A woman has been left gobsmacked over the treatment she has received since changing her name to one that ranks in the top 150 for popularity. Xinyuan Ye, who now goes by Sage, has taken to TikTok to share the reality of "name discrimination" - and how it can impact a person's life.
Since changing her name, she has received more LinkedIn enquiries and Hinge matches. In her video, which has more than 40,000 views, she said: "I grew up in the US with an ethnic name which was Xinyuan and then I decided to change my name to Sage when I started looking for jobs and started to enter the professional work field."
Sage says the most noticeable change came when strangers started saying her name back to her rather than skipping it altogether. "When they're talking to me in casual conversation or passing, they say my name," she added. "Before when I used Xinyuan, I would go hours or even days without really hearing my name being said.
"People will say 'Hi Sage', whereas before people would never say 'Hi Xinyuan', they would just say 'Hi'."
She went on to explain how she was rarely contacted by companies on LinkedIn when she used Xinyuan, believing recruiters thought she was an international user.
Sage added: "I get way more likes and matches on dating apps now.
"I remember back in December, I made a video where I was talking about how I never got any matches or likes on Hinge, and I was like 'What am I doing wrong? Is there something I'm doing that's unattractive?'.
"Well, I guess it was my name that was unattractive because the minute I changed my name I've been getting way more likes. I'll open Hinge and I'll have 50 to 60 likes."
While she is saddened by the "name discrimination" that exists in the US, she does not regret changing her name as it has opened more doors for her.
"I feel like [Sage] really suits me and I've already built an identity around it," she said. "It's honestly made me a lot more confident because of how people are treating me now.
"It's really sad now that I say it out loud but you've got to do what you've got to do."
Commenting on her video, one user said: "Name discrimination is so real… I sometimes feel like it’s affected me too."
Another user added: "I love both names but your ethnic name is amazing."
A third user said: "This video hits so close to home for me. I also have an ethnic name (Yiling) and definitely notice how people will just not say my name."
One more user added: "Xinyuan is beautiful! I’m sorry people didn’t address you so that you could hear it’s beauty back to you!"
Do you have a story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
