Antecedents and Consequences of Name Whitening at Work

Abstract: Among ethnic minorities in the U.S., some choose to adopt “whitened” versions of their first names in work settings, which has been shown in past research to have career benefits. Yet no research has examined how many people make this choice and what consequences this decision has for employees beyond recruitment. Across two surveys, we explore why and how frequently racial minorities engage in name whitening at work and theorize about the tensions between self-image and social ease. In a pilot survey of Americans of color, we find that 19% of racial minorities have used a whitened name at work; these decisions were self-initiated and motivated by the desire to aid others’ pronunciation. In an ongoing survey, we predict name whitening simultaneously increases feelings of acceptance and inauthenticity, which in turn shape negative interpersonal outcomes. This research provides a more nuanced understanding of the trade-offs involved in identity management.

Keywords: identity management, race/ ethnicity, social perception