What Is in a Name?
January 18, 2020
Hey y’all, welcome back! This week, I have a funny little anecdote to share with you. It is not one of my stories, but it did remind me of something I wrote in one of my journals. So today, you get to read two stories…kind of. Anyway, I hope you enjoy them!
Those of you who have been following along every week might remember my friend Ashwati, who guest wrote for me a couple of weeks ago. If you did not get a chance to read her insightful story, I highly recommend you do (click here). Well, this week’s story is not about her, but her husband. I knew of him a couple of years before I found out the two of them were together because, as it turns out, her husband and my brother share the same name. It actually is not that uncommon for people to have the same names because of the typical naming patterns that were used. But I thought I gave my brother a more unique name.
Since I change everyone’s name here, and to make the story a little less confusing, I am going to name my brother Ezra and Ashwati’s husband Sam. A couple of months ago, Ashwati and Sam bought a house in my hometown. They have been slowly changing their important documents and settling in. This past week, Sam messaged our group that he could not get a library card because someone with his name already has one from that branch. For some reason, the system could not register they were two different people, as if the different date of births were not a big hint! It is even funnier because Ezra does not even live here anymore. He has an apartment near his college. Eventually, the situation was sorted out and Sam was able to get his library card.
When I heard about this, it got me thinking, how important is a name? The funny thing about Malayalee culture is that one person can have multiple names, all of them being legitimate. As Shakespeare wrote, “that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” So what is in a name? A name is something, just a couple of sounds strung together, that we respond to. For example, all of you call me Aemi, but that is just one of my names. Growing up, and even now, my parents would constantly mix up my and Ezra’s names. To the point where my father has resorted to calling us “Aemi-Ezra” or “Ezra-Aemi.” One of us is bound to answer.
My nephew is six months old and already has four different names people call him. I call him Kannan because he has these big beautiful eyes (eye in Malayalam is kannu). We will find out when he gets older how he wants to be addressed. This is not that uncommon since Malayalees will often have a second name, especially among the older generation. They will have their legal name, something regal and impressive or in honor of a family member. Then they will have a vettil vilikkuna perru, or nickname, like Kunjumon, Baby, or Chikku. Sometimes they are altogether a different name, like Shaji, or Valsa, or Silvi. But that strengthens my theory that names do not mean anything unless you give it meaning.
The reason I originally wrote this post was a long time ago (eight years ago), one of my ex’s accidentally called me by my roommate’s name. That was an honest mistake, my roommate and I have similar sounding names. I remember writing in my journal that it did not bother me because my name is not my only name. It was not what he said, but rather who he was talking about; and he was talking about me.
For me, I do not care what I am called, just that it is me you are referring to. When you hear it, it is me that you are thinking about. I think Destiny’s Child said it best, “say my name.” Let me know below what your favorite name is, or the names you prefer to go by. Until next time.
- Aemi
