“What is your good name?”: the polite way to ask someone’s name in English
“May I have your name, please?” or “Could I get your name?” are polite everywhere. “Good name” is a word-for-word translation and sounds odd outside India.
What is your good name?
May I have your name, please?
Why Indian speakers say it
In Hindi, the respectful way to ask a name is “आपका शुभ नाम क्या है?”, where शुभ means auspicious or good. Translated word for word, it becomes “What is your good name?”. English has no politeness word that goes before name, so listeners abroad may wonder what a “bad name” would be. In English, politeness comes from the frame of the question instead: may I, could I, please.
Three more examples
| Instead of | Say |
|---|---|
| What is your good name, sir? | May I have your name, sir? |
| Tell me your good name. | Could you tell me your name, please? |
| Your good name? | Can I take your name, please? |
Quick self-check
Answer in your head, then open the answer.
A customer calls your helpline. What do you say?
- What is your good name?
- May I have your name, please?
- Tell your name.
Show answer
b) May I have your name, please? “May I have your name, please?” is polite and standard everywhere.
You have forgotten a new colleague’s name. Which is natural?
- Sorry, could you remind me of your name?
- What is your good name again?
- Your good name is?
Show answer
a) Sorry, could you remind me of your name? Apologise first, then ask. It is polite and very common.
Why does “good name” sound odd in English?
- Because name is uncountable
- Because English does not put a politeness word before name
- Because it should be “nice name”
Show answer
b) Because English does not put a politeness word before name The politeness is in “may I” and “please”, not in an adjective before name.
Practise it out loud
Knowing the rule is not the same as saying it right under pressure. In WordSlick you practise sentences like these out loud with AskSlick, the AI tutor, and get corrections explained in Hindi. Mistakes you keep making come back in later sessions until they stop.
Questions
Is “What is your good name?” wrong?
It is a well-known Indian English expression, and most people in India understand it as polite. Outside India it sounds unusual, and some listeners find it funny. In interviews, customer calls and international teams, “May I have your name?” is the safer choice.
How do I ask someone’s name politely in English?
“May I have your name, please?”, “Could I get your name?” and, if you have forgotten it, “Sorry, could you remind me of your name?” are all polite.