Learn to say their name properly
People with unfamiliar names spend their lives being mispronounced and told it does not matter.
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Why it lands
A name is the most personal word a person owns, and being repeatedly mangled — or offered a shortened version for other people's convenience — is a small daily signal of not quite belonging. Most people mispronounce once, apologize, and then keep doing it. Actually learning it takes ninety seconds and is remembered for years, because so few bother.
How
Ask them to say it, say it back, and keep going until they confirm it is right. Write it phonetically in your phone. Never suggest a shorter version, and if they offer one, still learn the real one.
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