Why I Changed My Name from Mohammed to Mike

Today, Mike Andrews is a director at a national shipping and logistics company. Only five years ago, he was desperate, confused and at an impasse in life. But that was before Mohammed Andary became Mike Andrews in the snap of a finger. But why did he do it?

After getting a business degree from the University of Florida in 2002, Mohammed set out to make his mark in the world. “Obviously I had big plans and visions of getting a good job fast and sprinting up the corporate ladder,” says Mohammed. “I applied to my favorite cities: New York, L.A., Chicago and even closer, to school in Miami. I filled out hundreds and hundreds of online applications, sent emails and letters, and nothing. Not a nibble. I stretched my search to a series of chilly, drab-sounding places like Utica, Duluth and Redding, hoping to get a start in less glamorous cities as stepping-stones to bigger and better. Still my phone never rang for an interview.”

He was out with friends in late summer 2002, spending the evening bemoaning his career path with schoolmates who had found jobs very quickly, he recalls. “I was near the top in my class, strong grades, professional resume, perfect entry letter. What's wrong? That's when my buddy told me, 'maybe it's your name.' Could it be that simple? I dismissed it quickly, but the thought lingered.

Growing up among friends and family in Seattle afforded him the opportunity to be reared with a diverse group of people. “I went to school with Asians, Caucasians, Latinos, Arabs,” he said, “Sure there were normal problems but nothing I would call deep-seated racism.”

Now the complexities of identity were eating at him, and stereotypes were in the news and in front of him daily. "My friends and the people from the Middle East I knew was not linked to terrorism.

We are well educated. Our parents have good jobs. However, that single statement, 'maybe it's your name' carried weight. Especially for people who don't know me or see me, but see my name on a resume.”

So with 9/11 at the forefront of the nation's consciousness, he was led to a drastic decision. He changed his name on his resume, hoping for a job offer. Or even just an interview. In twelve strokes at the keyboard, Mohammed Andary became Mike Andrews, at least on his resume. He revisited the same companies he had applied to before and sent his original resume back out a second time to those who had shown no attention. “You know what? The phone started ringing. And ringing.”

Within the first two weeks "Mike" had a dozen interviews from all over the country lined up. “It was amazing.”

He interviewed at 15 jobs in all and was offered positions with two. He was turned down for another because references did not check out with his new name. It was the turn down that startled him. “I felt I had to take the final step to start my career.”

So before accepting one of the two offers, he walked into a Miami-Dade County Courthouse, completed Florida Family Law Form 12.982 and Petition-Request for Name Change, along with paying the $171 fee. He was told it would take a few days to process the forms and have his request heard in front of a circuit court judge. He was told there was minimal chance of rejection. For all intents and purposes, Mohammed Andary wasn't Mohammed Andary when he walked back outside and down the steps past the solicitors and ice cream peddlers. He was now Mike Andrews.

“Since I changed my name, I've encountered better acceptance, better respect,” he says. “I never noticed before how curious people were about where I was from. Nobody is curious anymore. I'm just me.”

Still, his experiences have made him philosophical. He says he remains proud of his Middle Eastern upbringing. “My name doesn't define me; I define me. Names are unimportant. It's who you are. I know who I am, and eventually even my family understood that I was and am still connected to my history, heritage and upbringing. My personality, character and demeanor remain unchanged.

In fact, he explains, the name change forced him to get to know himself better and to explore his deeper identity. “More than ever, I adapted to fit in without losing my core identity.”