The NITK Numbskulls Page

What’s in a name?

Posted in Uncategorized by Tuna Fish on June 2, 2005

I’ve always wondered when I hear someone’s name as Tom, Dick and Harry or Ram or Shyam or Vinay or Shwetha or Shilpa (pardon me if its yours), how tough it is for them to deal with someone of their own name. But they often tell me its not that tough considering that the other person might not have the slightest correspondence to themselves. Even then its hard for me to believe.
Having a name really rare, I was in for a shock when I first came across someone of my own name, “tuhina”. I felt weird when I imagined myself calling the other “tu-hi-na”.
Since then, I’ve seen the name in many places (thanks to the internet). Now I would want to tell you that “tuhina” means ‘snow’ in Sanskrit.
Considering the way it sounds, I shouldn’t be surprised that people think I’m of ‘that religion popular in the middle east’. If I make a list of all the not-so-evident comments, it’ll uphold the diversity of India. Imagine my plight when I (very often) run into certificates or lists with my name misspelt (some without a ‘t’ or an ‘e’, its place any where in the name).I always make it a point say ‘t-u-h-i-n-a, tuhina’ when someone’s writing down my name. My troubles don’t end here. Some pronounce irrecognisably. Some others change my gender.
You might be horrified. But coming from a family with “weird” names its not that hard for me. In fact I consider it a boon. (much to my mother’s relief). I’ve always been able to carve out a niche for myself in the minds of the most forgetful people .It has actually given me a sense of uniqueness. At times its even fun to see the others struggle (if I may take the liberty to say so) , something to relieve me of the mundaneness of life.
I remember a lesson in middle school, about two boys, Krishnamurthy and John, one of them complaining that their punishment (writing their names a hundred times), unfair, as his name is too long… So, Is it right to say “whats in a name?” or is the converse too evident?

5 Responses

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  1. priya said, on June 4, 2005 at 12:22 pm

    tu, don’t think of your name as weird….say itz unique.

  2. Tuhina said, on June 6, 2005 at 12:24 pm

    Noticed the quotes on either side of the word?

  3. Kini said, on June 16, 2005 at 2:24 am

    An important visitor was being taken around an experimental research facility that specialized in cross-breeding. The director proudly showed the visitor one of the animals, saying:

    “That one’s a cross between a lion and a tiger. We call it a liger”… They moved on to the next animal.

    “That one’s a cross between a zebra and an ox. We call it a zox”… They moved on to the third animal.

    “That one’s a cross between a pheasant and a duck. We call it Joe.”

    *A rose by any other name???*–>

  4. Shwetha Maiya said, on November 2, 2009 at 10:50 am

    Well, Yes your name is unique. . and I love my name gal. . I always wanted Sarah as my name(Love that name. . Dono why!) But I am more than happy with mine. . :) . . At first glance at your name when I started following this blog, I tot u were from the 7 sisters. . ha ha. . Nice knowing the sanskrit reference. . :)

  5. Nithesh.S said, on July 15, 2012 at 10:26 am

    I’ve lost hope about convincing others that I am N-i-t-h-e-s-h, and it is pronounced as “nitheeesh”. So, I just say “yeah, that’s ok call me whatever you want” :)


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