Whether you identify as Tamil or with another culture that produces “foreign” sounding names, you know the struggle that comes with trying to get others to correctly pronounce your name.

I for one know it all too well. I have two A’s in my name and for some reason, that I’ve yet to figure out, people tend to ignore the second ‘A’ even though it’s RIGHT THERE!

If you’ve got a so-called foreign name too, here’s a few experiences I am sure you can relate to:

1. Constantly having to translate and spell your name out, especially during introductions.

2. Smiling kindly as others tell you how “beautiful” and “exotic” your name sounds. Did I add how much they LOVE it because of its foreignness?

3. Being asked what your name means in your mother tongue.

4. The overly exaggerated struggle that someone goes through trying to pronounce your “exotic” name.

5. Being given a nickname you never asked for.

6. New teachers at school, or new co-workers, pausing before saying your name for the first time, building up the hope that maybe just maybe they’ll get it right. This pause is often followed by an absolute massacre of your name.

7. Those occasions when people try to avoid saying your name for as long as possible and you can’t figure out whether they’ve forgotten it…or whether they are avoiding the terrifying expanse between the first and last letter of your name. Is it really that hard?!

8. Your name can’t be found on a personalized souvenir. 🙁

9. Starbucks…do I even have to explain?

10. Your legal and social network names seem like they belong to two very different people because most of your network knows you by a pronounceable version of your name…and somehow “Suj the Tamil formerly known as Sujaananthan”, doesn’t seem like the catchiest of twitter handles.

I’ve resorted to telling people to remember “coffee” when they try to say my name, so that when they read “Kaavia” they will say “Kaa-vee-yaa”.

How many of you have had these experiences? Tweet your stories to @TamilCulture.

Related: “Top 25 Signs You are Tamil