Should I change my ethnic name?

[oralcare123]

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Maybe Trump’s next focus should be making our education great again. Some people’s English and phonetics skills are embarrassing. There’s a reason why the spelling bee is dominated by non-white people

I doubt there’s connection between dominating in spelling bees and being literate or superior or whatever you meant. It’s just dumb robotic memorization. Just my opinion
Would be nice if someone finally kicked schools ass for being waisfull raising tuition costs endlessly

 

[blablabla1]

I doubt there’s connection between dominating in spelling bees and being literate or superior or whatever you meant. It’s just dumb robotic memorization. Just my opinion
Would be nice if someone finally kicked schools ass for being waisfull raising tuition costs endlessly

Except spelling bees are NOT rote memorization at all. The reason I even mentioned it in the first place is because spelling bees requires the mastery of phonetics and pronunciation rules. There’s little to no memory involved, just conceptual application. Something too many people in this country seem to lack to the point that we have people apparently changing their names for these individuals. Sad state of affairs if you ask me

 

[oralcare123]

Except spelling bees are NOT rote memorization at all. The reason I even mentioned it in the first place is because spelling bees requires the mastery of phonetics and pronunciation rules. There’s little to no memory involved, just conceptual application. Something too many people in this country seem to lack to the point that we have people apparently changing their names for these individuals. Sad state of affairs if you ask me

Often those rules don’t apply to foreign names - that is the first reason. Personally I just got tired of people calling me wrong way
Convenience is the second. People just don’t want to subject patients and employees to pronounce and spell over the phone 20 letter last and first names
And the last is to avoid negative associations with certain names, not to mention something that just sounds bad. Dr. Pain, DDS or Mr. Harry Dick anyone?

 

[Saddleshoes]

“Anyone who can only think of one way to spell a word obviously lacks imagination.”

― Mark Twain

 

[cloth_alert00]

My advice would be to be proud of your name. If someone questions it, use it as an opportunity to educate them on your background.

 

[DDS9994]

The Taiwanese are actually one of the biggest "perpetrators" of the practice, more than the Japanese (not saying there's anything wrong with it or anything).

Yeah, I totally get the whole pride thing and emotional attachment to your name. I'm proud of my name and will use it in my private life even if I do change my name. But this thread is talking about a strictly business decision. I, unlike some, do not have any cultural nor religious restrictions on changing my name, so if it makes a difference in my career, it's something I'm willing to consider.

Please keep in mind the people that are going to be biased against you based on your religion, race,ethnicity, etc, wont care that you changed your name from X to BillyBob.

 

[DDS9994]

Happiness means a bit more to me, as does my identity, which I believe a name is an important aspect of. I personally wouldn’t want to put myself in the position of living in an area that wasn’t very diverse because I probably wouldn’t be happy. Even if that means I earn a little less than in a rural area (my debt load is quite a bit less compared to my peers due to parental help)

I'm with you and I have practiced and owned my practice for close to 14 years now. I practice in a majority Caucasian area, I'm AA, my name sound very IRish American, I have 2 people after coming to see me, decide they were " comfortable" seeing me, their words not mine, the one womans daughter said her mom was from a different time, not used to a " colored" doctor. No sweat off my back, my point is even with my " IRish" name out of a James Joyce book, she didn't want to see me. People the have an issue with you wont care what your name is.

 

[DDS9994]

My advice would be to be proud of your name. If someone questions it, use it as an opportunity to educate them on your background.

EXACTLY!!

 

[oralcare123]

I'm with you and I have practiced and owned my practice for close to 14 years now. I practice in a majority Caucasian area, I'm AA, my name sound very IRish American, I have 2 people after coming to see me, decide they were " comfortable" seeing me, their words not mine, the one womans daughter said her mom was from a different time, not used to a " colored" doctor. No sweat off my back, my point is even with my " IRish" name out of a James Joyce book, she didn't want to see me. People the have an issue with you wont care what your name is.

Gosh, man - AA is Alcoholics Anonymous

 

[oralcare123]

EXACTLY!!

Sure, till you turn blue. Especially if it negatively effects your income

 

[ProspectivePostPreDent]

Please keep in mind the people that are going to be biased against you based on your religion, race,ethnicity, etc, wont care that you changed your name from X to BillyBob.

To be fair, someone named Billy Bob would have a plenty hard time being taken seriously in the medical world. Or bubba, scooter, bobby ray, etc. I guess they'd have to hide it by only referring to themselves as Dr.X on the website.

 

[DDS9994]

To be fair, someone named Billy Bob would have a plenty hard time being taken seriously in the medical world. Or bubba, scooter, bobby ray, etc. I guess they'd have to hide it by only referring to themselves as Dr.X on the website.

I think you realize that was a tongue and cheek example, you asked for advice on wether you should do it, you got both sides from people actually practicing in the real world, it sounds like you have made up your mind.

 

[ProspectivePostPreDent]

I think you realize that was a tongue and cheek example, you asked for advice on wether you should do it, you got both sides from people actually practicing in the real world, it sounds like you have made up your mind.

I didn't ask for any advice - I'm not the OP. I'm just describing the less-discussed-but-very-prevalent phenomenon where people discriminate within their race based on whether a name is considered more sophisticated versus heavily "rural". This occurs in the US, as well as in China, India, and I'm sure a hundred other countries. Not to mention the highest "ranking" demographics in the US are highly unlikely be at the top of society in Japan, and visa versa.

I'm not shooting down your point, either. I just find it fascinating, from an anthropological perspective, how pervasive in-group thinking is and how, even when old forms of discrimination are suppressed by society, new ways to look down your nose at someone will always pop up in replacement. Everyone on the planet does it to some degree or another, so I tend to side with the idea that you should just stick with your name. But I mean, it's the OP's business. If they'd rather optimize their money than be a martyr for the cause, all the best to 'em.

 

[DDS9994]

I didn't ask for any advice - I'm not the OP. I'm just describing the less-discussed-but-very-prevalent phenomenon where people discriminate within their race based on whether a name is considered more sophisticated versus heavily "rural". This occurs in the US, as well as in China, India, and I'm sure a hundred other countries. Not to mention the highest "ranking" demographics in the US are highly unlikely be at the top of society in Japan, and visa versa.

I'm not shooting down your point, either. I just find it fascinating, from an anthropological perspective, how pervasive in-group thinking is and how, even when old forms of discrimination are suppressed by society, new ways to look down your nose at someone will always pop up in replacement. Everyone on the planet does it to some degree or another, so I tend to side with the idea that you should just stick with your name. But I mean, it's the OP's business. If they'd rather optimize their money than be a martyr for the cause, all the best to 'em.

AHH my mistake, I thought you were the OP, a lot of what you said is interesting lots of good points, I agree its the OP choice, using a nickname because first name will be difficult to pronounce is one thing but if its to gain much more acceptance from people not sure how mileage you will get out of it. My best friend is ER physician in Little Rock tells everyone to call him "Tony" he is originally from Bangladesh, lets just say even with the first name Tony he has had some interesting encounters with patients.

 

[Greyangel6]

I'm vietnamese. My name is Long and I'm a bit over 5 feet tall. You can bet that I will not change my name, but that's me. You do you 🙂