How to Introduce Yourself in Sign Language

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), a basic introduction usually follows the pattern HELLO, MY NAME, then your name spelled letter by letter, often followed by NICE MEET YOU. ASL has its own grammar, so it does not sign every English word. There is no separate sign for "is" or "to" in this phrase.

One point changes the answer: sign language is not universal. ASL is used in the United States and parts of Canada. British Sign Language, Russian Sign Language and other national sign languages use different signs and different manual alphabets. This guide covers ASL. If you are meeting someone who uses another sign language, learn that language's version instead.

Step by step: the basic ASL introduction

• 1. HELLO: Touch the fingertips of your flat dominant hand near your forehead, then move the hand outward and away, similar to a relaxed salute.
• 2. MY: Place your flat dominant hand, palm in, against your chest.
• 3. NAME: Make an "H" handshape with both hands by extending the index and middle fingers together. Tap the fingers of your dominant hand across the fingers of your other hand twice.
• 4. Your name: Fingerspell it, one letter at a time, using the ASL manual alphabet. For example, S-A-M.
• 5. NICE: Slide your flat dominant palm across the flat palm of your other hand.
• 6. MEET: Hold up both index fingers, facing each other, and bring the hands together.
• 7. YOU: Point at the person you are talking to.

A written description cannot fully show movement, hand orientation or rhythm. Use it to understand the structure, then confirm each sign against video from a Deaf signer or a qualified ASL instructor. Small regional differences also exist.

Fingerspelling your name clearly

• Hold your dominant hand near your shoulder with your palm facing the other person.
• Keep your hand in one place and avoid bouncing it for each letter.
• Aim for a smooth, steady pace rather than speed.
• Practice your own name until you can spell it without pausing. People often ask you to spell it again.

Name signs: don't invent your own

Many Deaf people have a name sign, which is a short sign used in place of spelling out a name. In Deaf culture, a member of the Deaf community generally gives you a name sign. You do not choose one for yourself. Until that happens, fingerspelling your name is the expected and respectful approach.

Asking the other person's name

A common way to ask is YOUR NAME WHAT? For YOUR, show a flat palm facing the person. In ASL, facial expression is part of the grammar, not decoration. For a question like this, lower or furrow your eyebrows on the question sign.

If you're introducing yourself on a video call

Signing on camera depends on the other person seeing both your hands and your face. Before the call, check these points:

• Framing: Place the camera so you appear from about the waist up, with room above your head and space on both sides for your hands.
• Lighting: Light your face and hands from the front. A bright window behind you can turn you into a silhouette.
• Background: A plain physical background that contrasts with your skin tone and clothing makes handshapes easier to read. Virtual backgrounds and blur effects are software effects, and they can clip or smear fast-moving hands. Test any effect before relying on it.
• Clothing: Solid colors usually show handshapes more clearly than busy patterns.

Seeing your own preview only confirms that the browser or app has camera access. It does not show how your signing will look to the other person, because the call app may compress the video or lower its frame rate.

How to check your result

• Record yourself signing the full introduction with your webcam or phone, then watch it back.
• Check that every sign stays inside the frame and that your fingerspelled letters are readable.
• Compare your recording with instructor or Deaf-signer video for handshape, movement and facial expression.
• If you can, ask a fluent signer for feedback. That is the only reliable way to confirm that your signing is understood.

What this guide doesn't cover

No specific courses, apps or dictionaries were checked for this article, so none are recommended here. Sign descriptions here reflect commonly taught ASL forms, but they are not a substitute for learning from a Deaf instructor or community. If you need another national sign language, its introduction will differ.