Reply to is it appropriate to ask people origin of their last name? should it be?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I work at a law firm and recently found out I totally butchered a summer associate's first name. She called me, told me who she was and I said, "Hi, and before you tell me why you're calling I just have to apologize because I am pretty sure I mispronounced your name the last time we talked. How do you say it again?"

(It is an Indian name, and I am used to them being totally phonetic which this one was, and I just put the emphasis on the wrong syllables.)

OP, maybe think of it this way: if it's someone you'll never see or talk to again and don't need anything from, tell them they pronounced it right and shut the conversation down. But if it's someone whose shop you'll be in weekly, or the front desk of your doctors office, then since you'll have a relationship with them, invest the 20 seconds to share about your name. [/quote]

I agree with having the patience to explain the name to someone you will interact with on and off. And if you ask me once how to say it, and I say close enough, or yes, and that's the end of the discussion - that's fine. But then to engage in multiple follow up questions and comments get old. I don 't want to explain my origin, my parents origin, when did they come to the US, do you speak that language, etc.

I guess it's a PSA that some people with long names are subject to being asked parts of their life stories in many human interactions and it becomes invasive feeling. Again, I am a white person so I don't think it's racism against me, but it gets old.  [/quote]

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