In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Uncover Your Eyes, Dr. Meenal Agarwal shares a vulnerable story about her name—and how she spent decades identifying with a version of it that wasn’t hers. From childhood classrooms to medical school to professional life, Dr. Meenal opens up about how cultural mispronunciations, assimilation, and silent acceptance shaped her relationship with identity. Through reflection and recent rediscovery, she explores what it means to reclaim your name, your heritage, and your confidence. This is an episode for anyone who’s ever felt pressured to make themselves more palatable—and is now ready to say their name proudly.

 

Key Timestamps:

• (00:00) Realization: “That’s not my name.”
• (00:13) Welcome to Uncover Your Eyes: A podcast about seeing truth clearly
• (00:30) Growing up: How “Meenal” became “Minal” without her even realizing it
• (01:30) The experience of being a minority in school and accepting name changes
• (02:00) The inner conflict of wanting to reclaim your name but not knowing how
• (02:45) Chasing validation and belonging through acceptance of mispronunciation
• (03:42) The turning point: A social media manager gets her name right—and changes everything
• (04:48) Slowly reclaiming her true name through her podcasting and personal brand
• (05:49) A classmate reaches out after years of calling her the wrong name
• (06:15) Why names carry identity, dignity, and cultural pride
• (06:48) Teaching her kids to never compromise on their names
• (07:24) Final message: Say your name like it matters—because it does

 

Key Takeaways:

• Names Are Identity: A name is more than just a label—it's a deep part of who we are.
• Silence Reinforces Mispronunciation: By not correcting people, we unknowingly teach them it's okay to get it wrong.
• It’s Never Too Late to Reclaim Your Name: You can choose to take back your name at any point in your life.
• Representation Starts at Home: Teaching your children to be proud of their names empowers the next generation.
• You Don’t Need to Shrink to Belong: Belonging starts with self-respect, not assimilation.

 

Resources & Links:

• Follow Dr. Meenal Agarwal on Instagram: @dr.meenalagarwal
• Subscribe to Uncover Your Eyes: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms

Bio:

Dr. Meenal Agarwal is an optometrist, speaker, mom, and host of Uncover Your Eyes. Through short, powerful solo episodes, she unpacks real-life emotions like guilt, identity, burnout, and validation with honesty and insight. Her mission is to help others see life more clearly—starting with how they see themselves.

Tags:

Dr. Meenal Agarwal, Uncover Your Eyes, Name Identity, Cultural Identity, Pronunciation, Self-Worth, Validation, Assimilation, Indian Names, Personal Growth, Podcast on Identity, Self-Respect, Women in Healthcare, Mental Wellness, Confidence, Parenting and Identity