Muslim Woman Claims Coworker’s Name Insults Her Religion, Demands She Change It

The workplace is no place for racism or any kind of discrimination. Yet, according a 2023 global report by Catalyst, 66% of employees say they’ve experienced racism during their careers, and 52% claimed to experience it in their current jobs.

This Korean woman faced drama because of her non-English name. When a Muslim coworker complained to a manager that her Korean name means something offensive in her religion, the woman was asked to either use an English version of her name or choose a nickname while at work. Feeling that this isn’t a reasonable ask, the woman decided to check with people on the internet.

A Korean woman was asked to change her name at work because it meant something offensive to her Muslim colleague

Korean woman working on laptop in office, appearing thoughtful about borderline racism and workplace name issues.

Image credits: unsplash (not the actual photo)

Not sure whether this is appropriate, the woman decided to seek advice online

Young Korean woman refuses to use another name at work, highlighting issues of borderline racism and cultural identity conflict.

Text excerpt from Korean woman explaining bilingual struggles, highlighting issues related to borderline racism at workplace.

Text discussing a Korean woman’s experience with her name and borderline racism at work involving name use.

Text excerpt from a story about a Korean woman facing borderline racism related to her name at work.

Two women wearing headscarves having coffee and discussing borderline racism in a casual cafe setting.

Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)

Text excerpt from a story about a Korean woman facing borderline racism at work over her name being offensive to a coworker.

Text about a Korean woman being asked to use an English name due to coworker finding her original name offensive.

Text discussing a Korean woman asked to use an English name, highlighting issues of borderline racism in the workplace.

Alt text: Text post about debating if being told to use another name is borderline racism and feeling unsure about the situation.

Image credits: throwawayrella

Having a non-white-sounding name diminishes one’s chances to get employed

Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)

“What’s in a name?”, Shakespeare asked in Romeo & Juliet. Turns out, a lot. We might think that a name is just a sound and word we use to call others. But, in reality, names come with a lot of bias, and it’s most frequently racial.

Many children of immigrants can attest to that. Whether they live in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Australia, or any other English-speaking country, people with non-English names often have to anglicize them in order to fit in with the general public.

In 2004, a study found that job applicants with “white-sounding” names would get 50% more callbacks than African-American ones. Recent research from 2024 reiterated that by finding that employers favor white applicants over black ones by 24% even for entry-level positions.

A 2011 study tested this theory in Canada with Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, and even Greek names. The researchers noticed a similar trend: employer contact falls by 4.4% when the applicant’s name doesn’t sound English, even if they have the same education and experience that applicants with English-sounding names have.

Many U.S. immigrants would anglicize their names to assimilate

Image credits: pexels (not the actual photo)

Immigrants and foreigners adopting an English name has become so normalized that people often even expect it. And while I myself have many times ordered coffee under the guise of “Jenny” or a “Katy” so the barista doesn’t botch my name, being asked to do so in a professional environment can feel discriminatory.

Historically, those who immigrated to the U.S. often changed their names to the most English-sounding names to accommodate English-speakers who couldn’t pronounce them properly. They would also have a better chance at economic success: many felt that an angliziced name would appeal better to customers.

This was true to immigrants from many different countries: Eastern Europe, Italy, Asia, and even Ireland. Some research suggests that 33% of U.S. immigrants changed their names within the 10 years of their arrival.

Nowadays, people are reclaiming the power in their non-English sounding names

Image credits: unsplash (not the actual photo)

Asian immigrants often bore the brunt of the discrimination. The Chinese who immigrated into the U.S. early often faced lynching by mobs, racist ideologies like the “Yellow Peril”, and immigration bans. The Japanese were targeted also, as approximately 120k Japanese Americans were sent to concentration camps during WWII.

Catherine Ceniza Choy, a professor of Asian American and Asian diaspora studies at the University of California, Berkeley, explained to CNN that, in the 19th and the 20th century, Asians were perceived as “strange, but also inferior, dirty, uncivilized.”

“(Back then) the desire to fit in is also about surviving an overtly racist, hostile society,” she pointed out.

And, just as for immigrants from other countries, newcomers from Asia would choose to assimilate by Americanizing their names. From 1900 to 1930, 86% of boys and 93% of girls had “an American name”, according to the U.S. Census.

However, today, people recognize that demands and pressure to change one’s name are about power and control.

“When you have to disown a major aspect of your identity such as your name as a means to fit into American society, it can feel like you’re cutting off a part of yourself to the world,” a therapist who specializes in multicultural issues, Sam Louie, MA, LMHC, CSAT, writes.

“It isn’t a swear word or anything,” she clarified the meaning of her name

Online discussion about borderline racism where a Korean woman is told to change her name due to coworker offense.

Commenters discussing a Korean woman's name considered offensive by coworker in borderline racism debate.

People thought the coworker’s demand was pretty racist and unreasonable

Reddit conversation about Korean woman facing borderline racism for being told to use another name at work.

Comment discussing borderline racism toward a Korean woman asked to use another name at work.

Comment from user Puzzleheaded_Bag4576 advising to report manager harassment about name to HR, referencing borderline racism issue.

Comment discussing workplace issues and borderline racism involving a Korean woman's name being called offensive by a coworker.

Reddit comment discussing borderline racism faced by a Korean woman told to change her name for a coworker’s comfort.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing a Korean woman told to change her name due to borderline racism from a coworker.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing borderline racism and microaggressions related to a Korean woman’s name issue at work.

Comment from online user defending a Korean woman told to change her name, highlighting issues of borderline racism and cultural respect.

Comment discussing name change controversy involving borderline racism and Korean woman’s experience at work.

Comment discussing borderline racism as a Korean woman is told to change her name due to coworker offense concerns.

Reddit comment discussing a Korean woman told to use another name due to perceived borderline racism at work.

Comment stating Korean woman should not have to change name due to borderline racism and workplace harassment issues.

Reddit comment about borderline racism as Korean woman is told to use another name due to coworker offense.

Text comment discussing language differences and respect in multicultural workplaces related to borderline racism and offensive names.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing a Korean woman told to change her name due to borderline racism concerns.

Comment on name change request involving borderline racism faced by a Korean woman at work.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment condemning borderline racism and race-based discrimination against a Korean woman.

Text comment on a discussion board stating borderline racism and advising to report to HR about a coworker issue.

Comment discussing borderline racism where a Korean woman is asked to change her name due to a coworker's offense.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing borderline racism where a Korean woman is told to use another name at work.

Comment from gothica_obscura discussing the issue of a Korean woman asked to change her name over borderline racism concerns.

Screenshot of online comment opposing name change request, discussing borderline racism and offensive coworker concerns.

Comment discussing borderline racism involving a Korean woman told to change her name due to coworker offense.

Comment about a Korean woman facing borderline racism after being told to use a different name at work due to offense.

Alt text: Online comment defending Korean woman against borderline racism for being told to change her name at work.

Comment on a forum expressing support for a Korean woman asked to change her name, highlighting borderline racism concerns.

Comment discussing borderline racism incident where Korean woman is asked to change her name due to coworker’s offense.

Comment discussing racism and name changing pressures faced by a Korean woman due to borderline racism at work.

Comment on online forum discussing borderline racism involving Korean woman asked to change her name due to coworker's offense.

The support from netizens validated the woman’s feelings: “I definitely do NOT wanna cave at this point”

Text post expressing gratitude for support and discussing reactions to borderline racism experienced by a Korean woman.

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