Your Name
Your name is a very important part of you. If your name is not common in American culture, be patient while others learn how to say your name correctly. Some people will choose an “Americanized” version of their name to make it easier for others to remember and pronounce more easily, but this is a matter of personal choice.
You should not feel that you have to do this yourself, though you can if you would like to. Americans can learn to say your name properly, if not perfectly. They may even be proud to learn how to pronounce it correctly.
In some cultures, the surname (family name) is written in the beginning of the name. In the United States (and elsewhere, too):
- The surname is called the “last name.”
- The given name is called the “first name.”
- Some people have a “middle name” as well.
Americans are usually called by their first name. For example, John William Smith is usually called John, because John is the first (given) name, William is the middle name, and Smith is the last (family) name.