How to Sign "Your Name"
To sign "your name", you will combine two distinct signs. First, sign "your" by holding your dominant hand flat with your fingers together, and push your palm directly toward the person you are talking to. Next, sign "name" by forming 'U' or 'H' handshapes with both hands—extend your index and middle fingers while keeping them together. Tap the fingers of your dominant hand crosswise over the fingers of your non-dominant hand twice. If you are asking "What is your name?", remember to furrow your eyebrows!
Visual Logic(Etymology)
The sign for "your" is part of a group of possessive pronouns in ASL that all use a flat palm facing the owner of the object. The sign for "name" visually represents the intersecting lines of a signature or an 'X' placed on a contract, mimicking the traditional way people would mark their identity on a document.
Signing Tips
When signing "your name" as a question (meaning "What is your name?"), your facial expression is doing half the work! ASL doesn't require a separate sign for "what" in this context. Simply furrow your eyebrows, tilt your head slightly forward, and sign "your" followed by "name".
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is confusing the sign for "your" with the sign for "you". Make sure to use a flat, open palm pushed toward the person for "your". If you point with just your index finger, you are signing "you name" instead of "your name". Additionally, ensure you tap your fingers twice for "name"—tapping only once changes the meaning to the verb "to name" or "called".
Regional Variations
This sign is widely used and understood across the ASL community with minimal regional variation.
Examples Using "Your Name" in a Sentence
1What is your name?
This is the most common use! Sign 'your' and 'name' while keeping your eyebrows furrowed and leaning slightly forward to show you are asking a 'wh-' question. You do not need a separate sign for 'what'.
2Please write your name here.
Sign 'your' by pushing your flat palm forward, then sign 'name' by tapping your extended index and middle fingers together twice. Finish by gesturing or pointing to the spot where they need to write.
3I forgot your name.
Point to yourself for 'I', sign 'forgot' by wiping your hand across your forehead and pulling it into an 'A' shape, and finish with the signs for 'your' and 'name' as described.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to sign 'what' when asking 'What is your name?'
No, you don't need a separate sign for 'what'. In ASL, simply signing 'your' and 'name' while furrowing your eyebrows perfectly conveys the question 'What is your name?' The facial expression acts as the question word.
Which hand should be on top for the sign 'name'?
Your dominant hand should always be the one on top doing the tapping. Your non-dominant hand acts as the stationary base underneath. If you are right-handed, your right fingers will tap across your left fingers.
Why do I use a flat hand instead of pointing?
In ASL, a flat open palm indicates possession (like 'my', 'your', 'his', 'hers'). Pointing with an index finger is used for personal pronouns (like 'I', 'you', 'he', 'she'). Using the flat hand ensures you are saying 'your' and not 'you'.
Related ASL Signs
