So, I’ll get right into it. Today, someone that has known me for nearly four years, called me “Jamal.” For those of you that don’t know, my real name is “Jamale.” It’s pronounced exactly how it’s spelled…extremely sexually….”Juh Male’.” My older brother is “Jamal.” He’s also extremely sexy, but that’s besides the point. I don’t use my real name in the professional world, because someone is always going to slip up and call me “Jamal.” Either they don’t understand the spelling or they simply think that the black guy with beard must be mispronouncing his own name, because he definitely looks like a Jamal. Well, today, someone slipped up.

They called me “Jamal”…twice—back to back, even after given the opportunity to correct themselves. And I hate to say it, but it hurts. It has destroyed me. I pretend to be this impervious force of a human that negates all sticks and stones…but today…my foundation of besker steel was shaken. Just how forgettable am I? you forgot my name after seeing me every single day for four years?

This is a pet peeve of mine and I know it seems a little “nitpicky” to some, but I’m one of three siblings that have gone through life with mispronounced names. And I hate it. I absolutely cannot stand it. If you can’t take the time to memorize the two syllables of my government approved birth name, just refer to me by my self imposed, and preferred alternative, “Jae.” This whole situation is just ugh!

I can tell that some of you think I may be going overboard with this, but I hate everything about it and if you don’t get it, go to another blog post. Whenever I meet anyone…especially a coworker, classmate, family member, etc…I make it a point to commit their name to memory. I know how much it sucks for someone to mess up my name, so I make sure to never put anyone else in that position.

My name is “Jae.” This is “Jae’s” Thought Renaissance. That’s “Jae” in the blog photo. This is “Jae” typing. It’s Jae. Jamal has no place here…well…unless I blog about my siblings.