hi my name is essay

Self-Introductions in English: “My Name is…” & Beyond!

So, you’re getting ready for a visit (or stay) in an English-speaking country and are eager to make friends. But in the back of your mind you’re thinking: “I have no idea how to introduce myself in English!”

Self-introductions are the cornerstone of beginning a new relationship. It’s during a self-introduction that you let the other person know all the basics: your name, your age, your occupation, what you enjoy doing in your spare time, and so on. Self-introductions can be difficult and nerve-racking enough in your own language (they are for me, anyway!), so doing them in another language might leave you feeling shy or diffident.

While I can’t help you feel less shy, I can help you feel more prepared for your first few introductions in English. In this article, I’ll be going over how to identify yourself, how to place yourself in society, and how to share personal details with those you want to form a deeper bond with, all in American English.

Table of Contents

• Body Language
• Identifying Yourself
• Placing Yourself in Society
• Sharing Personal Details
• Bonus: “Favorite” Questions!
• “Introduce Myself in English” Essay
• Conclusion: How EnglishClass101 Can Help You Master English!

1. Body Language

There is one thing I want to go over before verbal introductions: body language. Body language is something you can use to your benefit, regardless of your English-language skills.

It’s important to know what your posture, gestures, and facial expressions are telling others about you, and how to use your body language to your advantage. Below is a quick list of things you should do when introducing yourself

• Smile when introducing yourself. Smiling indicates a positive mood and is likely to make you a more appealing conversation partner.
• Stand (or sit) up straight. This indicates that you’re confident, comfortable, and ready to engage in a conversation. You can also use this to your benefit by appearing more confident than you really are—and sometimes appearing more confident can help you feel more confident, too!
• Shake hands. A brief, friendly handshake is one of the most common ways to greet someone in the United States upon first meeting, and can be done with almost anyone you meet, regardless of gender or social status. This is a good way to begin an introduction, particularly in business environments.
• Maintain eye contact (but not too much). In the United States, most people prefer to speak with someone who’s not “afraid” to look them in the eyes. It’s considered a sign of honesty, trustworthiness, and friendliness to maintain eye contact during a conversation. Maintaining eye contact indicates that you’re listening and interested in the discussion. But be careful not to come off as “creepy” by staring into their eyes for very long periods of time; allow yourself to casually look away from time to time, and be sure to blink. 😉

For a more comprehensive overview of body language in the United States, be sure to read my Body Gestures article!

2. Identifying Yourself

How do you introduce yourself in English? Or better yet, how do you introduce yourself briefly in English? The best way to initiate a conversation is with a cheery “Hi” or “Hey,” and a smile! If you need to do some brushing up on greetings, you can learn more about English greetings in our dedicated article .

1- Stating Your Name

Once you’ve gotten the conversation started with an initial greeting, you can offer your name. There’s a variety of ways you can do this; below I’ve outlined the most common sentence structures with examples.

• My name is Jamie .
• I’m Ira .
• My name is Lillian , or Lily for short.
• You can call me Bob .

If you want to ask someone else’s name, you can use one of the following sentences:

• My name is Valerie . What’s yours?
• This a more formal way of asking someone’s name and is usually the best option, especially in business environments.
• This is less formal, but it’s acceptable in most social situations that don’t require a high level of professionalism.

During this stage, also be sure to say “Nice to meet you,” as this is seen as respectful and friendly. If the other person has already said this, you can say “ It’s nice to meet you too ,” or “ Thank you. Likewise. ”

In the United States, it’s not very common to ask about someone’s age unless there’s a good reason to. That said, it’s not a taboo either. My recommendation for most social situations is to keep from asking about age unless the person seems to be about the same age as you.

Here are a couple of ways you can ask about someone’s age:

• I’m thirty years old. How about you?
• May I ask how old you are?
• May I ask your age?
• Note that this is the most informal way of asking someone’s age, but it does sound more natural in speech than the others. This phrase is best used in laid-back, informal environments with people about your own age.

Now, here are the most common ways to answer the question:

• I’m thirty years old.
• I’m twenty-five .
• I turned twenty last June .
• I’m turning forty-three this November .

You may find it beneficial to check out our vocabulary list on months as well as my English Numbers article. These resources will give you better footing as you talk about your age!

3- Nationality

In the United States, you may be asked about your nationality , or where you’re from. Here are a few simple ways to answer the question:

• I’m from China .
• I’m Norwegian .
• I came here from Russia .
• I’m visiting from Japan .

For a list of possible nationality answers, check out our vocabulary list on EnglishClass101! Then, simply fill in the blanks with your nationality or home country.

3. Placing Yourself in Society

After you and the person you’re speaking with have established the basics, it’s only natural for the conversation to steer toward what you do . Three major factors of society (and your place in it) are: education , work, and family. Here, I’ll be going over each of these factors.

1- Education: Stating Your School & Major

If you’re in school, you’ll likely be asked a lot about what school you’re going to and what you’re majoring in. Here are a few basic answers to these questions:

• I’m a student at Harvard .
• I’m studying at Arizona State University .
• I’m studying Psychology .
• My major is Food and Nutrition .
• I haven’t chosen a major yet.

If you recently graduated or are no longer going to school, you can answer like this. Note the use of past-tense verbs in these answers.

• I used to be a student at Harvard .
• I went to school at Arizona State University .
• I studied Psychology .
• I majored in Food and Nutrition .

Below is a list of popular majors (in no particular order), but you can also take a look at our list of common school subjects for more possibilities!

2- Stating Profession

In the United States, one of the most common questions and conversation topics is work. When you first meet someone, they’re likely to ask what you do for a living. As you continue to interact with that person, many conversations will likely have to do with work.

Here are a few ways you can respond to someone after they ask about your profession:

• I work at NASA .
• I’m working at Apple .
• I work as an engineer .
• I work as an engineer at NASA .
• I’m a doctor .
• I do accounting for a living.
• I’ve been a pilot for thirty years.
• Here, you can also use one of the above sentences to explain what you do while self-employed. You’ll see an example of this in the sample essay section.
• I’m not currently employed.

To ask about their profession or job, you can use the following sentences:

• What do you do for a living?
• What’s your occupation?
• I’m a real estate agent . What about you?

To find your profession, check out our Jobs and Professions vocabulary list ! And if you’re looking for a job, be sure to read my article on How to Find a Job in the United States for practical information for your job search.

3- Talking About Family

Family may be the most unique topic in this article, and one that’s both personal and societal. You may or may not be asked about your family during your first conversation with someone. But if you are, and you feel like opening up a little bit, below are a few sentences you can use to talk about your family .

• I have a big family.
• I have a younger brother .
• I have one sister .
• I have two uncles and one aunt .
• My grandma is a bookkeeper .
• My mom and I aren’t very close.

If you’re not comfortable talking about your family, that’s completely fine and the other person will likely understand. You can let them know this as follows:

• I don’t really like talking about my family. Can we talk about something else?

4. Sharing Personal Details

Usually, a conversation will begin to drift toward lighter, more personal matters after the basics are out of the way. This doesn’t always happen during your first conversation with someone, but the following topics are likely to come up sooner or later.

In the United States, people love (and treat) their pets like family. Don’t be surprised if the person you’re talking with brings up their pets, or wants to know about yours.

• I have a bird named Chirpy .
• I have two fish .
• I have a cat and a lizard . Their names are Lola and Slinky .
• I have one cat and one lizard .
• I used to have a dog , but we gave it away .
• I don’t have any pets.

For a comprehensive list of popular U.S. pets and other animals, check out our Animals vocabulary list .

Many friendships begin when two (or more) people realize they have similar interests. Talking about hobbies or favorite activities is one of the simplest ways to have a deeper conversation with someone. And you never know; you may find yourself a new gym buddy, writing critique group, or fellow foodie.

Here are a few ways to describe what hobbies you’re into and what you enjoy doing in your spare time:

• I enjoy doing free writing .
• I like drawing .
• I play video games in my free time.
• I jog and watch TV in my free time.
• I don’t have any hobbies.

5. Bonus: “Favorite” Questions!

So far, I’ve gone over basic questions and topics that usually come up during introductions. But you may find that people you meet are curious to know more about you and will start asking about your favorite of something (which of something you like the most).

The following questions are commonly asked when people are getting to know each other, and are usually a lot more interesting than talking about work or school. 😉

• What’s your favorite color ?
• What’s your favorite animal?
• What’s your favorite subject in school?
• What’s your favorite movie/ TV show ?
• What’s your favorite band/song?
• What’s your favorite book?
• What’s your favorite food ?
• What’s your favorite candy/dessert?

These are questions that you can ask your conversation partner as well to keep the conversation going and entertaining! This is also a great way to find similarities (and differences) between you and the person you’re meeting.

6. “Introduce Myself in English” Essay

Can you introduce yourself in English paragraphs using the information in this article? Tell us about yourself in the comments; we look forward to hearing from you!

Here, I’ll write an example “Introduce Myself in English” essay. To introduce myself in English, I might write the following:

Hi! My name is Tabitha, or Tabby for short. I’m turning twenty-one this June, and I’m from the United States. I used to be a student at Lumerit Scholar, and I majored in Creative Writing. I’m self-employed as a writer and editor. I have a big family. I have one sister and one brother. I used to have a cat, but she passed away. I do writing and walking in my free time. My favorite color is blue, my favorite book is The Thorn Birds , and my favorite candy is Reeses’ Peanut Butter Cups.

Note that as your English skills improve and you become more familiar with the language as a whole, your self-introductions will become more fluid and meaningful!

7. Conclusion: How EnglishClass101 Can Help You Master English!

How do you feel about introducing yourself in English now? Are there any more English self-introduction phrases or situations you want to know about? We love hearing from you, and look forward to learning more about you in your essay!

To continue learning English, visit us at EnglishClass101.com ! We offer practical learning tools for every learner, ensuring that anyone can master the language. Read more insightful blog posts like this one, study our free English vocabulary lists , and listen to our podcasts on the go! You can also chat with fellow English learners on our community forums , or upgrade to Premium Plus to take advantage of our MyTeacher program and learn English one-on-one with your own teacher!

Know that with enough practice, you can become more than fluent in English—you can start speaking like a native! And EnglishClass101 will be here with study tools and support on every step of your way there.

Or sign up using Facebook

Got an account? Sign in here

How To Say ‘Thank you’ in English

The Best Ways To Say Hello In English

How to Say I Love You in English – Romantic Word List

40 Basic English Phrases for Beginners

Advanced English Words

Master a Conversation with These English Phone Call Phrases

How to celebrate april fools’ day in english.

• Feature Spotlight
• General Announcements
• English Phrases
• English Words
• New Features
• Word of the Day

Copyright © 2024 Innovative Language Learning. All rights reserved. EnglishClass101.com Privacy Policy | Terms of Use . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Rachel's English

How to Introduce Yourself

Tagged With: Introductions , Most Popular , Real Life English

What should you say when you’re introducing yourself?  In this popular Rachel’s English video, learn the phrases Americans use, and how to pronounce them, in English conversation.

YouTube blocked? Click here to see the video.

Video Text:

In this American English pronunciation video, you’re going to come with me to the YouTube space in LA where I don’t know anyone. And we’re going to go over introducing yourself.

Introducing yourself to a crowd of people, or even just one person, can make anyone nervous. Doing it in a foreign language, even more so. So today we’re going to go over a few phrases that you might say when introducing yourself.

The first thing, of course, is saying your name.  Usually you’ll hear people say “I’m”, or “My name is”, or “My name’s”, contracting “name” and “is”.  Some non-native speakers don’t want to use contractions because they don’t think it’s clear enough, but we really do want to use the contraction “I’m”, and not “I am” because it can be much quicker, I’m, I’m, I’m, which puts the emphasis on the name, the most important part.  This will also help smooth out your speech.  I’m Rachel, uhhh. All connected.  Here are some people introducing themselves using “I’m”.

>> Hi. I’m Beth Aweau. >> Hey guys. I’m Olga Kay. >> I’m Staci Perry. >> Um, hey guys. I’m Todd Bieber. >> Hi everyone. I’m Veronica Hill. >> Hey, I’m Rachel. >> Hi, I’m Hilah. >> Hi, I’m Rachel. >> Hi, I’m Christopher. >> I’m Bryan.

Here’s an example of someone saying “my nameis,” without contracting “name” and “is”.

>> Hi everyone. My name is Hetal Jannu.

Notice that the stress of the sentence is still making her name the most important part. My name is Hetal. My name is Rachel.  da-Da-da-DA-da.  It’s longer, louder, and higher in pitch than the unstressed syllables.  My name is Rachel, Ra-, My name is Rachel. That’s how we know it’s the most important part.  So in the phrase “my name is”, “my” and “is” are both unstressed, and so they need to be really unimportant, really quick, my [3x], is [3x]. My name is, my name is. If every syllable is the same length, the same volume, the same pitch, then we loose the character of American English, which is based on stressed vs. unstressed syllables.

We can also say “My name’s Rachel”, with the contraction. The rhythm there is da-DA-DA-da. “Name” is stressed because it’s a noun. But my actual name, Rachel, will be more stressed. And I should say, it’s only the stressed syllable, Ra-, of my name that’s going to be longer and higher in pitch.  The unstressed syllable, -chel, is just like any other unstressed syllable, even though it’s in a stressed word.

>> My name’s Aaron. >> Uh, what’s up guys. My name’s Todd. >> Hi, my name’s Sara.

Often what comes next in an introduction is saying where you’re from.  This can either be a job, if you’re in a work context, or a place, your hometown or where you’re currently living.  “From”.  That’s never going to be as important as the name of the place you’re from.  It’s a function word, so we want it to be unstressed, shorter than the stressed syllables in the sentence, from, from.  Listen to these people introducing the places they’re from.  They’re using the contraction “I’m” and “from” and then the name.  These two words are quicker and less important:  I’m from [3x].  I’m from Florida.  I’m from New York.

>> I’m from Kapolei, Hawaii. >> …from Seattle originally. >> I’m from New York. You’re from Texas? >> You’re from, where, again? >> I’m from Delaware.

Here’s one last example of someone saying “I’m from”, but he’s giving his business, the company he works for, not a city.

>> I’m from Upright Citizens’ Brigade, uh, channel: UCBcomedy.

One fun moment I noticed is when Todd introduced himself and Bryan said “Ts’up Todd?”  Tsup, tsup.

>> Nice to meet you. >> Tsup, Todd? [4x]

Tsup.  What is that word?  That’s actually “what’s up?”  I made a video a while ago on “tsup”:  how we’ll sometimes reduce “what’s”, “it’s”, “that’s”, or “let’s” to simply “ts”. Tsup?  Now I know you’re probably not hearing the P, but maybe you do notice my lips are going into the position for it.  Tsup.  P is a stop consonant.  That means it’s made up of two parts.  The stop, where the lips come together, tsup, and the release, where the lips part.  tsup.  Sometimes native speakers leave out the release:  tsup? Stop.  Nope.  You can too, just make sure you don’t leave out the stop part of the consonant, where the lips come together and the air is stopped.  Tsup?

And finally, a phrase we often exchange when making an introduction is “nice to meet you”.

>> Nice to meet you. >> Nice to meet you, too. >> Well, it was good to meet you, Hilah. >> Nice to meet you, too. >> Nice to meet you. >> Nice to meet you.

Most people say ‘nice to meet you’, and probably you noticed that once I said “it’s good to meet you”.  “Nice”, or “good”, or whatever adjective you’re using, and “meet” should be the two stressed syllables of that sentence.  That will contrast nicely with “to”, which will have a schwa instead of the OO as in BOO vowel, to, to, to.  “You”, since it’s at the end of a sentence, will probably sound something like:  you, you, you.  Low in pitch, quick, flat, and with a lot of the energy of the voice taken out.  You, you, nice to meet you.

We heard two different ways of pronouncing the T in “meet”.  One is a stop T, because the next word begins with a consonant sound.  Meet you, meet you.  I cut off the airflow in my throat to stop the sound, to signify the T.  I don’t actually bring my tongue into position for the T, I just stop the air here.  Meet you.  The other way of making the T is to make it a CH sound.  This can happen to an ending T if the next word is “you”, meet you, meet you.  So first, let’s hear it again with the stop.

>> Nice to meet you. [4x]

And now with the CH sound.

Meet you, meet you.  Both are ok.

In closing, here is one more introduction conversation I had with a great guy I met in LA named Zachary.

>> Hi. >> Oh, hey. >> I’m Rachel. >> I’m Zach. >> Hi Zach, nice to meet you. >> Nice to meet you. >> So, we’re here at the YouTube Space. So you must be a YouTuber. >> Yep. Make videos for kids. >> Yeah? What’s your channel? >> Pancake Manor. >> Oh wow. >> What’s yours? >> Mine’s Rachel’s English. >> Oo. >> So I teach English on my channel. >> Wow. You must have a lot of subscribers. >> I do, I do. But actually, let’s talk about that word. It’s subscribers, with an R. >> Oh. Subscribers. >> Subscrrrr-, hold out the R. >> Subscrr, rr, -scribers. >> Yeah, that’s it! >> Subscribers. >> Perfect. >> Yeah. >> I’m going to tell my users about your channel, so they can go see you. >> Cool, thank you. >> Yeah. It was great to meet you. >> Nice to meet you. >> Ok, have a great day. >> You too. >> Alright, take care! >> Bye! Subscribers. Yeah.

Thanks so much to all the wonderful people who were in this video.  To learn more about them and their YouTube channels, follow the links in the video or in the video description.

Practice your English. Make a video introducing yourself, and post it as a video response to this video on YouTube. Or, just introduce yourself in the comments. I can’t wait to meet you.

That’s it, and thanks so much for using Rachel’s English.

Exploring the art of prose

Hello, My Name Is Marley by K.B. Carle

Writing that takes an unusual form often overwhelms other narrative elements such as character development and time management with the structure itself. In “Hello, My Name Is Marley,” K.B. Carle deftly manages a tricky feat: writing a hermit crab flash fiction in the form of a Mad Lib, within the form of an AA speaker meeting, while also reaching deep emotional resonance and control of character and time (see Carle’s Author’s Note for a discussion of hermit crab structures and more). Using present tense in the retelling of Marley’s trauma, Carle highlights the urgency of that initial trauma. This also achieves the familiarity of the storytelling voice to give us Marley’s visceral and moving story.  — CRAFT

In order to maintain the structure of the piece, we have published it in images instead of text. Please find a PDF here for the text version.

K.B. CARLE lives and writes outside Philadelphia and earned her MFA from Spalding University’s Low-Residency program in Kentucky. Her stories have appeared in Rhythm and Bones Press , X-R-A-Y Literary Magazine , Homology Lit. , CHEAP POP , Jellyfish Review , Milk Candy Review , and elsewhere. She can be found online at kbcarle.com or on Twitter @kbcarle.

By K.B. Carle | Flash Fiction , Fiction | February 7, 2020

Tagged: Form , Tense , Resonance

The Ghost of Amy Winehouse by Clara Otto

Omnipresence by Justine Teu

some things I knew by age seven by Shaina Phenix

Author’s note.

Since being introduced to the hermit crab form, a piece of writing that takes on a structure from outside of typical narrative structures, I started to think about how much of my life and choices reveal themselves on paper. A receipt of my food choices, test answers, or how my birth certificate reveals my birthday, parents, and assigned gender.

The deeper I journey into adulthood, the more I take note of the paper trail I’m leaving behind. How each paper scrap is evidence of my life. I question these slips of paper and their meanings, their inconsistencies, wondering how they could become a story. As I write this craft essay, I’m surrounded by paper in several forms such as rough drafts, ingredients, and directions.

Every day we read something. I was, once again, encouraged by Tara Campbell in her Funky Flash Forms workshop to think outside the box. What better way to approach this and consider what we look at when we take a moment to read? Thinking about the form for “Hello, My Name Is Marley,” and all my experimentations, I considered the potential types of hermit crab forms I encounter most. How my grocery list would probably differ from my mother’s or grandmother’s. How my doctor’s notes would vary depending on the year or my age. Experimenting with these forms, combining them with flash fiction, sometimes fails and that’s okay. Experiments fail.

But when they work, it’s one of the most exciting experiences I’ve felt. Suddenly, I’m faced with a flash detailing my struggle to avoid all the foods I love that contain the one ingredient I can’t eat. I’m forced to document the highs and lows of my life through the words of a physician who might have initially seen me once a year and now sees me three times in one month.

Or, I could detail loss and addiction through a puzzle and Mad Libs.

In manipulating the structure for “Hello, My Name Is Marley,” I considered the words I wanted to appear, knowing that word search generators are unpredictable. Though the words are of my selection, which words the generator decides will work and which to eliminate are not. In reviewing several drafts of this story, I had to decide which words were essential and which I wouldn’t mind sacrificing—the challenge of bending the generator to my will, though exhausting, was thrilling once finished.

Some of my favorite examples of the hermit crab form are Marisa Crane’s use of a diagram in her piece, “ When the Light Betrays Us Twice ,” and when authors utilize definitions to tell a story such as Kathy Fish’s “ Collective Nouns for Humans in the Wild ,” or “ Diction (a glossary of terms) ,” by Ashley Hynd.

I encourage all writers to go through their junk drawers, mailboxes, or that bin their mother keeps in the basement filled with all their creations from childhood. Try diagraming sentences again or compare grocery lists with your family. Delve into an untapped story through the paper scraps in your life and be fearless with your experimentations.

• Short Stories
• Flash Fiction
• Longform Creative Nonfiction
• Flash Creative Nonfiction
• Critical Essays
• Books by CRAFT Contributors
• Short Fiction Prize 2024
• Novelette Print Prize 2024
• Memoir Excerpt & Essay Contest 2023
• Flash Prose Prize 2023
• Setting Sketch Challenge 2023
• First Chapters Contest 2023
• Character Sketch Challenge 2023
• Short Fiction Prize 2023
• Hybrid Writing Contest 2023
• Creative Nonfiction Award 2022
• Amelia Gray 2K Contest 2022
• First Chapters Contest 2022
• Short Fiction Prize 2022
• Hybrid Writing Contest 2022
• Creative Nonfiction Award 2021
• Flash Fiction Contest 2021
• First Chapters Contest 2021
• Short Fiction Prize 2021
• Short Fiction Prize 2020
• Flash Fiction Contest 2020
• Creative Nonfiction Award 2020
• Elements Contest 2020: Conflict
• Short Fiction Prize 2019
• Flash Fiction Contest 2019
• First Chapters Contest 2019
• Short Fiction Prize 2018
• Elements Contest 2018: Character | Dialogue Setting
• SPRING SALON
• Fast Response
• Black Lives Matter
• Resources on Racism

Tuesday, March 26

Previous issues, submit a tip.

Hello, my name is...

José Pablo Fernández García / The Daily Princetonian

Princeton invests so much effort into welcoming its new students that I probably couldn’t list every activity or resource offered to a matriculating student, but I found that, despite all this effort, the school doesn’t bother to always get one’s name right — not even when giving someone their netID and other web accounts that will unlock the next four years.

I’ve always had trouble with my name. Or really, others have had trouble with it. I mean, look at it: José Pablo Fernández García. It’s not exactly a friction-free name when growing up in southwest Ohio. It’s long: two first names and two last names (though, at least, no middle name) with almost as many letters as the alphabet itself. The correct Spanish pronunciation is something I gave up on outside conversations with other native Spanish speakers a while ago. And then, there are the three pesky little accents. They are such a small part of my name, but they carry so much weight for me. It’s not me without them.

However, much of the United States is clueless when it comes to diacritic marks. In fact, the country is a paperwork disaster for anyone who doesn’t have a Latinized, diacritic-free first, middle, and last name. It’s a wonder I remain only one person, given how many variations of my name I’ve been forced to jam into various forms and the like. Maybe most commonly, I’m forced to chop off the accents.

Sometimes, the form doesn’t allow spaces so I become Josepablo Fernandezgarcia. Sometimes, to get a space in my first name, Pablo must masquerade as a middle name. Sometimes, 24 letters is too many so some part of my name must be truncated. I’ve submitted countless variations of my name over the years. Mileage varies; the consequences range from funny to frustrating.

Recall the ridiculous amount of mail colleges might have sent you in high school. I received about three times as much. Because I took the PSAT in my freshman, sophomore, and junior year of high school. Because each year the answer sheet allowed a different number of letters in one’s name, truncating mine at different points each year. Because most schools didn’t address the fact that the three differently spelled versions of my name on their mailing list were all me. It was their money wasted on advertisements to schools I never considered.

At times it feels like the night I nearly had to abandon my friends at Charter’s doorstep too early in the night. The bouncers couldn’t find my name on the list no matter where they looked. They only kept looking because my friend, a member, insisted he had put me on the list. The bouncers seemed ready to tell me to go home, until finally they found me. That night I was Mr. Pablo Fernandez Garcia. I imagine a spreadsheet shortcut during the list’s preparation was likely at fault. There have been other nights when I’ve had to be Mr. Fernandez or Mr. Garcia. I’m none of the above; it’s Mr. Fernández García.

Stories like this came to mind when one of my Digital Humanities courses discussed Aditya Mukerjee’s article “I can text you a pile of poo, but I can’t write my name.” Our computers, in their fundamental processing of language, are not built for our names — built much less for his, originally not in the Latin alphabet, than for mine. It’s terrible to think of how often so many people are denied their own names.

I was nearly denied my own in my welcome to Princeton. The email with instructions to access my web accounts began: “Dear Jose Pablo FernaNdez GarciA.” At some point between my application and my technological matriculation, the accents in my name became capitalization for the following letters — save for the space following José. But it wasn’t just the email salutation: my name was like that in TigerHub. To avoid Jose Pablo FernaNdez GarciA attending Princeton in my place, I had to first call the Office of Information Technology and then the Registrar, only to then have to email the Registrar with documented proof of how my name is written. I asked for the weird capitalization to be removed and the accents to be restored; or at least the former, if not the latter.

To Princeton, I became Jose Pablo Fernandez Garcia. “Our system does not allow for letter accents,” I was told.

I share all this in anxious trepidation of my exit from Princeton. Last spring, I saw some tweets reporting that accents weren’t available for all styles of bound thesis covers — only some styles would allow me to accurately claim authorship. This made me wonder if my diploma will actually have my name — not some imposter’s. Now that’s a special variety of imposter syndrome.

At the end of the day, it could be easy to dismiss how some people are — how I am — forced to surrender our name to the whims of others, to their systems, to whatever they feel like accepting as a valid name. But in such a surrender, there is, at a deeper level, a certain surrender of dignity and identity as well. A name is so personal a matter; it should belong to no one but oneself.

So as I wait for others to recognize this, to call me by my true name, I make the adjustments I can. Because my name is nothing except José Pablo Fernández García.

José Pablo Fernández García is a senior from Ohio and a head editor for The Prospect at the ‘Prince.’ He can be reached at jpgarcia [at] princeton.edu.

This piece is part of a larger project highlighting Hispanic and Latine members of the Princeton community members. You can find the other pieces here and here .

Self essays at The Prospect give our writers and guest contributors the opportunity to share their perspectives. This essay reflects the views and lived experiences of the author. If you would like to submit a Self essay, contact us at prospect [at] dailyprincetonian.com.

Tigers trek to New York, Silicon Valley over Spring Break

Over Spring Break, the Princeton E-Club sponsored a TigerTrek to New York City and a TigerTrek to Silicon Valley for students to learn about different career paths and a variety of disciplines, including finance, artificial intelligence (AI), and tech.

For CPS, accessible long-term care is the next step

"It’s understandable that CPS wants to provide stopgap measures like these but these steps can feel like a mere procedural formality rather than a step toward well-being. The difficult truth is that the University really just has to figure out how to provide the care that we need: sufficient session time and consistent support over the course of a whole semester and often more. "

"It’s understandable that CPS wants to provide stopgap measures like these but these steps can feel like a mere procedural formality rather than a step toward well-being. The difficult truth is that the University really just has to figure out how to provide the care that we need: sufficient session time and consistent support over the course of a whole semester and often more. "

‘Continuum’ continues eXpressions’ legacy

Contributing writer for The Prospect Natalia Diaz reviews eXpressions’ Dance Company’s spring performance, “Continuum.”

Contributing writer for The Prospect, Natalia Diaz reviews eXpressions’ Dance Company’s spring performance, “Continuum.”

Most Popular

The humanities were never meant for princeton’s international students, ‘a jewish home away from home’: chabad house opens this week after renovations, 27 young alumni trustee candidates announcement; represent multidimensional class, ‘on a gaza genocide’ event featuring finkelstein gs ’87 draws hundreds, princetonians are divided. here’s how we can come together..

LinguaJunkie.com

A very cranky language blogger dishing out brutal language tips.

How To Introduce Yourself in Korean in 1 Minute

Want to introduce yourself in Korean? Read this lesson. It’ll take you a minute, and ALL the Korean lines you need are here.

If you don’t, I don’t care – this is ONLY for people that truly want to speak Korean.

OK! Here’s how you introduce yourself in Korean. You learn the 6 MUST-KNOW lines. We’ll go from 1-6 and translate it so you can easily start talking Korean ASAP.

Let’s jump in.

1. Formal Way: Jeoneun (name)-imnida.

So first,  let’s cover the formal way to introduce yourself in Korean.

• 안녕하세요? 저는 (name) 입니다. 처음 뵙겠습니다.
• Annyeonghaseyo? Jeoneun John -imnida. Cheoeum boepgesseumnida.
• Hello, my name is John . Nice to meet you!

As you can tell, “Annyeonghaseyo” means “Hello,” then “Jeoneun (name)-imnida” means “my name is (name)”, and finally “Cheoeum boepgesseumnida” is “Nice to meet you.

Do you want to hear how this is pronounced?

Then you should also listen and hear real Korean. Press play below. Try this Free Lesson from KoreanClass101.com (click here to visit) for the complete explanation about introducing yourself!

Ok, what’s next?

2. Casual Way: (Name)-Ya. Bangawayo.

Here’s a more casual way to introduce yourself.

• 안녕. (Name) 야. 반가워.
• Annyeong. (Name) – ya. bangawo.
• Hi, I’m (Name) . Nice to meet you.

So, if you want to introduce yourself casually, just say your name and “ya.”

3. I am from … — (place) eseo wasseumnida.

• (place) 서 왔습니다.
• 미국 miguk – America
• 미국서 왔습니다. Migugeseo wasseumnida. I’m from the U.S.A.

But what if you’re not from the United States? How can you introduce yourself in Korean and talk about YOUR country? Fear not; below is a list that will help you. Simply find your country and add it to the line above!

• Australia 호주 hoju
• Austria 오스트리아 osu t’ria
• Brazil 브라질 burajil
• Canada 캐나다 k’aenada
• China (PRC) 중국 chung-guk
• China (Taiwan) 대만 daeman
• England (United Kingdom) 영국 yeong-guk
• France 프랑스 p’urangsu
• Germany 독일 tok-il
• Hong Kong 홍콩 hong k’ong
• India 인도 indo
• Italy 이탈리아 it’al-lia
• Japan 일본 ilbon
• Malaysia 말레이지아 mallae-i jia
• Mexico 멕시코 maeksik’o
• Mongolia 몽고 mong-go
• Myanmar (Burma) 미얀마 miyanma
• New Zealand 뉴질랜드 nyu jeelaendu
• The Philippines 필리핀 p’ileepeen
• Singapore 싱가폴 sing-gap’ol
• Spain 스페인 sup’ai-in
• Sweden 스웨덴 suwei-dain
• Switzerland 스위스 suweisu
• Thailand 태국 t’ae-guk
• Vietnam 베트남 baet’unam

Now, let’s talk about your age.

4. “I am (age) years old” — (age) sal imnida.

• (age) 살 입니다.
• 열여덟 살 입니다. Yeolyeodeol sal imnida. I am 18 years old.

Okay, to fully introduce yourself in Korean and state your age, you’ll need to know numbers.

Below is a chart of the Korean numbers (there are 2 sets – this is the Korean Native System) which is used for age. If you’re wondering how to do in-between numbers like 23, 35, 47 and so on, heres what you should do.

• Take the Korean word for 20, 30, 40, etc. – whichever is your age
• Then take the single digit number (1-9)
• 40 is maheun
• 5 is daseot
• so, 45 is maheundaseot

To learn more about Korean numbers, check out my other lesson here .

5. I am a (occupation). (occupation)-imnida.

Next, you’ll need to talk about your work or occupation in Korean.

All you need is the word for your occupation and “imnida.”

•  학생입니다. Haksaeng-imnida I’m a student.
• 회사원입니다. Hoisawon-imnida. I’m an office worker.

Here are some other common occupations you can stick in:

• 의사 (Uisa) – Doctor
• 변호사 (Byeonhosa) – Lawyer
• 선생님 (Seonsaengnim) – Teacher
• 간호사 (Ganhosa) – Nurse
• 공학자 (Gonghakja) – Engineer
• 프로그래머 (Peurogeuraemeo) – Programmer
• 요리사 (Yorisa) – Chef
• 경찰관 (Gyeongchalgwan) – Police Officer
• 소방관 (Sobanggwan) – Firefighter
• 기자 (Gija) – Journalist
• 은퇴자 (Euntoeja) – Retired
• 대학생 (Daehaksaeng) – College Student
• 고등학생 (Godeunghaksaeng) – High School Student
• 대학원생 (Daehakwonsaeng) – Graduate Student
• 실업자 (Sileopja) – Unemployed
• 프리랜서 (Peurillaenseo) – Freelancer
• 그래픽 디자이너 (Geuraepik Dijaineo) – Graphic Designer
• 직장인 (Jikjangin) -“office worker” or “company employee”

6. “I’ve been learning Korean for….” — (time duration) dong-an gonbu-haesseumnida.

If your Korean is pretty good, Koreans will want to know about how you learned their language. So, that’s where this and the next phrase come in.

• (time duration) 동안 공부했습니다.
• I’ve been learning for 1 month.
• handaldong-an gonbu-haesseumnida.
• 한달 동안 공부했습니다.

7. I’ve learned Korean in (place) — (place)eseo baewosseumnida.

• (place/location) 에서 배웠습니다.
• I learned it in school.
• hakkyoeseo baewosseumnida.
• 학교에서 배웠습니다.

If you’re interested in learning Korean, I recommend some lessons below — check em out.

The Last Thing That Noone Reads

I feel like noone reads the last parts. Do they?

Well, if you made it down here…

You learned two ways to introduce yourself in Korean. One was formal. One was casual. Let’s review them one more time but in roman letters. You may not know the alphabet ( Hangul) yet.

• Casual : annyeong. (name)-ya.
• Formal : Jeoneun annyeonghaseyo. (name)-imnida.

You can also listen to this extra 3-minute long audio lesson.

• 3-Minute Korean S1 #1 – Self Introduction
• By KoreanClass101.com (click here to visit for more fun lessons.)

Now, what if you want a whole Korean introduction speech? Here’s your Korean self introduction script you might want to use.

Annyeonghaseyo? Jeoneun (name) -imnida. Cheoeum boepgesseumnida. (place) eseo wasseumnida. ( Age) sal imnida. (occupation) -imnida. (time duration) dong-an gonbu-haesseumnida. (place/location) eseo baewosseumnida.

Now you know how to introduce yourself in Korean!

The first thing any beginner Korean learner needs is an introduction. Why? Because who the hell are you? Where are you from? Why are you learning Korean & why should anyone care? If you got this far, you should now have a full script about yourself to use in conversations.

So, what do you do now?

• Take the script I gave you above and put in your name, age, etc. There’s your introduction.
• Introduce yourself in Korean by leaving a comment below!
• Start using your introduction.
• ..and learn even more Korean.

• Get Free Korean Audio Lessons: Korean Audio Lesson
• Best Korean TextBooks . A List for Beginners.
• Say Hello in Korean
• How Are You in Korean

– The Main Junkie

P.S. I highly recommend this for Korean learners.

Annyeonghaseyo! Jeoneun Shivali-imnida

Annyeonghaseyo! Jeoneun Faith-imnida.

Annyeonghaseo? Jeoneun Isabella- imnida.

why is this so hard for meee

Annyeonghaseyo Jeoneun Sara imnida

안녕하세요! 저는 레니 입니다. 처음 뵙겠습니다. 캐나다 서 왔습니다. 열셋 살 입니다. 학생입니다. 저는 재미로 한국어를 배우고 있습니다 ㅋㅋ 집에서 배웠습니다. 안녕하세요~ ^^

Anyeong. Felliandy-ya, bangawo

this lesson helpful thank you, I finally know how to introduce myself properly

Annyeonghaseyo Janeun Jake- imnida..hoju esseo waseumnida, yeol daseot sal imnida

Annyeong hasayo! Siren-ya bangawo! I’m starting to learn korean, I can speak English and Chinese fluently and I’m in late french immersion Since I know Chinese it’ll help me learn kanji for japanese, it’s easier to pick up Cantonese , and I know French so it can help me with Spanish or Italian

How can you combine these sentences like when you want to say: Hello my name is blabla I´m a 163 year old student from happyland

thank you for this lesson, it’s really helpful

안녕하세요? / 저는 (智 淑 달)입니다. / 처음 뵙겠습니다.미국서 왔습니다.(19/열아홉 살) 살 입니다.나는 대학생입니다.나는 1 년 미만 동안 한국어를 배우고있다.혼자서 한국어를 배웠어요.

Tell me informal and formal hello

안녕하세요, 저는 니 니 입 니나. 저는 한국말 잘 못해요 ,미안해요.

can someone please traslate this for me:(romanized + hangul translation)could u also break down the words in romaniztion…

“hello.my name is mina .i live in seoul .i am 13 yrs old. my hobby is to dance,sing and listen to music.i like traveling to different places.”

annyeong haseyo? jeoneun when suaen ibnida.

안녕하세요? 저는 지젤 입니다. 처음 봅 갔습니다.

안녕하세요, 처는 코라리 입니다. 처음 뵙겠습니다. 프랑스 서 왔습니다. 열아홉 살입니다, 그리고, 영국 학생 입니다. 안녕!

annyeonghaseyo joneon lily iminda! yeol set sal imnida.

아넝하세요!조는 Joeyz 임니다

how to introduce marianne kaye in korean

not @ how she used kpop idols for names

안녕하세요. 저는 엘이 입니다. 처음 뵙겠습니다. 영국 서 왔습니다 . 열셋 살 입니다 . 학생입니다 . 잠시동안 공부했습니다. 스스로에서 배웠습니다.

Anyeonghaseyo jeoneun Kevin imnida Cheoum Boepgessumnida pilipeen esseo wasseumnida yeol-yeodeul sal imnida

Anyeonghaseyo jeoneun Kevin-imnida choum boepgesseumnida pilipeen esseo wasseumnida yeol-yeodeul sal imnida

안녕하세요. 저는 히러다어서 임니다. 처음뵙겠습니다 (만나서반갑습니다). 말레이시아 서왔습니다. 서른옐아홉살입니다. 프로그램 제작자 입니다. 일주동안 공부했습니다. 온라인에서 배웠습니다.

Annyeonghaseyo Jeoneun Park Yoon Shin-imnida. Cheoeum Boepgesseumnida!!!

Annyeong-haseyo! Jeoneun Jin-imnida.

안녕하세요?.말레이시아서 입니다. 저는 아미라입니다. 이십살 입니다. 학생입니다. 저는 국제 비지니스 배웁니다.

am i saying this right?

Annyeong haseyo! Jeoneun Moira-imnida. Cheoeum boepgesseumnida! Migugeseo wasseumnida. Yeolilgopsal imnida. Hakseang- imnida. Duljudong-an gonbu-hasseumnida. (I dont know how to say I’ve been self taught. )

Annyeonghaseyo, Jeoneun Sasha imnida. Cheoeum boepgesseumnida.. yeonguk eseo wasseumnida. Yeolses sal imnida.Haeksaeng imnida.

Annyeonghaseyo! Jeoneun Nykira-imnida! 😛

Im here for my new book hahaha. It’s actually needed korean parts! so hard! T.T

Annyeonghaseyo! Jeoneun Ella-imnida. 🙂

Annyeonghaseyo! Jeoneun Jae-imnida

Annyeonghaseyo! Jeoneun Angel-imnida.

what’s the difference between 저는 and 나는

How can we answer without knowing the question You should put the questions in Korean wth man

안녕하세요 저는 케일라 입니다. 십다섯 사이에요. 학생입니다. 넷달 동안 공부했습니다, 홈에서 배웠습니다.

안녕하세요, 저는 알리사 입니다. 처음 뵙겠습니다. 미국서 왔습니다. 이십사살 입니다. 나는 영화 제작진 입니다.

I need to learn all the words so i can talk to EXO…. and understand thier songs better.

안녕하세요? 저는 니키 입니다. 처음 뵙겠습니다 저는 라오스 사람

나는 한국어를 배우고 싶습니다

친구 카카오 ID로 나를 추가 NickyXnk2112

Annyeonghaseyo! jeoneun Piw imnida!

annyeonghaseyo Jeoneun Lusil (Lucille) imnida

Guide on How to Say “My Name Is” in Advanced English

Greetings! Communicating your name in English is a crucial part of introducing yourself. Whether you’re in a formal or informal setting, projecting confidence and clarity when saying your name can make a lasting impression. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore various ways to express “My name is” in advanced English, featuring tips, examples, and even regional variations. Let’s get started!

Formal Ways to Say “My Name Is”

In formal contexts such as job interviews, formal meetings, or business settings, it’s important to adopt a polite and professional tone. Here are some formal expressions to introduce yourself:

1. Using Full Sentences

When formality is key, complete sentences are generally preferred. Consider the following examples:

Example 1: Good morning, my name is [Your Name]. Example 2: I’d like to introduce myself. I am [Your Name]. Example 3: Allow me to introduce myself. I go by the name of [Your Name].

2. Using Formal Titles

An alternative approach in formal situations is to use titles before stating your name. Here are a few examples:

Example 4: Hello, I’m Dr. [Your Name]. Example 5: Good afternoon, I’m Professor [Your Name].

3. Using Formal Phrases

In some formal instances, you may choose to use specific phrases to introduce yourself professionally:

Example 6: Pleased to meet you. My name is [Your Name]. Example 7: May I introduce myself? I am [Your Name].

Informal Ways to Say “My Name Is”

When engaging with friends, casual acquaintances, or in informal social gatherings, you can take a more relaxed and friendly approach. Here are some informal ways to introduce yourself:

1. Using Contractions and Informal Language

To create a casual tone, you can opt for contractions and informal language. Consider these examples:

Example 8: Hey there, I’m [Your Name]. Example 9: What’s up? My name’s [Your Name]. Example 10: Hi, I go by [Your Name]. Nice to meet you!

2. Using Slang or Regional Variations

Depending on your location and familiarity with regional dialects, you might incorporate slang or regional variations. Here are a few examples:

Example 11: Yo, I’m [Your Name]. Example 12: Wassup? The name’s [Your Name].

Note: Keep in mind that slang should only be used in appropriate situations with people who will understand and appreciate it.

Additional Tips for Saying “My Name Is”

1. confidence and clarity.

When introducing yourself, aim to speak with confidence and clarity. Pronounce your name slowly and enunciate each syllable to ensure it’s understood.

2. Nonverbal Communication

Accompany your introduction with appropriate nonverbal cues. Maintain eye contact, offer a friendly smile, and use appropriate body language to create a positive impression.

3. Practice Pronunciation

If you are unsure about how to pronounce your name in English, practice it beforehand. Seek assistance from native English speakers or use pronunciation tools available online to refine your pronunciation.

4. Be Open to Clarification

Don’t hesitate to clarify or repeat your name if the person you’re speaking with seems unsure or mishears it. It’s important to ensure others can address you correctly.

Now armed with a range of formal and informal ways to say “My name is” in advanced English, you can confidently introduce yourself in various social and professional situations. Remember to adapt your expressions to the context, maintain clarity and confidence, and be open to customization based on unique regional variations. Practice, and soon introducing yourself will become second nature. Best of luck!

Related Posts

Guide: How to Say Advanced English

Congratulations on reaching the level of "advanced" in your English language journey! Being able to communicate effectively in English is an impressive accomplishment. Now, you might be wondering how to express this level of proficiency when discussing your English skills with others. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore both formal and informal ways to talk about advanced English. We'll also provide tips, examples, and regional variations when necessary to help you navigate various social situations confidently.

How to Say Advanced: Formal and Informal Ways

Have you ever found yourself struggling to express the concept of "advanced" properly? Whether you're learning a new language, seeking to improve your communication skills, or simply curious, being able to convey the notion of "advanced" with precision is essential. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore various formal and informal ways to say "advanced." So, let's dive in!

How to Say Advanced Directive in Spanish

Understanding medical terms and phrases when traveling or living in a Spanish-speaking region can be incredibly important. One such term is "advanced directive," which refers to legal documents that outline an individual's healthcare wishes in advance. In this guide, we will explore how to say "advanced directive" in Spanish, providing both formal and informal ways of expressing this term. While regional variations may exist, we will focus on the most widely used terms. Let's dive in!

Guide: How to Showcase Advanced Excel Skills on Your Resume

When it comes to impressing potential employers with your resume, highlighting your advanced Excel skills can give you a competitive edge in today's job market. Excel proficiency is highly sought after in various industries such as finance, data analysis, sales, marketing, and many others. In this guide, we will explore effective strategies and provide you with tips on how to effectively demonstrate your advanced Excel skills on your resume.

How to Say "Advanced" in Italian: Formal and Informal Ways

Are you looking to expand your Italian vocabulary and learn how to say "advanced" in Italian? Whether you want to express your language proficiency or describe an advanced level of difficulty, we've got you covered! In this guide, we'll explore both formal and informal ways to say "advanced" in Italian, providing tips, examples, and regional variations where necessary. Let's dive in and enhance our Italian language skills together!

How to Say "Advanced" in Japanese: Formal and Informal Ways

In this guide, we will explore the various ways to say "advanced" in Japanese. As with any language, the choice of words can vary depending on the level of formality, regional variations, and context. Whether you are a language enthusiast or planning to visit Japan, knowing these different terms for "advanced" will greatly enhance your Japanese skills. Let's dive right in!

How to Say "Advanced" in Spanish

Learning how to effectively communicate in a foreign language requires not only a solid foundation in basic vocabulary and grammar but also an understanding of advanced terms and expressions. In Spanish, the word "advanced" can be translated in different ways depending on the context and level of formality. In this guide, we'll explore various ways to express "advanced" in Spanish, both formally and informally. We'll also provide tips, examples, and highlight any regional variations when applicable.

How to Say Advanced Math in Spanish: A Comprehensive Guide

Learning math in another language can present some unique challenges, but fear not! In this guide, we will explore various ways to say "advanced math" in Spanish, both formally and informally. We will also provide tips, examples, and cover any regional variations as necessary. So, let's dive in and expand our mathematical vocabulary en español!

Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Arabic Cantonese Chinese Dutch English Farsi Filipino French German Greek Hawaiian Hebrew Hindi Irish Italian Japan Japanese Korean Latin Mandarin Mexican Navajo Norwegian Polish Portuguese Punjabi Romanian Russian Sanskrit Sign Language Spanish Swahili Swedish Tagalog Tamil Thai Turkish Ukrainian Urdu Vietnamese

• Privacy Policy

This website is intended for healthcare professionals

• { $refs.search.focus(); })" aria-controls="searchpanel" :aria-expanded="open" class="hidden lg:inline-flex justify-end text-gray-800 hover:text-primary py-2 px-4 lg:px-0 items-center text-base font-medium"> Search

Search menu

Austin W, Goble E, Leier B, Byrne P. Compassion fatigue: the experience of nurses. Ethics and Social Welfare.. 2009; 3:(2)195-214 https://doi.org/10.1080/17496530902951988

Baverstock A, Finlay F. Hello my name is. Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed.. 2020; 105:(1) https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2019-317700

Bedwell C, McGowan L, Lavender T. Using diaries to explore midwives' experiences in intrapartum care: an evaluation of the method in a phenomenological study. Midwifery.. 2012; 28:(2)150-155 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2010.12.007

Bhaskar R. A realist theory of science.Hassocks: Harvester Press; 1978

Birnbach DJ, Rosen LF, Fitzpatrick M, Paige JT, Arheart KL. Introductions during time-outs: do surgical team members know one another's names?. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf.. 2017; 43:(6)284-288 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2017.03.001

Blumer H. Symbolic interactionism: perspective and method.Englewood Cliffs (NJ): Prentice-Hall; 1969

Campbell S. Conducting case study research. Clinical Laboratory Science.. 2015; 28:(3)201-205 https://doi.org/10.29074/ascls.28.3.201

Chesser-Smyth PA. The lived experiences of general student nurses on their first clinical placement: a phenomenological study. Nurse Educ Pract.. 2005; 5:(6)320-327 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2005.04.001

Christiansen A, O'Brien MR, Kirton JA, Zubairu K, Bray L. Delivering compassionate care: the enablers and barriers. Br J Nurs.. 2015; 24:(16)833-837 https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2015.24.16.833

Conroy T, Feo R, Boucaut R, Alderman J, Kitson A. Role of effective nurse-patient relationships in enhancing patient safety. Nurs Stand.. 2017; 31:(49)53-63 https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.2017.e10801

Eckardt M, Lindfelt M. An analysis of nursing students' ethical conflicts in a hospital. Nurs Ethics.. 2019; 26:(7-8)2413-2426 https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733018784730

Evans W, Kelly B. Pre-registration diploma student nurse stress and coping measures. Nurse Educ Today.. 2004; 24:(6)473-482 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2004.05.004

Report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust public inquiry. 2013. https://tinyurl.com/omsm882 (accessed 21 June 2021)

Granger K. Healthcare staff must properly introduce themselves to patients. BMJ.. 2013; 347 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f5833

Compassionate Care Awards will be my legacy. 2015. https://www.england.nhs.uk/blog/kate-granger-4/ (accessed 21 June 2021)

Haigh F, Kemp L, Bazeley P, Haigh N. Developing a critical realist informed framework to explain how the human rights and social determinants of health relationship works. BMC Public Health.. 2019; 19:(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7760-7

Health and Care Professions Council. The standards of proficiency for physiotherapists. 2018a. https://www.hcpc-uk.org/standards/standards-of-proficiency/physiotherapists/ (accessed 21 June 2021)

Health and Care Professions Council. The standards of proficiency for occupational therapists. 2018b. https://www.hcpc-uk.org/standards/standards-of-proficiency/occupational-therapists/ (accessed 21 June 2021)

Hindmarsh J, Pilnick A. The tacit order of teamwork: collaboration and embodied conduct in anesthesia. Sociological Quarterly.. 2002; 43:(2)139-164 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.2002.tb00044.x

Iedema R, Greenhalgh T, Russell J Spoken communication and patient safety: a new direction for healthcare communication policy, research, education and practice?. BMJ Open Quality. 2019; 8 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjoq-2019-000742

Jones J, Winch S, Strube P, Mitchell M, Henderson A. Delivering compassionate care in intensive care units: nurses' perceptions of enablers and barriers. J Adv Nurs.. 2016; 72:(12)3137-3146 https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13064

Reclaiming and redefining the Fundamentals of Care: nursing's response to meeting patients' basic human needs. 2013. https://tinyurl.com/fp7j438w (accessed 21 June 2021)

Krueger R, Casey A. Focus groups. a practical guide for applied research, 5th edn. Thousand Oaks (CA): Sage Publications; 2014

Lincoln Y, Guba E. Fourth generation evaluation.Thousand Oaks (CA): Sage Publications; 1989

Martin A. Hello, my name is Abby, so don't call me ‘the student’. Nursing Standard.. 2019; 34:(4) https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.34.4.23.s13

Maslow AH. A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review.. 1943; 50:(4)370-396 https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346

Mezirow J. Learning as transformation: critical perspectives on a theory-in-progress.Hoboken (NJ): Wiley; 2000

Miles M, Huberman A. Qualitative data analysis: an expanded sourcebook, 2nd edn. Thousand Oaks (CA): Sage Publications; 1994

Nursing and Midwifery Council. The code: professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses and midwives. 2018. https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/code/ (accessed 21 June 2021)

Professional standards for occupational therapy practice.London: RCOT; 2017

Coordinating time-critical work with role-tagging. 2011. https://dl.acm.org/

Simons H. Case study research in practice.London: Sage; 2009

Stake R. The case study method in social inquiry. In: Gomm R., Hammersley Foster P (eds). London: Sage Publications; 2000

Yin R. Applications of case study research, 3rd edn. Thousand Oaks (CA): Sage Publications; 2012

Yin RK. Case study research: design and methods, 5th edn. Thousand Oaks (CA): Sage Publications; 2014

World Health Organization. Surgical safety checklist. 2009. https://tinyurl.com/3tknjaep (accessed 21 June 2021)

‘Hello, my name is …’: an exploratory case study of inter-professional student experiences in practice

Senior Lecturer in Children's Nursing, Department of Health and Life Sciences, University of Northumbria, Newcastle

View articles

Katherine Baker

Senior Lecturer, Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne

Gemma Bradley

Senior Lecturer, Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne

Julie Derbyshire

Director of Education (Apprenticeships), Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne

Cheryl Elliott

Lecturer, Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne

Marion Haskin

Senior Lecturer, Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne

Janice MacKnight

Leah Rosengarten

Lecturer in Children's Nursing, Department of Health and Life Sciences, University of Northumbria, Newcastle

View articles · Email Leah

Background:

The ‘Hello my name is …’ campaign emphasises the importance of compassionate care and focuses on health professionals introducing themselves to patients. Research has found that using names is key to providing individuals with a sense of belonging and can be vital in ensuring patient safety.

To investigate the student experience of having ‘Hello my name is …’ printed on student uniforms and implement this campaign in practice.

A case study was used to capture the experiences of 40 multiprofessional healthcare students in practice. Participants were asked to complete a reflective diary during their first week in practice and attend a focus group with 4–8 other students.

A higher education institution in the north east of England with students from adult, child and learning disability nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and midwifery programmes, in a variety of clinical placements throughout the region.

The implementation of the campaign and logo branding on the uniforms of students resulted in an increase in the number of times students were addressed by their name in practice. Participants reported that the study helped them to quickly develop a sense of belonging when on placement, and aided them in delivering compassionate care. Occasions when patient safety was improved were also reported.

Conclusion:

The use of names is a key feature in human relationships and the delivery of compassionate care, and the authors advocate use of the ‘Hello my name is …’ campaign for all health professionals.

At the core of each person is the need to seek out interaction with others, whether that be through verbal or non-verbal interactions. It is fundamental to who we are as human beings ( Blumer, 1969 ). From an early age we learn about the importance of introductions to each other, which is seen as the first step in social etiquette, enabling the formation of relationship and social interaction, regardless of the culture or the circumstances: personal, professional or social. It produces a sense of commonality. This is particularly true and important in a healthcare setting.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018) has identified this behaviour as an element of promoting professionalism and trust and the Health and Care Professions Council (2018a ; 2018b ) and Royal College of Occupational Therapists (2017) emphasised the need to be aware of how this affects the engagement of people in their own health care. Therefore, it must be questioned why so often, at the most traumatic or vulnerable times, health professionals fail to introduce themselves. A lack of a basic introduction was experienced during an inpatient hospital stay by Kate Granger, an NHS doctor, in 2013, and the momentum that grew when she talked about the issue suggested her experience was far from unique. Granger reflected that during her admission:

‘I lost count of the number of times I have to ask staff members for their names. It feels awkward and wrong. Introducing yourself is the basic first step.’

Granger, 2013

As health professionals we pride ourselves on the uniqueness of the therapeutic nature of the patient relationship, yet Granger passionately articulated that the core foundation of communication was often flawed.

The #hellomynameis campaign, introduced on social media by Kate Granger and her husband Chris Pointon, highlights the importance of prompt and effective communication, treating all patients with respect and dignity and the delivery of compassionate care ( Granger, 2015 ). Since its launch in 2013, the campaign has gained momentum with healthcare staff wearing badges and scrubs with embroidered names and the #theatre cap challenge in operating environments ( Baverstock and Finlay, 2020 ).

As well as the benefits for compassionate care, links between #hellomynameis, and patient safety have been drawn in previous studies ( Kitson et al, 2013 ; Conroy et al, 2017 ) with parallels to Maslow's hierarchy of need (1943), which identified physical and psychological safety as fundamental to meeting other human needs. Conroy et al (2017) stated that:

‘Therapeutic relationships and engaging respectfully with patients enables nurses and other health care professionals to identify patients' unique physical and psycho-social safety needs and address these needs in a person-centred way.’

Conroy et al, 2017

There are high-profile examples where failing to meet fundamentals of care can link to wider patient safety failures ( Francis, 2013 ) and returning to the words of Kate Granger, a good introduction is ‘the first rung on the ladder’ of compassionate, person-centred care ( Granger, 2013 ).

It is clear from the literature and the support the campaign gained nationally that the #hellomynameis campaign represents much more than a friendly introduction, it is an important driver in the delivery of person-centred, compassionate and safe care for all patients. However, from the outset of the campaign in 2013, the experiences of those involved in the initiative have not been studied, which provided the rationale for this study. This article will present a research study that explored multiprofessional healthcare student experiences of using the #hellomynameis campaign in practice with the logo and their first names printed on their uniform.

Furthermore, the introduction of this campaign to students from a variety of pre-registration healthcare programmes may possibly have added impact due to the students' frequent movement in and out of healthcare teams. It was highlighted in Chesser-Smyth's (2005) study that when students were made to feel part of a clinical team, this reduced feelings of anxiety during clinical placements. Additionally, an unfriendly atmosphere from clinical staff has been found to be one of the three main causes of stress for pre-registration nursing students ( Evans and Kelly, 2004 ), and students report feeling undervalued if clinical staff do not address them by name ( Martin, 2019 ).

Students are generally not supplied with the #hellomynameis badges while in practice, unlike permanent staff within some healthcare organisations, and limitations to using name badges have been identified. Some of these limitations include interference with electronic devices (from magnets), infection control requirements and problems with lost badges. Therefore, as part of this study, funding was secured to permanently print the logo and the student's first name on the uniforms of each student participant.

Aims and objectives

To investigate the experience of having #hellomynameis … printed on multiprofessional healthcare students' uniforms.

• To select students from a variety of healthcare professions to participate
• To collect data from reflective diaries from the students' first week in clinical placement with the #hellomynameis imprint
• To conduct focus groups with mixed multiprofessional groups of health students following their clinical placements.

Study design

A case study research design was used, underpinned by a critical realist philosophy. Critical realism supports the notion that there is a reality independent of people's thoughts and actions and, in particular, that this reality can be examined at a causal level by exploring the mechanisms that generate events ( Bhaskar, 1978 ). Therefore, the study was designed to examine events experienced by healthcare students related to wearing a name logo, and to reflect on causal mechanisms that led to or influenced these events. Importantly, critical realism also supports pragmatism in the design of methodology and methods, designing research methods that are fit for purpose and can examine multiple layers of reality ( Haigh et al, 2019 ).

Stake (2000) suggested that a ‘case’ is whatever bounded system is of interest to the research. It can be a common or everyday phenomenon, or the case can be an individual, organisation, process or an event ( Yin, 2012 ). In this study, the ‘case’ was the phenomenon of wearing a name logo as experienced by student health professionals on a period of practice placement. Case studies can deal with complexity where there are many variables and support using multiple sources of evidence, and data collection over time, to contribute to a rich portrayal and understanding of the phenomenon to inform education and practice ( Simons, 2009 ; Yin, 2014 ).

All participants were recruited from one higher education institution in the north east of England. Purposive sampling was used to identify pre-registration health professional students who would be due to attend a period of practice education within the identified study period. All students had experienced at least one prior period of practice placement. Students were from both BSc and MSc pre-registration programmes with all students in their final year of study.

An email was sent to all eligible students detailing the project, with a request for a response within 10 days of receipt of the email. Of those who responded to the email, 67 students were approached to take part, with 53 students attending a study launch event and giving consent to be involved. The final sample of 53 students represented adult nursing (n=23), child nursing (n=13), learning disabilities nursing (n=3), midwifery (n=8), physiotherapy (n=4) and occupational therapy (n=2). After this initial launch event, 40 students in total submitted diaries and 30 students attended focus groups.

Data collection

While on placement all participants were asked to complete a reflective diary for 1 week to document their experiences of wearing the uniform, including reactions and feedback from staff, other students, patients and families. Reflective diaries are regarded as a valuable tool to record not only rich descriptions of events, but they can also include emotional responses to experiences ( Bedwell et al, 2012 ). Reflective diaries were completed by 40 students and sent back to the research team electronically for analysis.

After completion of the placement, students (n=30) were allocated to one of five focus groups with between four and eight students in each, from different professional groups. Focus groups were facilitated by two members of the research team. Focus groups enabled the researchers to bring students together collectively to interpret and further understand the students' experiences, while allowing them to share personal perceptions of experiences with one another ( Krueger and Casey, 2014 ). Each focus group lasted between 30 and 45 minutes and a guide ensured a standardised approach for all facilitators. Each focus group was audio-recorded, which allowed for later transcription verbatim by an independent person, external to the research team.

Data analysis

Reflective diaries data were either handwritten or electronically submitted by participants and focus group data was transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was completed by the research team using a process of thematic analysis to uncover patterns in the qualitative data ( Miles and Huberman, 1994 ). The research team included eight members of staff, representative of the professional groups involved in the study, and all team members were involved in the review of diaries and focus group transcripts.

Initial codes using key words and phrases were identified, which are the critical link between data collection and the explanation of meaning ( Campbell, 2015 ). This was followed by the development of themes, which were agreed during face-to-face meetings, where the research team were able to discuss and compare their generated codes and themes. These meetings aimed to reduce the risk of researcher bias and enhance the trustworthiness of the data ( Lincoln and Guba, 1989 ).

Ethical considerations

Ethical approval was gained from Northumbria University Ethics Committee (17464). Voluntary consent was gained from the outset and participants were provided with a participant information sheet and consent form. This included their written permission to access and use data from the reflective diaries and the focus groups. Students were aware that they had the choice to withdraw from the study at any time with no impact on their university studies.

From the qualitative analysis of reflective diary and focus group data, five main themes emerged:

Care and compassion

A sense of belonging, a positive experience.

• Challenges and suggestions for improvement.

These findings will be supported by verbatim quotes, with the following data sources given:

• FG: focus group and number of focus group
• RD: reflective diary
• P: participant and number.

Participants shared many examples of how the knowledge of their name, and the ease with which patients and families could see this, impacted on the delivery of compassionate care. Primarily, examples related to how participants perceived the name logo had helped them with relationship building and aided with developing connections on a human and personal level, often within sensitive situations:

‘I believed it made me more approachable to parents who are potentially stressed who did not have the extra job of remembering my name.’

‘It's like, taking that stranger vibe out of the way. Just to create that relationship, I suppose. I think it's quite nice to be in that position.’

‘It just makes you more approachable … people could … feel like they can approach you and you're more personal … they could like maybe feel more comfortable to come and, like, disclose stuff to you.’

Some participants suggested that they perceived knowledge of their name aided with minimising differences between health professionals and patients and families, and this in turn could also act as an enabler to therapeutic relationships:

‘Like, we know a lot about them, names, addresses, we've got everything on them, and they know nothing about us. And I think they've got a name, it kind of balances that out a little bit.’

‘I think it's that human element. [Because] you can be a nurse and people expect you to give that kind of compassion but when you put a name to it, they see that “Oh, this is someone else who's just like me only they have a job to do as well” and it's just things like that human touch.’

And one participant felt that awareness of their name through the logo assisted with the speed in which a relationship could be developed:

‘So, I think it's speeding up the process of building rapport and trust.’

Other examples included how the name logo acted as a conversation starter or took pressure off patients and families to remember names when they were focused on wider events, or important information being discussed.

Many participants shared examples and reflections about being called directly by their name and often compared this to experiences of being called ‘the student’ during previous placement experiences:

‘Everyone called me by my name, not once was I called “the student.”’

‘I don't think I've been called “the student” the whole time I've had this on.’

‘The parents as well, so the parents have used my name more than, I think, on any other placement before.’

Focus group participants associated their name logo with starting conversations and integration within their placement team:

‘Someone commented on the spelling of my name … it's unusual … so I suppose it kind of started the conversation and then people asking sort of about the project and talking a bit about why we were doing it and what we were doing it for.’

‘They've just sort of spoke to me without having to be introduced.’

Many participants reflected on being referred to as ‘the student’ on placement and how this could feel challenging when attempting to integrate into a clinical team. One participant compared their experiences of wearing and not wearing their name logo and how this affected their integration and sense of value:

‘I haven't always felt like an integrated part of that team because I'm just in a white uniform; I haven't got blue stripes and people do see you as just the student. But having that on, like, the doctors, like… You've got the [Foundation 1 doctors] working with you who also have like, quick turnover, address you by name every time and I just think, for me personally, that does make you feel as if you're like a valued part of their team because you are … There is that human element; it's not just “Oh, can you get the student to…” It's “Oh, [name], can you do this?”’

This feeling of integration and belonging also extended to how integrated students were within patient and family situations, with a positive association made between the name logo and a sense of belonging with patients, families and carers:

‘Yeah. And more familiarity as well, with like patients and families. Like, I've never had that before … Like, the families will come in and address you by your name straight away and it just feels much nicer than it ever has done before, when there's like, not really that much engagement I've felt in the past with families … now that's changed because they just address you by your name straight away.’

Similarly, another focus group participant not only highlighted that the name logo assisted with a sense of belonging to the practice team, but also alluded to a link between the logo and a sense of belonging to the university:

‘The uniform belongs to me and I feel like I have an identity because my name is on the uniform, next to [university name].’

This sense of belonging elicited a positive emotional response among many of the participants involved, with words such as ‘respect’, feeling ‘empowered’ and feeling ‘valued’ discussed by focus group participants and within reflective diaries. This powerful positive emotional response to belonging within a clinical team was summarised by one focus group participant:

‘There was one particular doctor that saw me … and he's identified me by that name, which really gives me goose bumps. You know? For somebody to like, call you by your name, it feels good. It really does … they don't refer [to you] as a “student”, or “that lady” or “that girl over there”, so it's really good.’

Participants recognised instances from their practice placement experiences where they associated wearing the name logo with a positive impact on patient safety. One participant suggested this could have been linked to the time it may take to think about and remember names, suggesting that the name logo negated the need for people to think about this in time-pressured emergency situations:

‘If something happens, if you're standing there and your name's there, people can see and shout at you and you can be there and help if needed. Or, they can just shout your name and tell you to go and do something, like without having to think, like: “Oh, what's her name?”’

Similarly, one participant suggested that they themselves would respond more quickly to their name if they were in a high-pressure or time-sensitive scenario:

‘You respond faster to your name, don't you? So if they refer to you by your name, you're more likely to pay attention to something than if they're like “Oi, student” … Kind of that disappears into the background noise a bit, whereas if someone goes “Oi, [name]”, like, you pay attention to your name.’

But it was not solely in emergency situations where participants recognised a link between creating safe environments and the clarity about names. One participant reflected on the importance of being clear about their responsibility to carry out routine aspects of patient care:

‘I've had people ask you for like drinks and such but like, referring to me as [name] rather than as student … if you don't get them a drink, they're going to get dehydrated.’

Participants also gave examples where the direct use of their name could increase feelings of responsibility and accountability for aspects of patient care:

‘[Because] they know who they've asked for help. So then if I went off and didn't do it, they could say, “Oh, well I asked [name] to do that.”

Some practical elements of wearing the name logo were also associated with improvements to the overall safety of patients and staff, with some comments about improving infection risk and risk of tissue damage when comparing with standard issue name badges. Participants also valued only having their first name printed on the uniform and compared this to first and surnames on identification badges, which could make them vulnerable in some situations, for example if patients searched for them on social media.

But not all comments were reflective of positive links to patient and staff safety. One participant made a link between the placement of their name on the upper chest area of the uniform and feelings of vulnerability:

‘It's made us quite vulnerable to the men that are in there, [because] obviously sexual offences and things like that; I've found that having it here hasn't really been … appropriate.’

Participants shared some other over-riding reflections about positive aspects of wearing the name logo. Many participants highlighted positive reactions from their wider placement teams:

‘It was discussed during handover and in the office, where they wanted to know about it. [The team] would be keen to have it on their uniforms.’

‘Nurses on the team commented on how useful it was and how it helped them.’

Another interesting positive element was that students reported that the name logo also assisted other people to spell their name, something that they had experienced difficulties with during previous placement experiences:

‘And they spell it right all the time but like before, never ever.’

Pragmatically, participants highlighted that a name logo as an integrated part of the uniform meant that the problems with forgetting, or not wearing a badge were minimised, with the name and information more accessible:

‘They just don't wear [badges]. Like, in mine, I don't know whether they don't have the badges. On their uniform, they have “staff nurse” and “sister” written on it but they don't have any names. Like, so their badges are all worn round their neck but like, you can't see it [because] they normally have it flipped over so you can never see what their name is.’

Other positive features highlighted by a small number of students was that the logo had the potential to help patients and families with hearing impairments. For participants themselves, one more positive element was the fact that they did not have to remember to put on the integrated logo in the same way they would do with a name badge.

Challenges and suggestions for improvement

It is important to note that not all participants shared positive experiences of wearing the name logo, with some participants reflecting that they did not notice differences between practice experiences when wearing, and not wearing, the name logo.

‘No one mentioned my name or the uniform.’

‘None of the staff really paid attention or asked about the uniform, service users did not either.’

Some participant reflections indicated that this may be associated with the client group or the placement environment:

‘It was sort of redundant almost. I've been working with older people with severe dementia, so even if it was helpful that they can't remember your name audibly, nobody was looking and even if they did, it was unlikely to be recalled.’

Other participants reflected that a name logo should not directly alter the fundamental principles of verbal introductions or of providing high-quality care:

‘Important to note even with this project before any patient contact, I introduce myself by name, then say I am the student.’

The main suggestion for improvement linked to identifying a more appropriate place for the logo, rather than the chest area of the tunic:

‘I think for me, the only negativity is where it is. I've had a few staff saying, “Oh, what's your name, sorry” and I'm like [gestures] “[name]” and they're like “Oh, sorry, I just didn't want to look”. It's just where it is.’

‘All health care professionals noted the change in uniform and suggested it should be located higher up the tunic.’

The primary aim of the original #hellomynameis campaign was to promote compassionate care; it is significant that this emerged as a key theme from the findings. Participant quotes of how the name logo helped build relationships with vulnerable people and helped them to make personal connections, emphasised this link to compassion. This is particularly noteworthy as much of the literature discussing the link between the campaign and compassionate care is opinion-based and therefore it is important to support this with qualitative research of the student experience. The ability to develop improved compassionate relationships when health professionals form meaningful individual connections with patients is identified in healthcare literature ( Christiansen et al, 2015 ; Jones et al, 2016 ; Conroy et al, 2017 ).

It is important to reflect that it is perhaps the clear verbal introduction, rather than the printed logo, which improves compassionate and person-centred care, and the importance of this verbal introduction is not disputed. However, the fact that students noticed differences in their relationships with patients and families when wearing the logo suggests that it acted as an important enabler to overcome some of the inherent challenges to remembering names or to making personal connections. Furthermore, such an initiative is a valuable contribution to overcoming the widely acknowledged barriers to delivering compassionate care that are often identified ( Christiansen et al, 2015 ; Jones et al, 2016 ), and the challenges of compassion fatigue and the tendency for health professionals to distance themselves from emotional connections with patients and families ( Austin et al, 2009 ).

The findings of this research study demonstrate that the act of being addressed by their name is a powerful catalyst for initiating feelings of belonging and team integration for students—with a perceived link between the sense of involvement and an increased sense of responsibility among students. Participants reflected that they have had the experience of being called ‘the student’ on other placements and this issue of being called ‘doctor’, ‘nurse’, or ‘student’ is very much a part of the culture within healthcare. For participants, the experience of being called ‘the student’ rather than their name can contribute to feeling undervalued ( Martin, 2019 ). The lived experience of the participants in this study linked the use of personal names to feelings of value, esteem and belonging. Arguably, it helped the students to make meaningful emotional connections in learning within the affective domain, leading to transformational learning ( Mezirow, 2000 ).

Furthermore, critics suggest labels such as ‘the doctor’ or ‘the nurse’ risk people feeling like they are more a function of care and challenges the personal involvement in care acting ( Eckardt and Lindfelt, 2019 ). Participant quotes suggested a sense of identity in practice corresponded with a sense of value as a member of the team and supports the notion that being known by name helps to facilitate a more personal and embodied care-giving experience ( Martin, 2019 ). Although it is widely acknowledged that one can read a name badge or ask a person's name to achieve the same result, any change to facilitate personalisation should be welcomed.

The NHS Improvement Patient Safety Team's Safety Initiative Group highlighted that specific, spoken words and introductions such as names can be critical in clinical practice ( Iedema et al, 2019 ). Consequently, inadequacies related to information exchanges, such as those that may occur if information is not received by the person for whom it was intended, can result in misunderstandings or delays in care ( Iedema et al, 2019 ). Sarcevic et al (2011) highlighted the importance of role identification in emergency situations and areas such as accident and emergency, where individuals may not be familiar with one another but need to work efficiently and effectively together to manage critical care settings. Hindmarsh and Pilnick (2002) identified that this lack of familiarity can occur in operating departments when unfamiliar colleagues meet for a period to work as a team. Sarcevic et al (2011) argued that, when assigning tasks in critical situations, leaders are often forced to direct their instructions to the team at large rather than being able to instruct an individual with their name, which can lead to delays in the task being accomplished.

Links between introductions and a culture of patient safety is identified by the World Health Organization's (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist ( WHO, 2009 ); the first factor to be established before skin incision is the introduction to the person. But even with verbal introductions, some studies suggest that retention of names can be poor, and that the introduction may be a procedural task rather than something that staff attend to and remember ( Birnbach et al, 2017 ).

The study findings demonstrate participant acknowledgement of increased recognition and retention of personal names that was often attributed to the use of the name logo. Participants reported that situations where direct use of names was encountered resulted in more prompt actions or enabled a team member to give clearer instructions in an emergency, echoing the literature ( Sarcevic et al, 2011 ). Although it is beyond the scope of this study to make direct causal claims between the name logo and improvements to patient safety, participant perceptions do suggest an important link that could be evaluated by further research. Furthermore, any initiative that improves communication within teams, while facilitating direct responsibility or ownership of actions, is likely to have a positive impact on safe and effective patient care.

It was undoubtedly a pleasing element of the study that student participants discussed the value they placed on the initiative and there was reference made to the value noted by their student and practice colleagues. Some data extracts did suggest participants had not noted any difference, although this was mainly gathered from reflective diary extracts, which were collected after week one. Interestingly, this perception seemed to have changed by the time of the focus groups, with most participants reporting positive reflections and experiences. However, it is important to recognise that those who attended the focus groups may have been those who had positive experiences of the project and were more invested overall in the research study. The main suggestion for improvement was the positioning of the logo on the uniform. There was recognition that, for mental health, learning disability and occupational therapy students working in secure areas, patients could make inappropriate comments, and this may impact on the healthcare student-patient relationship ( Conroy et al, 2017 ). This is an important point to note from both a patient and staff safety perspective and will help to inform future decisions about how to implement the initiative on a wider scale.

A strength of the case study design was the multiple approaches to data collection, which meant the issues could be examined at different time points and through methods that encouraged individual reflection and group discussion. The recruitment of participants from different professional programmes was also a strength of the study. However, it is acknowledged that numbers from some disciplines were low. Therefore, in order to protect the anonymity of the participants from those professional programmes, we have not attributed quotes to different occupational groups. Developing an understanding of whether the themes above are experienced by different groups in different ways presents opportunities for further research. Research using real-time immersive methods to further understand the links to improved communication, or the link to patient safety, would also offer important developments to knowledge. Finally, and returning to the primary aim of the #hellomynameis initiative, research to understand the patient and family perspective of the impact on person-centred compassionate care would provide additional insight on this important theme.

Findings from this study suggest that a clear and visible name logo has perceived links to providing compassionate personalised care and patient safety. Findings also suggest that it assists with team working and integration and was an initiative that, in the main, was positively received by those students wearing the logo and their wider teams. Moreover, this may be a catalyst for encouraging all individuals, irrespective of grade, to feel involved and be accountable and can help students to feel valued members of healthcare teams. Therefore, we are working towards this initiative becoming an established part of the uniform for health professional students within our institution and for this to act as a visible reminder for students to be advocates and champions for the overall campaign. Beyond this, we look forward to sharing this initiative with wider organisations and practice partners to involve the wider healthcare and multi-professional workforce. We will also use feedback from students about the placement of the logo to improve the design and emphasise how the printed logo should be an adjunct to, not a substitute for, clear verbal introductions in all practice settings.

We return to the fundamental principle that the use of names is a key feature in human relationships and the delivery of compassionate care, and we advocate the use of the #hellomynameis campaign—and, more specifically, a printed name logo on uniforms—for all health professionals and students. Although there will be cost and pragmatic considerations to resolve, we believe this simple, yet powerful, initiative can make a meaningful difference to compassionate, collaborative and safe care and can empower and enable both staff and patients.

• Kate Granger's legacy, the #hellomynameis campaign, is as important today as it was in 2013. Promoting care and compassion is central to healthcare—addressing somebody personally is the initial stage of this process
• This study gathered qualitative data on the student experience of having the #hellomynameis logo and their own name added to their uniform
• A sense of belonging is a human need, students often feel a lack of this when they are referred to as ‘the student’ or not referred to at all
• In an emergency or acute situations, delegation and co-ordination are vital, referring to staff by name can make this more effective—and that includes the students

CPD reflective questions

• Have you taken time to learn the names of the students in your area of practice? If not, why not? Or do you refer to them as ‘the student’?
• Do you remember to introduce yourself by stating ‘Hello, my name is …’? Is this common practice in your area? Observe others around you. Think about what you can do to encourage this practice
• Is your badge visible to all your patients and colleagues? How can you make sure it is?

Forgotten password

Please enter the email address that you use to login to TeenInk.com, and we'll email you instructions to reset your password.

• Poetry All Poetry Free Verse Song Lyrics Sonnet Haiku Limerick Ballad
• Fiction All Fiction Action-Adventure Fan Fiction Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction Romance Sci-fi/Fantasy Scripts & Plays Thriller/Mystery All Novels Action-Adventure Fan Fiction Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction Romance Sci-fi/Fantasy Thriller/Mystery Other
• Nonfiction All Nonfiction Bullying Books Academic Author Interviews Celebrity interviews College Articles College Essays Educator of the Year Heroes Interviews Memoir Personal Experience Sports Travel & Culture All Opinions Bullying Current Events / Politics Discrimination Drugs / Alcohol / Smoking Entertainment / Celebrities Environment Love / Relationships Movies / Music / TV Pop Culture / Trends School / College Social Issues / Civics Spirituality / Religion Sports / Hobbies All Hot Topics Bullying Community Service Environment Health Letters to the Editor Pride & Prejudice What Matters
• Reviews All Reviews Hot New Books Book Reviews Music Reviews Movie Reviews TV Show Reviews Video Game Reviews Summer Program Reviews College Reviews
• Art/Photo Art Photo Videos
• Summer Guide Program Links Program Reviews
• College Guide College Links College Reviews College Essays College Articles

Summer Guide

• College Guide
• Song Lyrics

All Fiction

• Action-Adventure
• Fan Fiction
• Historical Fiction
• Realistic Fiction
• Sci-fi/Fantasy
• Scripts & Plays
• Thriller/Mystery

All Nonfiction

• Author Interviews
• Celebrity interviews
• College Articles
• College Essays
• Educator of the Year
• Personal Experience
• Travel & Culture

All Opinions

• Current Events / Politics
• Discrimination
• Drugs / Alcohol / Smoking
• Entertainment / Celebrities
• Environment
• Love / Relationships
• Movies / Music / TV
• Pop Culture / Trends
• School / College
• Social Issues / Civics
• Spirituality / Religion
• Sports / Hobbies

All Hot Topics

• Community Service
• Letters to the Editor
• Pride & Prejudice
• What Matters

All Reviews

• Hot New Books
• Book Reviews
• Music Reviews
• Movie Reviews
• TV Show Reviews
• Video Game Reviews

Summer Program Reviews

• College Reviews
• Writers Workshop
• Regular Forums
• Program Links
• Program Reviews
• College Links

Hello, my name is:

Dark as the farthest corner in your house, long as a horse’s tail, and thick as a Webster’s dictionary. My hair. And in the stereotypical world of a middle school student, appearance was important – the hairstyle having the most value. There were not many options for an Indian girl like me. The only style of hair was a braid, and if I felt unconventional, two. Despite the grand attention my hair received, it came with drawbacks. My mom had to wake up every morning to braid the thick waves, I would get frequent headaches from the weight upon my head, and the amount of shampoo and conditioner that I needed was preposterous. But these snags weighed almost equally to my hair’s boon: strangers were awed by the river of my flowing locks; it set me apart from just “another Indian girl”; and relatives from India would say, “What a good Indian girl she is to continue following the Indian culture,” as they admired my capability to follow such an Indian tradition of long hair in the United States. But I soon grew tired of my wild, long hair. I wanted an alteration in my appearance but I could not come to a decision. My mother urged me to maintain my long hair; she was sure that both of us would lose a part of our heritage if I didn’t. She constantly reminisced about when she had hair longer than mine, but had to cut it off to fit the fast-pace lifestyle of the U.S. But a fear arose in me that when I cut away my hair, I might also be cutting away my identity. I was always associated with my long, braided hair. If it was gone, I could not comprehend what more there was to Sneha that made her matchless. After many weeks of thought, one lucky beautician got to battle the jungle atop my head. My hair was snip, snip, snipped off…from my hips to an inch under my shoulders. A new me, just in time for high school. This decision eventually transported me to the realization that hair is just hair. Our hair my grow and change just as we do, but by no means controls how we grow or change. My old hair was not my name tag and it was not my bond to my heritage. I was. Even though my hair now swung loosely at my shoulders, I strengthened the ties I kept with my heritage by performing modern Indian dance. I was recognized as the comical and perceptive girl that I was. No longer did my name tag say “Distinctive, long hair”. Instead, it said Hello, my name is: Sneha

Similar Articles

Join the discussion.

This article has 1 comment.

• Subscribe to Teen Ink magazine
• Submit to Teen Ink
• Find A College
• Find a Summer Program

Share this on

Send to a friend.

Thank you for sharing this page with a friend!

Tell my friends

Choose what to email.

Which of your works would you like to tell your friends about? (These links will automatically appear in your email.)

Send your email

Delete my account, we hate to see you go please note as per our terms and conditions, you agreed that all materials submitted become the property of teen ink. going forward, your work will remain on teenink.com submitted “by anonymous.”, delete this, change anonymous status, send us site feedback.

If you have a suggestion about this website or are experiencing a problem with it, or if you need to report abuse on the site, please let us know. We try to make TeenInk.com the best site it can be, and we take your feedback very seriously. Please note that while we value your input, we cannot respond to every message. Also, if you have a comment about a particular piece of work on this website, please go to the page where that work is displayed and post a comment on it. Thank you!

Pardon Our Dust

Teen Ink is currently undergoing repairs to our image server. In addition to being unable to display images, we cannot currently accept image submissions. All other parts of the website are functioning normally. Please check back to submit your art and photography and to enjoy work from teen artists around the world!

• Grammar Lessons
• Grammar Exercises
• Grammar Quizzes
• Mixed Tests
• PDF Worksheets
• Beginners Lessons
• Easy Worksheets
• Beginners Tests
• Reading Exercises
• Drag & Drop Grammar
• English For Kids
• Kids Word Games
• Picture Vocabulary
• Reading Tests
• Short Dialogues
• Short Sentences
• Closest in Meaning
• Irrelevant Sentence
• ESL Paragraphs
• GRE Reading
• Text Completion
• GRE Equivalence
• SAT Sentence
• Essay Writing
• Vocabulary Exercises
• Study Skills Tips
• Drag & Drop Vocab

Dialogue Examples 5 - Introducing Yourself

Two students (at university).

Request another

Follow class ace :.