08/14/2024 --axios
Vice President Kamala Harris is (and has been) running with her first name.Why it matters: The widespread use of Harris' first name in a major election cycle offers a fresh case study on how we publicly reference women in power — as her opponent repeatedly pronounces it in confounding ways.When Harris goes by Kamala herself, it can project more approachability — a sneaky longtime double standard expected of women that, ultimately, can be valuable in resonating with voters. On the flip side, referring to women in leadership by their first names can diminish their power."There's this idea that first names personalize people. They humanize them," Jean Sinzdak, associate director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, told Axios.The big picture: It's not just politics: Gender determines the way people refer to professionals by first or last names, including women in medical fields, and perhaps even more so if they have big platforms.State of play: Harris is the second woman to ascend to the Democratic presidential nomination in the last decade — and U.S. history. From media (see New York Magazine's "Kamalot" cover) to her campaign's social media accounts ("KamalaHQ"), uses of her first name have been intentional.Campaign fundraising and merch refer to her as "Harris" (with some exceptions, like a "Kamala" mug). Campaign signs have read "Harris-Walz" since she announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate (Walz is scarcely called Tim).News outlets have written explainers on how to pronounce her first name and the significance behind its meaning, lotus in Sanskrit.Hillary Clinton was often referred to as "Hillary" during the 2016 election.There are some key nuances, namely that there had been a "President Clinton," her husband Bill, though she was also previously U.S. secretary of state and U.S. senator from New York."Initially with Hillary Clinton, she wanted to soften her image and make herself more approachable," Matthew Foster, a lecturer in comparative politics and voting behavior at American University, told Axios. "We can always argue that in politics, in society, in academia, there is misogyny where if women are too tough, they seem unapproachable."Zoom in: Voters can view women in power differently depending whether they're members of governing bodies versus in executive positions, Sinzdak said.Some of the most prominent women lawmakers have been called by their full names, for example: House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). Even AOC as a nickname for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.) involves her full name. On the GOP side, Rep. Nancy Mace (S.C.) and Sen. Katie Britt (Ala.) also fit this mold.Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is a prominent exception. She was elected to an executive office as governor of South Carolina, though was not primarily called by her first name.Yes, but: Less conventional first names stand out — and in spheres like pop culture and sports, can even be a sign of unmatched success (Beyoncé, LeBron, Madonna, Cher, Prince).In the case of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has mounted multiple unsuccessful bids for the presidency, he's just "Bernie."The other side: Some of former President Trump's approach to Harris' name (most recently, the indiscernible nickname "Kamabla") is reminiscent of his repeated use of former President Obama's middle name, Hussein.It fits into a pattern of taking "names that don't seem like the typical, standard American name" and "othering" them, Foster said.Context: Harris used various combinations of her first and last name during her first presidential campaign in 2020.She's publicly and privately riffed on her first name in her personal life, establishing her relationship as "Momala" to her step-children.She is also the daughter of immigrants and identifies with more than one race, neither of which are white — an experience true to a growing number of Americans.The bottom line: By Axios' style guide, presidents are not referenced by first name.If she wins, she'd be President Harris.Go deeper: Harris hot on the trail — but stayed away from reporter Qs until now
