Echoes of Our Names
— Stephanie 真妮

Echoes of Our Names is a photo series exploring the names many Asian Americans and immigrants were given in our heritage language (in Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, etc.).

These names are often softened or set aside in exchange for something easier to say, something that feels like it might blend in a little more. It’s a quiet shift, one that can seem small on the surface, but often speaks to something deeper about identity and belonging.

These names hold more than just meaning. They carry memory, love, history, and connection to where we come from.

For this series, I sat down with friends to ask:

“How was your name given?” “What does it mean?” “How do you feel when you hear it out loud?”