Hi, Microsoft 365 Insiders! My name is Swapnaa Jayaraman and I’m a Principal Product Manager in the Office Product Group. I’m excited to share with you an example of our ongoing efforts to listen to our customers and create technology that reflects our world’s rich diversity, ensuring that no one feels marginalized in our digital spaces.
Microsoft's commitment to global inclusion in action
At Microsoft, our mission is clear: to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. This means everyone, everywhere—without exception. We understand that fostering a sense of belonging goes far beyond just providing powerful tools and services; it requires a genuine commitment to equity, inclusion, and respect for the diverse identities and cultures that enrich our global community.
Reclaiming names, restoring belonging
Names are fundamental to our identities and carry a profound connection to who we are. They reflect our heritage, culture, and personal identity, but in predominantly English-speaking communities, names from various countries, languages, and cultures often face an unfortunate reality: they are marked as "foreign" or incorrect.
This simple act of labeling someone's name as a mistake can be profoundly invalidating, even if subconsciously, and creates an undesirable "othering" effect. When someone’s name is consistently flagged by technology, it sends an unintended message that their identity does not belong.
Partnership with Elimin8Hate
Microsoft recognizes this challenge, and that’s why we’re committed to ensuring our products celebrate, rather than marginalize, diverse identities. Our collaboration with Elimin8Hate and their ReClaimYourName initiative, which compiled a crowd-sourced list of Asian names often flagged as typos, was a pivotal moment for our work. it was validating to see that 3 out of the 4 names on their list were already recognized by our speller as real names.
We are grateful to Elimin8Hate for the remaining names they contributed, which we promptly added to our speller, furthering our mission to represent diverse identities accurately. While we acknowledge that no dictionary can capture every name, we remain dedicated to continuously evolving our tools to foster inclusion and address this important issue.
We aim for everyone to feel seen, heard, and valued.
Looking forward
Our journey doesn’t stop here. We are expanding our efforts to include names from across the globe, so that no one feels othered. By doing so, we aim to create digital experiences that make everyone feel seen, heard, and valued.
Honoring names is a small yet powerful way to foster a sense of belonging. We continue to build equity, create technology that reflects our world’s rich diversity, and ensure that no one feels marginalized in our digital spaces. Together, we’re going beyond words to create meaningful change.
Feedback
At Microsoft, our dictionaries grow and adapt through a thoughtful process, much like how traditional lexicographers evolve language resources. By monitoring user feedback, incorporating emerging terms, and responding to cultural shifts, we aim to ensure our products reflect our world’s diverse identities.
Please keep sharing your thoughts with us by using the in-app feedback.
To learn more about how any words, not just names, are added and shaped over time, read our in-depth article here.
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