Your Name – Make Sure Others Know It!

It can be frustrating when you introduce yourself, others don’t understand your name, and you must say it again. And again. Yet names that are foreign-sounding (to your audience) or are spelled in an unusual way do pose a real problem for listeners, especially on the phone. And just as you tire of repeating your name, listeners are embarrassed to keep asking.

I’ve got a tip on how to ensure that others spell your name correctly. Also I’ve come across a new resource that allows you to actually record your name and post it for others to hear.

The International Phonetic Code

Pilots and soldiers in the military have long used a phonetic code system whereby letters identify names or words in spoken messages. Below is that alphabet. Instead of saying Obama, for example, a soldier or pilot would simply say: Oscar, Bravo, Alpha, Mike, Alpha.

A	Alpha
B	Bravo
C	Charlie
D	Delta
E	Echo
F	Foxtrot
G	Golf
H	Hotel
I	India
J	Juliet
K	Kilo
L	Lima
M	Mike
N	November
O	Oscar
P	Papa
Q	Quebec
R	Romeo
S	Sierra
T	Tango
U	Uniform
V	Victor
W	Whisky
X	X-Ray
Y	Yankee
Z	Zulu

Prepare your listener to understand your name

To ensure that a listener understands my name, I can use the phonetic code words to be clear about the spelling and pronunciation. I would say the following on the telephone if I am not understood: “My name is Jolinda. I’ll spell it. J as in Juliet, O as in Oscar, L as in Lima, I as in India, N as in November, D as in Delta, A as in Alpha. Jolinda.”

Make sure to preface the spelling by alerting the listener that you are going to spell your name. While the list above is “official,” you can change words if you feel others won’t recognize them. Just make sure the word you substitute is understandable. For example, you might say, “T as in teacher,” (instead of T as in Tango), but don’t choose to use the word “that” which starts with a T but begins a sound “th.”

An online tool for pronouncing names

I just read about Audioname, a start up company headed by Sheetal Dube. She’s an Indian entrepreneur in Oregon who recognized how awkward it was for others to pronounce her name during those critical first minutes of a business conversation. Her free software tool enables users to easily record their names, post those recordings on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, or even add them to blogs and websites.You might find this tool helpful if people have difficulty understanding your name.

Your name is important. In business it can be your brand.  Take the time to help others spell and pronounce your name.

Best,

Jolinda

jolinda@jolindaosborne.com