Hi, hello, my name is Nandini.

Now, looking at that name there are many people who are confused as to how to pronounce it. The easiest, most simple way to pronounce it is what I call "the American way": Nan-dee-knee.

Then, there's "the right way" or "the Indian way": Nun-the-knee. This one is harder to teach, and it takes me more than 30 seconds to explain, then have it repeated back to me for assurance, and an emphatic nod from me that can either be acting or feigning happiness, depending on if I'm too exhausted for multiple corrections of pronunciation.

One of my most awkward and uncomfortable moments is when I introduce myself; whether it is in person or over the phone, the words "Hi' I'm..." are inevitably followed by a pause where I am forced to make a split-second decision: how will I pronounce my name to this stranger today?

Before college and since I moved to America at the age of 4, there was never really a question on how my name would be pronounced, since I caught on pretty quickly from the school's front desk lady and my Kindergarten teacher pronouncing my name "the American way." I took on this identity and it became so easy for me to switch depending on who's company I was: if I'm in front of Indian aunties, uncles, and parents I pronounced it the Indian way, but the minute an Indian-American child and I were forced to interact at parties, I went straight to "the American way." Because who I was outside of my house, outside of my "Indian world," was different than who I was inside the house, with my parents, with family friends.

I can never remember what I had read or seen and where I had read or seen it, but at some point I came upon some video, article, or literary work that breached the concept of how we never think to correct others on the pronunciation of our names. As I said, I don't remember exactly what the topic was, but I remember coming to the conclusion that teaching others to pronounce your name correctly is a mark of self-confidence. This was towards the end of my last year of high school that I had discovered this idea, so I figured that college is a great starting point to test this idea out. After a while, I figured that if I were win an award some day, I would want my name to be read out correctly. It's a silly little concept, I know, but through this imaginary tale that panned out in my mind, I realized that my name had a lot to do with who I am.

At first, when my name was pronounced correctly, I felt like I am my most authentic self. I felt like it's referring to the real me, as opposed to some facade that I put on to be someone who I am not.

But I also realized that when a select few people, namely my closest friends from high school that I still keep in touch with and some people from my work, pronounced my name "the American way," I still felt like I was my authentic self. At this point, I think that "the American way" is something that has grown on me so much that it's become a part of who I am. It represents the person that I became when I came from India and had to replant myself in a new place. No matter what, that person I am doesn't ever leave me.

Reverting to the original pronunciation of my name in college is also a part of who I am, as I learn to be more bold and confident. I've also acquired quite of a few nicknames in college, whether it been "Naan" or "Nand" or "Nanni" (a nickname that actually originated before college from a family friend).

What I've come to realize is that these names are all part of who I am and make me who I am to different people. At the end of the day, you could call me "ni" or "na" and I'd probably still answer to it if you call me it enough times.