Psychology behind the name

“What is your name ?” I asked him and he replied, “Bhyom.” my reaction was, “what kind of name is this ?, what does this mean ?” he replied, “... it means sky, and I have asked it with my mother for it being so unique and then she told me this.” Suddenly the name sounded more good than before, earlier it did not have any meaning now it bears some meaning to it and at the same time its very good. this is the conversation in almost the first year of my release from Bal Mandir.

But the story was different, when I was growing up in Bal Mandir, the name of my other inmates are mostly Ram, Shyam, Hari, RamHari, Gopal, Shambhu, in boys and Parbati, Sarswoti, Durga, Bhagbati, Laxmi in girls were very very common name and people lost their identities with those mix of names. Those are the name of Hindu God/Goddess; so you might ask me whats wrong with that ? those name never needed much thought when they were given to the one who receive, for me that is the most important thing in life, not just life in itself.

So, not surprisingly, their calling name became Rame, Shyame, Ramri, and so on... Its really hard for me to guess, whether it was the name or the notion behind it; that calling our those names with respect was hugely lacking. Fine, I absolutely agree here; with childhood friends we are more informal in so many ways, including calling them. but those, making it sounding more disrespectful than it, actually needed.

Then, there were Dil Bahadur, Man Bahadur, Til Bahadur, Ram Bahadur, Gopal Bahadur, Dhana Bahadur, Hari Bahadur, Ram Prasad, Hari Prasad, Badri Prasad, Harka, Birka, Kale, Gore, and so on obviously for boys and then Tiki, Junkiri, Dhiki, Dhana, HariPriya, Sitadevi Rammaya, Ram Kumari for girls. And then, there were Saila, Maila, Kanchha, Bisnu, Purna Bahadur, Saili, Maili, Kanchhi, Thuli, Chinimaya, Seti, Jasta, Patali are the name of junior staff at the Bal Mandir. While looking at these names, I think poor people are more poorer in their mentality. They just don’t do any thinking, for a good name to choose for their new born child. It just needs a thinking and taking time to choose the right name for their child but they give the name to their child as if it cost a heck lot of money for a good name and they settle for the cheapest name.

Some people, lets say rich people [those who really love their new born child], do take time to find nice name to their child, as it equally important for them to name their child. Name which has good meaning at the same time it sounds good when they call it in the public.

Some times I think, may be I am just unnecessary sensitive to think this matter seriously. But, yes, there is no doubt, I am sensitive enough to give a thinking of a physiological impact behind a name and also on one’s feel about his or herself. What could we expect them to call us ? Of course, they called us royal highness [illetarate nannies regarded us the children of royals], but only when, they were damn angry with us.

Long time back, I was trying to pull a guy’s attention through SMS, but choose to remain behind the curtain. He was from the work area and he was curious how did I know him so well and and he did not know about me at all. So, he sms[ed] me back instantly, what is your name. I told him to guess; he said he cant. So I counter questioned him, “what’s behind the name, what difference does it actually makes ?” then he said, “it makes a whole lot of difference. Think of the name Ram and also think of the name Raavan and then tell me how you feel about these two names ?”

When I was in college, a friend of mine told me, a friend hers whose name was Rasi, who used to be in her class. “What kind of name is that ?” as usual I was curious, “her fathers name is Ravi and her mothers name is Sita, so her name derives from both of her parents first two letters,” she explained to me in brief. Again that meaningless name, suddenly sounded so beautiful, and touched my heart so much from so deep.

For so long, I hated my own name for it being so common and I thought it never had any meaning also. A friend of mine gave me a dictionary with the meaning of all Hindu name, since then I love my name. Its meaning is civil, polite, diplomatic and decent [ this is so unlike me but like the meaning of it] . Now I think its not common but its popular. But when I came to know this I have already finished my college and started working also. I guess the wait was just too long for me to know the meaning of my name. See, you need to know the meaning of your name and its not even knowingly adds the valued to your self and of course, self confidence also.

But then again my primary concern remain still the same, can you call Bhyom in disrespectful manner or try calling Rasi in that way ?