Welcoming migrants with Nouncify Groups: Respecting names, building communities

In a world where over 280 million people live outside their country of birth, the journey of migration is both exciting and challenging. One of the first and most personal challenges migrants face is ensuring that their name is heard, understood, and respected in their new home.

Culture, identity, and respect
·
10 min
·
March 15, 2025

Names carry deep personal, cultural, and historical significance, yet many migrants encounter mispronunciations, misunderstandings, or even pressure to change their names to fit local norms. This is where Nouncify Groups come in—a powerful tool designed to bridge this gap through audio recording and streaming services that ensure names are pronounced correctly and respectfully.

The Power of Names in Identity and Integration

For migrants, a name is more than just a label—it is a connection to their heritage, family, and sense of self. When a name is consistently mispronounced or ignored, it can lead to feelings of exclusion and frustration. Studies have shown that name-based discrimination can affect employment, education, and even social interactions. In contrast, hearing one's name spoken correctly fosters a sense of belonging and promotes inclusivity.

Nouncify Groups recognize this fundamental human need and provide an innovative solution that helps newcomers feel welcomed and valued. Through audio name recordings, people can hear and learn the correct pronunciation of names, reducing barriers to communication and ensuring that everyone’s identity is honoured.

How Nouncify Groups Help Migrants

1. Correct Pronunciation, Every Time

One of the biggest struggles for newly arrived migrants is teaching others how to say their names correctly. With Nouncify, migrants can simply record their name’s pronunciation in their own voice, allowing colleagues, teachers, neighbours,and friends to hear and learn it accurately. This eliminates awkward interactions and builds confidence in social and professional settings.

2. Creating a More Inclusive Workplace

Workplaces are often where name mispronunciations occur the most, impacting career growth and workplace culture. Employers and HR teams can use Nouncify Groups to ensure they are fostering an inclusive environment by:

  • encouraging colleagues to learn each other’s names through audio recordings.
  • providing an easy way for teams to access correct pronunciations during onboarding and meetings.
  • reducing unconscious bias by respecting and normalizing diverse names.

3. Building Community Connections

Migrants often rely on community groups, local organizations, and schools to settle into their new home. Nouncify Groups can support these efforts by:

  • allowing community leaders to record and share names so everyone feels acknowledged.
  • helping teachers and school administrators respect student identities by learning their names properly.
  • encouraging social integration in neighbourhoods and cultural organizations by making     name pronunciation accessible.

4. Empowering Language Learning and Cross-Cultural Understanding

Many migrants also face the challenge of learning a new language, and their new neighbours may struggle to pronounce unfamiliar names. Nouncify Groups help by offering a simple and effective tool for both migrants and locals to:

  • learn correct name pronunciations in different languages.
  • understand the cultural significance behind names.
  • promote mutual respect and curiosity in intercultural interactions.

A Small Change, A Big Impact

Pronouncing a person’s name correctly might seem like a small act, but its impact is profound. It fosters dignity, inclusion, and respect, making it easier for migrants to navigate their new lives with confidence. By embracing Nouncify Groups, individuals, communities, and businesses can take a significant step toward making society more welcoming for migrants.

In an increasingly globalized world, respecting names is a simple yet powerful way to acknowledge the rich diversity of human experiences. Whether you are a teacher,employer, neighbour, or friend, taking the time to learn someone’s name properly can make all the difference in helping migrants feel at home.

Join the Movement

Try the Nouncify platform today for free and help create a more inclusive world where every person’s name is honoured and respected. Explore Nouncify Groups to learn more and be part of this inclusive movement.