More Than Letters: UGA Students Embrace Culture in Their Names

While mispronouncing a name may seem minor, for students whose names carry cultural, familial or religious meaning, those moments can feel like a dismissal of something deeply personal.

University of Georgia students share how their names connect to their identity, culture and sense of belonging in academic and professional spaces. A faculty perspective also highlights the role educators play in creating inclusive classroom environments through recognizing and pronouncing names.

Together, these experiences show how small moments can influence whether students feel comfortable, valued and willing to participate at UGA.

Ariel Abernathy is junior majoring in journalism at the University of Georgia.