There are various forms of discrimination that hold us back in the workplace. One of those that isn’t discussed very often is name-based discrimination. A recent study from Curtin University found that when migrants used their birth names on CVs, they received fewer responses than those who used more anglicized names.

It’s a form of what the researchers refer to as “name microaggression”, which encapsulates the negative assumptions we often have towards ethnic-sounding names. It’s a concept with a reasonably long history, with prior research showing that people with ethnic-sounding birth names often have various negative connotations ascribed to them.

Negative consequences

The researchers explain that such name microaggressions can be via names being misspelled, mispronounced, misgendered, or even mocked. It’s also common that people use an “English-friendly” version of someone’s name rather than their birth name because they regard it as too difficult to remember or say. While these acts are seldom intentional acts, they can be hurtful nonetheless.

The research found that this is a particular problem for newly arrived migrants or refugees. The participants explained that because natives have difficulty pronouncing their names, it feels like their capabilities are discounted or rejected altogether.

This has resulted in many migrants adopting a form of “CV whitening”, in which they use an Anglicized name. The phenomenon is by no means confined to recruitment, however, and also seeps into most parts of working life.

Time for improvement

As a result, the researchers believe the white community has to do a much better job of respecting the birth names of migrants. These names often have proud histories and form a crucial part of the identity of the individual. This means that names form a crucial part of belonging and empowerment.

If we practice name microaggression, we’re disrespecting the culture and heritage of that person. Most organizations now state the importance of diversity and their commitment to it. Despite this, the research shows that name microaggression remains commonplace.

Workplaces, schools, colleges, and universities need to improve their efforts to build an inclusive environment that accepts diverse names originating from many different languages.