Black woman given a “White male name”—here’s how it changed her career
Have you ever introduced yourself and realized the person did not quite hear correctly, causing you to awkwardly repeat your name to get it right? That is a regular occurrence for Christopher Stewart, who has faced a lifetime of confused reactions to her name (yes, you read that right).
The 40-year-old from New York has always loved her name, but there is no denying that it is an unconventional choice for a woman. Stewart, a restaurant reservations manager, told Newsweek that she always knew her name was different, but “it was natural” for her.
“My family made sure to nurture my name, even in knowing it was a big name for a girl,” Stewart, owner of the lifestyle website Eating Fabulously, said.
By the time Stewart was in middle school, she started to notice teachers questioning the name they read on the attendance sheet and the student raising her hand in class. She chose to go by the nickname Chrissy for a long time, but once she started to mature, it felt only right to embrace her legal name.
Christopher will always be her first name, and she has no desire to minimize herself because of that.
“Once I decided who I wanted to be as a woman, I started going full force into being conscious of only introducing myself as Christopher,” she said.
How Has Her Name Impacted Job Opportunities?
Stewart explains that her parents gave her “a white male name” because they knew it would put her in good stead in the future. From college applications or job resumés, they believed that a dominant masculine name would provide their daughter with more opportunities.
Research suggests that names can shape hiring outcomes not only through perceptions of race but also through gender as well. A 2024 study revealed that name bias is alive and well, as white female names received the highest callback rates, while Black male and Black female names received the fewest responses.
Indeed, Stewart believes that her first name has “kept [her] in the room” throughout her career. Coupled with her dedicated work ethic and passion for the restaurant industry, she is incredibly thankful to be where she is currently.
“There’s so much stigma around being a woman, especially in the workplace, and I feel that seeing a male name on a resumé might be a relief to some,” Stewart said. “But the thing is, you can never keep a smart, educated woman down. She’s going to get in that room no matter what.
“I’ve only lost one opportunity that I know of due to my name, back when I was in college applying for my externship in culinary school. That led me to another restaurant job where I gained a mentor, life skills, and confidence in a kitchen full of men who doubted me.”
The world certainly works in mysterious ways, and Stewart describes that loss as “a win-win situation.”
Stewart prefers not to put her pronouns on her resumé or job applications. Most recruiters or hiring managers find out she is a woman when she attends an interview, allowing her to get her foot in the door and express what a strong candidate she would be.
How Do People React to Her Name?
Whenever Stewart introduces herself, people tend to ask for clarification, believing they simply misheard. After repeating her name, Stewart is usually greeted with curiosity about the background of her masculine name.
“The majority of people are instantly taken aback but quickly come to the realization after talking to me that my name and how I present myself is actually, really dope,” Stewart said.
After years of going by Chrissy, she now rarely ever shortens her name—especially not in formal settings. Stewart does not feel the need to shorten her first name or to hide who she is
Instead, she feels immense pride.
Stewart recently captured the internet’s attention after sharing a TikTok video about how her typically male name “works like a charm” to get her resumé noticed. The viral clip has amassed over 1.9 million views on TikTok at the time of writing, and Stewart is so pleased that it has sparked a broader conversation about gender, race and name discrimination in the workplace.
This goes beyond a TikTok trend for Stewart, however, who hopes to inspire and empower generations to come.
“Name discrimination is a very real thing and has been for decades. I hope little girls know it’s perfectly OK to have a big, bold name. Let it shape you into an incredible superstar that sparks curiosity in the rooms it will put you in,” Stewart said.
“Christopher is a full name, my name and a name to be proud of.”
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Original Article: Black woman given a “white male name”—here’s how it changed her career
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