what is in a name ? naming a child Timur

                      In the Shankar directed Kamal starred movie ‘Indian’ [Bharatheeyudu] -  amidst a crowd in front of Regional Transport Office, Goundamani will at first sight tell  Crazy Mohan,  his name as   Parthasarathi – indicating that it is so typical a brahminical name !! –  Of course, there are many  Parthasarathis’ from Triplicane,  Ranganathans  and Ranganayakis     from Thiruvarangam;  Perundevis from Kanchipuram !!

It is all about Name .. … A Name is a word or term used for identification.  They can bring identity to a person, class or category of things….. even horses and ships are named in elaborate ceremonies. A name that is considered common in one place could be unique in another.  From ancient times, names have been thought to be powerful and influence one’s life.  How common is your name ~ try checking a Telephone directory or make a web search on your name !

In mankind, we try to have unique and identifiable names though some are more oft-repeated than others – so you find similar names for persons hailing from a particular place. In India, as also in many other countries, there is the tradition of naming after Gods and valiant heroes. In naming animals, new inventions, planets, trains or even files on computer, there are various ‘naming patterns’ which help in making them unique, individualistic and easily identifiable.  Some say, that the sweetest music to a human is hearing their own name.  In India, especially in Tamilnadu, there has been a tradition of asking persons of repute [that would certainly  include politicians, actors and ..... host of others!] to name child !

In Srivaishanvaite philosophy, giving right name to the new born is very important.  Periyazhwaar in his ‘Periyazhwaar Thirumozhi’  (Nankam Pathu – Aaram Thirumozhi) devotes 10 songs on the need to name the children after Sriman Narayanan – those who are named after Maha Vishnu will be bestowed with all goodness and their parents will not go to hell is a firm belief.  That is for the believer.

A rose by another name will smell as good – what is in a name one might tend to ask - and by naming a Mango tree something else, the yield would never be bananas or coconuts but believers would tend to believe that it would yield better mangoes. !! Daily Mail (way back in Feb 2012) wrote of  a theory on ‘ Why having a name that's easy to pronounce could propel you up the career ladder !’  It is no little perception but a theory based on the research, published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, which has  found that it's not just in the office that people with easy-to-say names do well, it also discovered that it helped in the political world.

So, if you are still wondering why you did not get the recognition, you thought that you richly deserved, or if you're always being passed over for promotion, then there might finally be a solution... change your name.

Read that Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan's have divided social media after giving their newborn baby boy the same name as a brutal 14th century Turko-Mongol warrior. The Bollywood couple's child was born early on Tuesday at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital and has been called Taimur. .. .. and instead of congratulating the happy parents, a number of people took to Twitter to criticise the name - Taimur Ali Khan Pataudi in full - and associate it with conqueror Taimur Lang, who attacked Delhi in 1398 and left the city in ruins. 

A large section of the Twitterati, however, was quick to associate the name with Taimur Lang - known as Timerlane in English - who was a brutal 14th century Turko-Mongol conqueror. Social media went viral pointing out Saifeena had named their son after a ruthless killer who attacked Delhi in 1398 and left the city in ruins. Not sure whether this is from the official twitter handle of Sir Jadeja who bowled so well at Chepauk handing over a defeat to England who had scored 477 in their 1^st essay.  The tweet reads :  Come on. Just because a guy beheaded his mom at age of 18, murdered and raped millions, doesn't mean you can't name your kid after him.

Some peak into history reveals that Timur, a mongol conqueror was the founder of Timurid Empire in Persia and Central Asia.  Timur crossed the Indus River at Attock (now Pakistan) in Sept 1398.  On 17^th Dec 1398 occurred the battle between  Sultan Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq and the army of Mallu Iqbal.   It is reported that as his Tatar forces were afraid of the elephants, Timur ordered his men to dig a trench in front of their positions. Timur then loaded his camels with as much wood and hay as they could carry. When the war elephants charged, Timur set the hay on fire and prodded the camels with iron sticks, causing them to charge at the elephants howling in pain.  Delhi was sacked and left in ruins. Before the battle for Delhi, Timur executed 100,000 captives. Delhi fell to the uprising and was looted. 

Naming a child is anyway the option of its parents !

Regards – S. Sampathkumar

21^st Dec 2016.