Naming a new child can be a stressful exercise for parents. Everyone, it would seem, wants to ensure that their offspring’s name reflects its unique qualities. In some cultures, babies are named after a festival being celebrated on the day on which they were born or after a figure in a religious book. Sometimes, a baby could be named after a virtuous relative – leading to debates about how virtuous this relative actually was.
Sometimes, the decisions are plain idiosyncratic.
That’s what Twitter users have been discovering since Wednesday, when someone asked how people on the site had got their names.
what’s the story behind your name? discuss
— amri (@floydimus) July 3, 2019
Soon after @floydimus sent out his tweet, anecdtoes began pouring in.
My dad wanted to name me something unique, unforgettable and powerful. In 90s USA was a superpower.
— America Bhrahmatma (@a_bhrahmatma) July 3, 2019
We have a simple scheme. pic.twitter.com/Ex5aQWLT0S
— Gurjot Singh (@Gurjot__Mann) July 3, 2019
Pandit wanted me named Radhakrishna..My folks said no cant do.. The next day IIT results were out and the topper’s name was printed on the newspaper i.e, Mitan..They were like”This sounds okay, lets name him this”.. No pressure..🤷🏻♂️
— Mitan Das (@mitandas) July 3, 2019
I was conceived at Kovalam beach 🤷🏽♀️ or some such
— Koval (@kovalbhatia) July 3, 2019
My dad thought my name Oscar meant "a winner". A few years ago I read it meant strong Archer or Bowman. TIL it means 'deer lover'.
— oscar varghese (@oscarvarghese) July 3, 2019
Derivative of the Old English name OSGAR or its Old Norse cognate ÁSGEIRR, which may have been brought to Ireland by Viking invaders and settlers.
Not everyone was lucky enough to have an interesting story attached to their names.
Parents unknowingly misspelled during admission. 😂
— Sunakshi (@oyesuna) July 3, 2019
my mom wanted me to be like everyone else
— Shruti Sunderraman (@sundermanbegins) July 3, 2019
Laziness
— Priyanka Lahiri (@lahirip) July 3, 2019
Dad grew up in Benaras & moved to Mumbai around 40 yrs ago.He was treated by a doc named Vipul Gandhi.He had not heard that first name before & thought it's unique & named me Vipul.When I later went to Amdavad for my Masters I did feel that he could have done his bit of research.
— Vipul (@Sporty_Baba) July 3, 2019
The Twitter thread sparked a sub-discussion on how Malayali parents are lazy.
This is the most Malayali story I have read on this thread. Thank you for revealing the truth about our families.
— Sonia Mariam Thomas (@SoKneeOh) July 3, 2019
My best friend (who is also malayali) was name Feby because... Well she was born in February
— Vaishnavi Prasad (@Vaishnavioffl) July 3, 2019
My parents didn't think of a name. Per letters they exchanged pre-birth, it was a toss-up between John and Maria. Imagine Maria Mariam Thomas EW/.
— Sonia Mariam Thomas (@SoKneeOh) July 3, 2019
But then the uncle I dislike the most just said Sonia and it fit. That too, he said that because his own kids had terrible names.
You think Malayali Christian parents are bad? Come to rameshwaram and meet fisherman Christian convert families. I know of a guy whose parents were told to name their son from The Book and they picked up the nearest book and called him Preface Rajkumar
— Vaishnavi Prasad (@Vaishnavioffl) July 3, 2019
My mom wanted a unique name,specially for a South Indian.We Malayalees have a 28th day custom to announce the name to the world. So being under pressure on the 27th day, she heard a Yesudas song on radio where it went 'Tushara bindu...' That's when she decided to name me Tushar.
— Tushar Ramakrishnan (@simblyme) July 3, 2019
Father was a leftist in 80's & wanted a religion neutral name, so I became Novin, grandma used to call Novino. Kids in school teased calling No-Win, In law's call Nobeen (they are bongs & my name anyways blends with Naveen)!
— Novin (@novinv) July 3, 2019
Brother is called Bobin!
Ah... These mallu parents!