What’s in a name?

Baby B is just born, yet she is already quite a star. With their appeal to fans to suggest names for their special delivery, Aishwarya and Abhishek will have millions to choose from. When Baby B grows big she might make a name for herself; but, she will surely brag about her name, chosen after meticulous scanning and sieving. Names form precious part of religious resources.

Religious traditions speak of the hundred and even thousand names of God. God is above all names; so, can either be named or remain unnamed. Interestingly, in most religious traditions the root “div” inheres in God’s names: dev, devi, diva, deus, deo.
The word “name” and its inflected forms appear 1,100 times in the Bible. Naming suggests relationship and responsibility of the one naming for the one named. Adam, meaning “from the dust”, named all God’s creatures as well as his partner “Eve” since she was “the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:20).
Biblical personages have special names to indicate their character or induct them into service: Noah means “relief” (Gen 5:29), Ishmael and Samuel mean “heard by God” (Gen 16:11; 1 Sam 1:20) and Jesus means “God saves” (Matt 1:21). Abigail jokes about her husband’s name, Nabal, meaning “good-for-nothing” (1 Sam 25:25).
Renamings register a change in character and chart a new course of life. God changes Abram’s and Sarai’s names to Abraham and Sarah (Gen 17:5,15). In her sorrow Naomi, meaning “pleasant”, changes her name to Mara, meaning “bitter” (Ruth 1:20). Jesus changes Simon’s name to “Petros” meaning “rock” (Matt 16:18) to entrust the Church to his care.
Psychologists opine that children must be given names to inspire them for greater goals. That’s why parents name their children Prema or Anand or after ancestors or saints like Teresa or Kabir. At Hindu naamakaran ceremonies a baby’s chosen name could be a combination of the baby’s zodiac sign, the family deity’s name and the deity of the month.
After the birth of my two elder sisters, my parents — devout desi bhakts — prayed in old Goa before the mortal remains of Saint Francis Xavier (whose feast falls on December 3) for the gift of a boy. They vowed that if their prayers were heard, they’d name their yet-to-be-born babe, Francis.
Conflicts arose at my namakaran ceremony (Baptism, in Christianity) since my grandma and grandaunt had prayed to Saints Anthony and Joseph. Dad insisted on “Francis” but added “Joseph” and “Anthony” as appendices to ensure family peace.
Dad had difficulty in choosing from among three names. It won’t be easy for the Bachchans to pick one from their inbox. Anyway, let’s thank God for our names! That Bard who queried, “What’s in a name?” wasn’t Indian, was he?

Francis Gonsalves is the principal of the Vidyajyoti College of Theology, Delhi. He can be contacted at fragons@gmail.com

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