Love this idea of introducing people by WHO they are, not just what they do. 

Okay but sometimes it's challenging to describe who a person is. 

What if instead of introducing your friend as Jennifer the nurse, you started introducing her as Jennifer, one of most thoughtful people you know, or Jennifer the friend who helped you move in when you didn’t know a soul in this city.

Introducing your friends for who they are rather than focusing on what they do will remind them they are loved before and beyond their titles. It’s an easy way to remind them that you see them for their hearts instead of their accomplishments.

In my organizational consulting days I got companies to move beyond communicating their identity (we're a software company--who cares!) or their activities (we build enterprise software--yawn) to instead focusing on their most valued accomplishments: "we helped 5 of our clients save over a billion dollars each last year..."

Similarly I prefer personal introductions and learning about people by what they value as their own accomplishments (or what I might surmise is interesting and enjoyable for them), AND there is no better way to bring your accomplishments to light than when somebody else does it for you, for example:

This is Adam Rifkin, who not only started up his own, pretty cool online company that people use to share amazing and noteworthy news, but also co-founded a social group of silicon valley technologists so they could meet up together and support each other in advancing their own geeky work.  But he's most well known and adored for his kick-ass strawberry and sour cream blintz.

And I actually have no idea what your preferred identity is or actual daily activity... 

Accomplishments people enjoy about themselves are just more fun and interesting to me as a point of connection.  And the way you introduce these accolades about any other person can convey as much love and admiration as one would like...

Currently my preferred identity is (believe it or not) fantasy football player.

But that's mainly because I'm always looking for opportunities to talk about fantasy football.

I guess the higher order bit is: hobbies. Avocations. Interests.