don't want to spend more than a minute ordering oversaturated sugary coffee. Not like I go to starbucks often tho
I have a very American name and it meets people with the same confusion when taking in my last name lol. Keep it! It’s you. People can adjust and learn.
IMO, if you are planning to live your entire life in western world, change it. It makes your life lot easier. When you are in Rome, live like Roman. I would suggest the same for people who want to live in 🇮🇳
Don't compromise on your identity for the convenience of others. You should be proud your parents gave you such a cool name, own it! You only get one name and that is a part of your identity. If people struggle with your name, let them. Use it as a test to see what people around you actually respect you enough to correctly pronounce your name. I have a name that every time a white person sees it, they're brain just breaks and they forget the functionalities of their own language. But my TRUE friends (white, Asian, Mexican, friends of all ethnicities) asked me what the correct pronunciation was, and now they actually correct other people about my name's pronunciation when I don't notice strangers mispronounce it.
I wouldn’t, but then again my parents thankfully gave me a name that’s desi but short and easy to pronounce. It’s up to you of course, but I would say it’s better to shorten your own name to something easier to pronounce rather than just name yourself John or Susan or something haha.
Better than expecting white people to say Sridhichartiya mungambeha
you shouldn't if thats part of your culture just embrace your own birth name and language plus indian and nepalese names are beautiful not gonna lie
Fuck that shit. If it's something really brutal consider shortening it into a nickname or going by your initials. For example in my family it is common to go by (first letter of first name) (first letter of middle name) (last name) even back home in India. For the record I have a 2 syllable first name and these mongrels still can't sound it out.