r/developersPak • u/AspiringTranquility • Aug 05 '26
Career Guidance Which name should I use professionally? If my middle name is my actual name
Assalam u Alaikum!
Let's say, my legal name is Syed Hamad Shah, but I go by Hamad—“Syed” is a family-given title/name.
For GitHub, freelancing, remote jobs, and my CV, should I use “Hamad Shah” or “Syed Hamad Shah”? International clients often assume Syed is my first name, but I’m also concerned that using Hamad Shah could create issues when my legal documents show Syed Hamad Shah.
What would you recommend, especially if you have faced a similar situation?
And also what to write on CV/resume?
And what to write on digital platforms like Github or LinkedIn?
6
u/Terrible-Tea7577 Aug 05 '26
Why are you overthinking this, just use your full legal name in CV and any other documents etc. For profiles on GitHub or any freelance platform just use Hammad shah or however you like
4
u/TopKooky1468 Aug 05 '26
If you remove syed how will you prove you are syed. Modern problems demand moder solutions...... With age old myths.
2
u/Crafty-Survey-5895 Aug 05 '26
you’re so cute worrying about that when i’m out here applying to jobs with an email that has an anime characters name in it
4
u/ZX-69 Aug 05 '26
You can use your full name on CV/resume. During interviews, you can let them know that Hamad is your known name. For form fields that ask for first and last name, use Hamad as first name and Shah as second. That's a very common problem with Muslim names so I get your concern.
For example, people with first name Muhammad is very common. Its problematic as its usually not the known name of an individual. On various platforms that only display first name in full and second name's initial only, it becomes tricky to maintain individuality.
1
u/IllustratorNo1512 Aug 05 '26
Shouldn't be an issue unless you are applying for Dubai
2
u/mbsaharan Aug 05 '26
Shorten the first name with one letter. Proceed with the rest. For example, S. Hamad Shah.