Why Do We Refer to Kamala Harris as "Kamala" and not "Harris"

design: Maisy Wood

The deeper meaning of what’s in a name.

by Lita Stone ★ OCTOBER 23, 2024

During the 2020 vice presidential debate, moderator Susan Page accidentally addressed Harris as “Kamala” instead of “Senator Harris.” Page soon corrected herself, but Harris laughed and said “That’s fine. I’m Kamala.” While we constantly refer to former president Donald Trump as “Trump,” have you ever wondered why we refer to Kamala Harris as “Kamala” and not “Harris?” While sparking controversy online, by calling her Kamala, we are promoting cultural awareness by shedding light on her African-American and Indian heritage.

Harris’ name plays a big role in shaping her brand and identity. Its uniqueness gives her instant recognizability and it also represents her cultural roots. The name “Kamala” is a Hindu name that means “Lotus” in Sanskrit. Her name represents her Indian heritage, and by spreading its use we in turn increase cultural awareness. It’s all too common for people with ethnic names to have their names mispronounced, and we see that former president Trump commonly mispronounced Kamala’s name purposefully, taking away her identity and attempting to overpower her– and for the record, it’s Comma-la. The hope is that one day, the introduction of more cultural names will stop the need to assimilate into the dominant culture and allow for a more diverse and accepting culture consisting of multiple different roots.

The growing consensus currently is that we call her “Kamala” because of the built-in misogyny we have in our society. Growing up, we were taught to call others we respect by their last name. We also refer to people in writing because of its professional and non-casual tone. This is why we refer to politicians by their last names. Think Trump, Washington or Obama. But for well-known women across all industries, we tend to refer to them by their first names such as Kamala, Oprah or Serena Williams. 

Researchers hypothesize this is because of the stereotype that women are less competent than their male counterparts, widening the gender gap (Good Things Utah). While this hypothesis does unfortunately explain part of the reason why we call Harris “Kamala,” sometimes we have to take a loss in exchange for a win. Although by calling her Kamala we perpetuate the idea that female politicians should be referred to by their first name, it also promotes cultural inclusivity, creating an era where we accept more culturally diverse names. At the end of the day, it might even be the reason why we move away from the idea that calling someone by their first name assumes they’re less competent. 

Referring to someone by their first or last name doesn’t always automatically mean we have less respect for them. Oftentimes, the name that gets used is the one that has more notability. We refer to basketball star Lebron James as “Lebron” because it’s more unique and recognizable than just James. In that same way, “Kamala” is much more recognizable as a name instead of “Harris,” which is one of the most common last names in the U.S. according to the 2010 census.

More importantly, “Kamala” is a symbol of change and cultural inclusivity. Traditionally in the U.S., Congress has consisted of all white men. It’s only been in recent years that more women and people of color have been entering Congress. Harris' running for the presidency will hopefully spark change in representation and start a new era for women and people of color. Kamala’s unique name represents her African-American and Indian heritage and by using it, we are accepting her identity and empowering her, not disrespecting her.