“what is your good name?”
Say “May I have your name?” or “What's your name?”. “Good name” is a polite translation of the Hindi “shubh naam”, but listeners elsewhere won't know what “good” adds.
Updated · Loista team
Understood across India
What is your good name?
Travels further
- May I have your name?
- Sorry, what was your name?
Why it lands differently
The “good” is a mark of respect carried over from Hindi and other Indian languages. In English the respect comes from the question's form instead: “May I have…”, “Could I take your name?”. Without that context, the extra word can puzzle a listener.
When it's fine
With people in India, where it's a warm and respectful way to ask.
Try it out loud
Read each line, say a version that travels out loud, then open it to compare. Any version that's clear to a listener abroad counts.
Sir, your good name please?
Could I take your name, please?
What's your good name, ma'am?
May I have your name, please?
I forgot your good name.
Sorry, I've forgotten your name.
Practise saying it, not just reading it
Loista gives you a realistic speaking prompt and specific feedback on your answer, then a retry focused on one thing, so you can hear whether it landed.
In the App Store and Google Play as Brinlet until our next update.
For adults aged 18 and over.