Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist and a leading contender for New York City’s mayoral race, has recently highlighted a troubling trend in political discourse: the repeated mispronunciation of his name by prominent figures. This evolution is more than negligence at the helm. It points to a more profound problem of dignity and acknowledgement in the vibrant, multicolored tapestry of American life.
As it stands, Mamdani is favored to win in next week’s election. The world has been paying attention ever since, after high-profile figures, including former Governor Andrew Cuomo and current Governor Kathy Hochul, whiffed on his name. Cuomo, who has mounted a vigorous independent campaign, is running against Mamdani. Throughout their joint debate tour, he consistently mispronounced Mamdani’s name, forcing Mamdani to spell it out for him in public debate back in June.
The mispronunciation problem hasn’t just been confined to local pols. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt referred to Mamdani as “Zimdami,” further illustrating the pattern of name misrecognition that has sparked concern among many. Mamdani recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to vent his dismay at those deliberate mispronunciations.
“What’s inexcusable, however, is the repeated intentional mispronunciation.” – Zohran Mamdani
This is something that Arwa Mahdawi, a personal favorite columnist for The Guardian, has been talking about. Mahdawi made the point that four-year-old children could all get read Mamdani’s name. So it ought to be no difficulty for grown-ups—especially for those in the public eye. She focused on the fact that when people see names like Tchaikovsky, they figure out how to read them. Yet, they fail at more basic names, such as hers and Mamdani’s.
This trend is not isolated. It brings to mind the experiences of Vice President Kamala Harris, who has similarly been the subject of name manglings by public figures. Former President Donald Trump infamously remarked, “I couldn’t care less if I mispronounce [Kamala], I couldn’t care less,” during a campaign rally last July. Similarly, David Perdue, Trump’s ambassador to China, mockingly stumbled over Harris’s name at a campaign event in 2020.
Mamdani’s experience is one that many people who have faced marginalization or have been othered can relate to, purely based on their names. He emphasized this sentiment when he stated,
“This is the experience of so many … There are so many of us who are seen as if we are forever others.” – Zohran Mamdani
With the New York City mayoral election just a few months away, Mamdani represents one of the new faces of change and inclusion in New York politics. His message is an instructive reminder of our need to be respectful of the salient identities that shape our individual identities, especially in political discourse.