Name Modifying/changing

[Ermias]

My name is Ermias Tseghay Teklemariam. I am in accelerated Nursing program and I will graduate this year. I will also be a naturalized citizen this year. My question today is a little bit off topic. I have a problem people not able to pronounce and remember my name esp patients during clinical. From what I read and I heard, I also have the feeling my name may affect for job opportunity in the future. So, I thought about modifying my name when i am becoming citizen this year which is easy to do it. For the information-the exact meaning of my first name (Ermias) from my languages' bible is Jeremiah. So, I thought about changing my first name to Jeremiah but I am not sure if it matches my age (31) and how people look at this name. I will use my middle name as my last name but I am sure it will be hard for people to say it but i don't know any English sounding name close to it. What do you think about this and what can you suggest? sorry for my English. I appreciate your for your valuable comments in advance. Thank you.

Ermias

Please note, I am not trying to change identity. I am proud for who I am but I am trying to my make daily life easier and have a better future and career.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Welcome to Allnurses.com Inc.! Since this query is specific to nursing students, we have moved your thread to the General Nursing Student forum. Good luck!

[mindofmidwifery, ADN]

Why not keep your name but introduce your name to patients as ______?

[RainMom]

Do you have a nickname that your family or friends use? You could introduce yourself that way if it's easier to pronounce.

"Jeremiah" is perfectly suitable if you're determined to use a different name. It truly is not necessary though. If you choose to introduce yourself differently, it is not really necessary to legally change your name though.

I can think of a few foreign born nurses & doctors who have difficult names (for those of us who speak English); none have changed them, but some do have a shorter nickname they introduce themselves with & go by.

[Ermias]

My nickname is Ermi, but i don't know if it is difficult or easy for English speakers.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Here are a few real-life nicknames that former coworkers and classmates used:

- Svetlana: nickname was Lana

- Adebola: nickname was Bobby

- Thu: nickname was Suzanne

- Delisia: nickname was Shawn

- Rodrigo: nickname was Rod

As others have said, a legal name change is unnecessary. Just come up with an Americanized nickname that is easy to pronounce and use it.

[Ermias]

That's a great idea! I think from my first name (Ermias), nickname "Eric" will be good for me.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

My nickname is my name meaning...

I didn't change my name at all-I like my name and it is not an American name at all. Some like the story of my nickname and it's a great conversation peice.

[sailornurse]

I would suggest you not change it. All this talk in nursing school & in the USA about cultural diversity and tolerance and you feel a need to change your name? Ermi, is not difficult to pronounce. Some of the trickiest names to pronounce can be those with many consonants. I work for a physician from India and he uses a shortened version of his last name, I can not begin to pronounce his first name at all. Congratulations on your citizenship! If you study the history of the USA, there were times when names were changed by accident or paperwork or to "Americanize" them but then part of the cultural origin can be lost. There is that TV commercial where that guy was told they were German but turns out they are Swedish? There are so many Americans that do not know the country their ancestors came from. I am "American-Mexican" as comedian George Lopez says. When I gave my daughter a Spanish name, my cousins were upset that I did not give her an English name as they had named their children, even though they do not speak English and could not/do not pronounce the names correctly in English. Edwin is pronounce " Ed-ween". Drives me nuts but that's another thread, parents who can not pronounce the English names of their kids and get mad when you pronounce it in English.!

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

Really, only your first name will be used when interacting in the workplace. Especially with patients. Jeremiah is a great first name but I also see nothing wrong with your current first name. The rest of it I would have no idea how to pronounce but if you were my coworker I would learn.

It's your decision and what you are comfortable with. I'm guessing if your name is super difficult to pronounce, people around you wil come up with a nickname for you. It may not be one you like, so I would come up with my own first.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

Your English is actually very good.

Ermias Tseghay Teklemariam

I like the sound of Teklemariam as your last name and it is easier to pronounce than Tseghay.

If you'd like you can add the name Jeremiah to the beginning of your name.

Is Tseghay your middle name?

I also like the sound of Ermias.

You can add Jeremiah at the beginning of your name. Employers do discriminate. It is also comforting to know your gender based off your name.

[verene, MSN]

Patients rarely know last names of staff (except MDs) so having a pronounceable first name or nickname is more important. Several of my coworkers with names that are difficult for native English speakers use nicknames with patients. E.g. Zulekha is "Zee" to her patients, but all her information at work (badge, e-mail account, etc) is under her actual first name. I like your idea of going by "Ermi" as this isn't difficult to pronounce at all. You may still get a few "what? how?" type questions, but speaking as someone with a less common though completely recognizable English name, you will always get a few people completely butchering your name no matter how easy it should be to say.