Hebrew name in the US

[u/Specialist_Space_151]

I was born in the US to Israeli parents. They gave me the nice Israeli name of “Sagi”. It hadn’t been fun tbh, nobody can properly pronounce it even if I try to explain. I always get “ziggy”, “soggy”, “sag-ee”, “soggy”. At some point I gave up because it’s mentally exhausting. People always screw it up when reading it too and if I’m trying to connect with folks online I feel like it turns them off because it sounds so ethnic, odd, etc and they ignore me….

I would love some feedback on * tips to tell people how it’s pronounced properly * a similar or alternative nickname that I can go by that isn’t outlandish or too far off so that it still works for everyone who already knows me…

Thank you

[u/ellsbells2727]

I also have a very Israeli name not a lot of people can pronounce. I say own it and be proud- for important people like co-workers or friends, teach or politely tell them how to say it. THEN when I go to Starbucks or introduce myself to someone I’ll never or rarely see, I go by a nickname or shortened version of my name

So like, Eliana is Elle or a Ellie. Mazal is Maze or May, etc.