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Naming ceremony

 
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I've heard (read actually) that there is a naming ceremony in India, when a child is born. Could some kind soul here share with us what it is and how it works?
 
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Babies are generally not named as soon as they are born.
After birth in some cases the elders choose a name. In some cases the name is based on the parents names /grandparents names / family tree name of the father.
In other cases based on astrology the first name is determined.
My birth certificate has my name as "Not yet named".
This got me into trouble during certain visa processing and i had to get a notorized certificate stating my name.
 
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That would make a great title
 
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This is mostly the Hindu tradition. I am not sure about other religions.
I am explaining South Indian Brahmin's tradition and as done for my daughter.

The naming ceremony is called the Punyajanam or Punyavajanam. Janam=birth, Punya=Good, Auspicious. In case of a normal birth, this ceremony is conducted on the 11th day (sometimes 13, usually odd). Nowadays, in case of c-section, the date is chosen as per convenience of the mother and baby but within 45 days (again odd day from birth).
The function is elaborate. Relatives and friends are called. A priest will say the birth related hymns. In the auspicious time, the already chosen name is written on rice spread on a plate. After that the same name is announced and gently spoken into the ears of the new born baby. Also the maternal aunt puts a golden bangle called the "atha kaappu" (atha=aunt, kaappu=bangle).

Names usually follow the grandparents or even great-grandparents names. But nowadays the parents choose trendy names (short and sweet). Believe me, we take care to see what will be the shortened name (the so called nickname) and that it is not too bad. Some even go on to see how the West will pronounce!
Otherwise the names are chosen from Gods and Goddesses, nature etc. We (in my case) have 3 names in general. The official name for the records. Another name called the "nama karanam" which is usually used while pooja and the third is the name with which he or she is called at home. All these are first names. We (again, in my case) dont have surnames, so we attach our father's name and use it as initials. Where surname is applicable (North Indians, Others) that is added as the last name.
[ January 31, 2007: Message edited by: Raghav Sam ]
 
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All these are first names. We (again, in my case) dont have surnames, so we attach our father's name and use it as initials.


An interesting thing to note is that the South Indians (Tamilians) do not have a concept of surname.

Ram's son Ganesh will be called as R.Ganesh (or) Ganesh Ram.
and Ganesh's son Kumar will be called as G.Kumar (or) Kumar Ganesh. (not Kumar Ram)
[ January 31, 2007: Message edited by: Richard Green ]
 
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me too , I have named myself Srikanth Raghavan when my actually name is just Srikanth and nothing else. But that's because my parents originally planned to name me Srinivasa-Raghavan. So I now ended up with Srikanth S. Raghavan.

I could have had Iyengar as my surname, but I don't want caste to come in right after my name. I thought it's not healthy, so I just dropped that plan

After all, Srikanth Raghavan sounds good too
 
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Is there any reason for not naming you as Srinivasa Raghavan
 
Raghav Sam
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An interesting thing to note is that the South Indians (Tamilians) do not have a concept of surname.


True. I am a Telugu brahmin, but since I was born in Tamilnadu, I dont have a surname. The same is not true for Telugu people born in Andhrapradesh (another south Indian state). Even in Tamilnadu some people do have surnames. A majority of these have the village or town name in front of their first names.

I am not sure why we dont have a surname. The problem is when we go out of India people call out by our last names which is actually our father's name.
For example I will be called Sangameswaran instead of Raghavendran. And mostly the pronunciation will be terrible. Nothing to blame! Those are hard-to-pronounce long names..
 
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Originally posted by Srinivasa Raghavan:
Is there any reason for not naming you as Srinivasa Raghavan



You will have to search for another name.
 
Raghav Sam
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Map: one question, why are you asking? Some suspense like Ravish?
 
Mapraputa Is
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I was concerned if all the Ranchers name their kids according to the rules of "JavaRanch naming policy"!
 
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"Is there any reason for not naming you as Srinivasa Raghavan"

may be they just dont want him to face the annoyance when he register at javaranch , because if he were "Srinivasa Raghavan" instead of "Srikanth Raghavan" he would have to go for different name as you had already taken that name before him.


PS: Just a thought
 
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I am from South India(Tamilian) and we dont generally have the concept of surname..We just have a single name and most of us have our father's starting letter as initial...I often get confused when I have to fill up forms where they ask for Surname,Family name,middle name etc....

Unfortunately many such names are considered fake names even in javaranch and the mods insist on changing the name
 
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Hey Rambo,

Dont mind, but if you name your son - John, his name would then be John Rambo?
 
Srikanth Raghavan
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Originally posted by Kailash Thiyagarajan:
Hey Rambo,

Dont mind, but if you name your son - John, his name would then be John Rambo?



Oh my God

I am fan of Sly and I just loved your joke and I can't literally stop laughing for the last 3 minutes (Now, people around me have already started seeing me like a mad in my new office).

Good Joke Kailash.
 
Srikanth Raghavan
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Originally posted by Srinivasa Raghavan:
Is there any reason for not naming you as Srinivasa Raghavan



Yes,

There is a reason, that's because we already had more than 3 Srinivasan and 1 Srinivasa Raghavan in our family. So, just to avoid ambiguity (like Multiple Inheritance) my parents named me Srikanth (following Java's 'interface' technique to solve this ambiguity). And hey! look look, it has solved my problem at JavaRanch now. You were already there before I registered.

-- Srikanth Raghavan (like John Rambo )
[ February 02, 2007: Message edited by: Srikanth Raghavan ]
 
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I do not know about the west , but in India we generally have two names.One informal or pet name and the other , formal and official name.
After the baby is born , people decide on the pet name , but there is a name giving ceremony ,where the actual / official name is decided .The the date of the ceremony is decided by some religious saint.
As India has many traditions , it also might varry from place to place.
 
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Hey Rambo,

Dont mind, but if you name your son - John, his name would then be John Rambo?



Yes,John Rambo or R.John
 
Srikanth Raghavan
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Originally posted by Rahul Bhattacharjee:

After the baby is born , people decide on the pet name



You mean the...

Ammulu
Pappu
Chitti
Kutti
Cheeka (myself)
Babloo

.
.
.
.
.

And the list is endless, isn't it?
 
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Ammulu
Pappu
Chitti
Kutti
Cheeka (myself)
Babloo

-- but what do they mean?
 
Srikanth Raghavan
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Originally posted by Mapraputa Is:
Ammulu
Pappu
Chitti
Kutti
Cheeka (myself)
Babloo

-- but what do they mean?



They are pet names.
 
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That's "The Namesake" book I read about the naming stuff in... In case you are interested, search for "pet name" and read pp. 25-26...
 
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Originally posted by Mapraputa Is:

-- but what do they mean?



In general, your official/formal name could be as tough/complicatd/long/hard to pronounce as much as priest or anyone from the family members wants it to be.

And then you have a nick/pet name, which is used most of the time to address a person.
Nick names are generally short, sweet and easy to pronounce. Most of the time they dont mean anything(but they may have meanings too).

Meaningless nick names
Pappu
Chikki
Chenu
bablu

Meaningful name
[invisble]
Raja - King
Shiva - God
Ram - God
Kamal - Lotus
[/invisible]

Meaningful names are under [invisible] tag because it is meaningless forum
 
Rahul Bhattacharjee
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Originally posted by Srikanth Raghavan:


You mean the...

Ammulu
Pappu
Chitti
Kutti
Cheeka (myself)
Babloo

.
.
.
.
.

And the list is endless, isn't it?



Correct . My pet name is appu and the greatest thing is it has a meaning - baby elephant.
[ February 02, 2007: Message edited by: Rahul Bhattacharjee ]
 
R K Singh
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Originally posted by Mapraputa Is:
That's "The Namesake" book I read about the naming stuff in... In case you are interested, search for "pet name" and read pp. 25-26...



I am not sure about your "pet name".
Are you referring to names of a pet

I remember long back there was a thread on names of your "pet animal".

I think in India everyone has memorized this essay in their childhood
Essay on cow:
1. The cow is a pet animal.
 
Mapraputa Is
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Thanks for your explanations, Ravish.

I am not sure about your "pet name". Are you referring to names of a pet?

No, no, I am using the term that was used earlier in this thread. By Rahul for example: "I do not know about the west , but in India we generally have two names.One informal or pet name and the other , formal and official name."

But now I am curious, is there list of pet/nick names to choose from, or people can make their own?
[ February 03, 2007: Message edited by: Mapraputa Is ]
 
Rahul Bhattacharjee
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There is not list from which we choose the pet name.In many of the cases you will find that the pet names are meaningless.
 
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Hm, some probably based on baby talk too.
 
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