A name is often the first gift we receive.It carries history, culture, family, language, and identity. Long before a CV is read, a name tells a story. In workplaces, how we treat someone’s name reveals something fundamental about inclusion — not in policy, but in practice.
When a name is mispronounced once, it may be a genuine mistake. When it is corrected and continues to be mispronounced, it becomes a choice. This is not a “small” issue
It is a FREDIE inclusion issue, particularly when viewed through the three margins of inclusion.
1. The Margin for Error
Everyone makes mistakes. Inclusive environments allow space for learning. But the margin for error is not distributed equally.Some people are afforded repeated grace, patience, and time to “get it right”.Others are expected to absorb the impact of those mistakes quietly.
Ask yourself:
- Whose names are considered “hard”?
- Whose mistakes are normalised?
- How wide is the margin for error — and for whom?
2. The Margin for Forgiveness
Forgiveness requires acknowledgement, effort, and change. For those at the margins, forgiveness is often expected without repair. They are asked to “not take it personally”, to “be understanding”, or to “let it go”. But forgiveness without accountability becomes emotional labour — carried disproportionately by those with less power.
Inclusion asks:
- Who is asked to forgive?
- Who is expected to improve?
- Who gets to move on unchanged?
3. The Margin for Reasonableness
Reasonableness is often framed by dominant norms.
At the margins, asking for correct pronunciation can be labelled as:
- “Too sensitive”
- “Unreasonable”
- “Making a fuss”
Yet asking to be named correctly is not excessive. It is fundamental. The real question is not whether the request is reasonable —but whether the environment is willing to stretch beyond what feels convenient.
Through the FREDIE Lens
- Fairness: Would we tolerate this behaviour if the person held senior power?
- Respect: Do we value people enough to learn something basic about them?
- Equality: Are expectations applied consistently, or selectively?
- Diversity: Do we welcome difference only when it doesn’t challenge us?
- Inclusion: Can someone truly belong if their identity is repeatedly mishandled?
- Equity: Do we recognise the unequal emotional burden placed on some to educate, forgive, and endure?
What Can I Do To Help?
You can include the phonetic pronunciation of your name in your email signature by breaking it into syllables.
For example: Solat (pronounced Sol–at).
Learning to pronounce a name correctly is not about perfection. It is about intent, humility, and consistency. In FREDIE-aligned cultures, inclusion is tested not by grand statements, but by everyday interactions — especially where the margins for error, forgiveness, and reasonableness are drawn.
Getting a name right is not political. It is human. And it is often where inclusion either begins — or quietly breaks down.
