Name matters

Names are defining. We know and understand people, things, animate, inanimate through names. A name brings a visual to mind, an immediate understanding of what and who the person or object is and some history and background. But names can be confusing. For example, what does pudding mean to you? Join me on this podcast as I share some fun memories with names and associated confusion.

Transcript

Name matters

Hello Everyone, and welcome to the podcast of the Ordinary Maverick. This is Ajey, your host, an ordinary Maverick sharing real life thoughts and experiences and Maverick tips. If you haven’t hit the subscribe button yet, please do so, and you’ll not miss another episode.

Do names matter? Interesting question, right? And one that can be answered both ways, with a yes and a no.

Names define who we are, when they are a person’s name…but then names or definitions describe places, objects. The definition of ‘name’ is that it’s a term used for identification by an external observer. For example, it can be about a class or category of things, or even a single thing, can be unique or within a context. When it’s a personal name then that identifies a specific individual human. 

I recall studying grammar in school and being told about proper names and proper nouns as well as common names. One also gives names to people, things, places, like parents give their child a name and we name flowers and our pets as well as planets and stars and just about everything.

Speaking of grammar, I have to admit, this wasn’t one of my strong or favorite subjects, ha ha…and to top it all, I studied in a convent school where grammar was super important and knowing your wren and martin was the gold standard. For those who may not know but Wren and Martin was an English grammar text book written primarily for the children of British officers residing in India, these books were widely adopted by Indian schools in the post-colonial era. Must admit at times I almost gave up and felt I would never get it…there were so many complex rules and a multitude of exceptions and variations. What was spoken English was not necessarily the right grammar English. It would get confusing to know when to use ‘would’, ‘could’, ‘should’ and then how to sequence the words in the proper order…like one says ‘She reads books often’….when it should be ‘She often reads books’. 

Anyway, let’s not get into grammar, ha ha…all to say, it’s a great subject and I deeply admire all that have the mastery of it.

Getting back to names, indeed it’s such a privilege and very humbling when one has the responsibility to give a name. I have to say, it was the most special, once in a lifetime moment, an humbling experience when both my daughters were placed in my arms just a few minutes after they entered the world. All it took was one look and as I held them and gazed into their eyes, that’s it. Call it what you will, father daughter bond, everlasting love, I think there’s no way to describe it….whatever it is, it’s for life and forever.

Well, as is the case, everyone started asking about their names. Unknown to all, my wife and I had thought about the names for our girls long before and so when they were born, we were all ready and both our girls got their beautiful names just as we had desired.

There are interesting traditions with giving names. Every culture has its own way. In some cases, different family members give the names to the baby. Sometimes it’s the aunt, or the grand parent, and sometimes it’s a tradition to carry forward the names of their ancestors in the family. Regardless, giving a name is such a special thing, difficult to quite describe or put a name to it. The person carries that name through their lifetime and even beyond. 

So yes, names are important. They create a bond between people and a name communicates something almost immediately when one hears it.

This is particularly true when names immediately bring something to mind. Now this is because everything around us has a name, all objects, things have a name. Think about it for a minute. Look around you…everything has a name, and if this wasn’t the case, we would be lost.

But names can be confusing too. How so you may ask. Well, for one thing, names immediately convey something to your mind …say for example, I say flower….you can think of any flower, right…but if I say, rose.. then that draws a picture in your mind. And if I describe it further…like say, white rose or red rose, you once again start picturing it in your mind.

That’s what happened to me on a recent trip to Ireland. We were in Cork, one of the beautiful cities down in the South of Ireland. It’s Ireland’s second largest city and has a fun vibe with some absolutely stunning rugged coastlines and scenery. We were staying at this real funky hotel, with some lovely art décor, great views of the city and just generally a feel good buzz. 

We go down for breakfast one morning and find a fantastic buffet spread. Now if you’ve been listening to my podcasts, you know I am a vegetarian and have been so always. Now when I am eating food outside, I am always extra careful as never sure where eggs, meat, fish will find its way into the dish. Ha ha… am sure you know what I mean if you’re a fellow vegetarian too.

I see pudding on the menu. And like the name suggests, it brings a certain dish to my mind. Pudding generally refers to a sweet dairy-based dessert to most people. In India where I grew up, that’s what we meant when we said pudding. It was a foreign term, but pudding meant something sweet. 

Little did I know that pudding is a term that refers to any dish, savory or sweet, that’s boiled or steamed inside a cloth, or traditionally inside an animal intestine. Yes, you heard it right…an animal intestine. And one has white pudding and black pudding. White pudding is a grain-based sausage flavored with plenty of fat and then stuffed into a sausage casing. Generally white pudding uses oatmeal or barley, pork or beef suet, breadcrumbs, spices, and sometimes, pork meat or pork liver. And it’s part of a traditional Irish breakfast alongside baked beans, eggs, mushrooms and broiled tomatoes. Generally, it’s brown or beige in color. Black pudding is a distinct regional type of blood sausage originating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is made from pork or occasionally beef blood, with pork fat or beef suet, and a cereal, usually oatmeal, oat groats, or barley groats. It has a strong earthy flavor like meaty or nutty, with a chewy texture like salami. And black pudding is quite distinct. There is addition of plenty of beef or pork blood, like a traditional blood sausage. Black pudding takes on a dark red or brownish color.

See what I mean by names can be confusing. Thank goodness I checked what the black and white pudding options were exactly before taking some from the buffet. My initial curiosity was like what’s black and white pudding…maybe it’s different kinds of sweet dishes…ha ha. As thanks to the name, I thought of something sweet with the word pudding based on what I was exposed to.

Well, I learnt something new that day! And it made me think…names do matter. And then my wife shared a funny memory with the word pudding. This is from when she went on a school trip in primary school with her convent school nuns. The school trip had booked out one of the train carriages and had it parked at a station for the day while exploring the city. No one was allowed to use the rest room on the train while parked and had to go to the rest rooms at the station. Well, someone didn’t listen. And the nuns went around asking…who has made the ‘pudding’? as the ‘pudding’ was emanating a foul smell while the train was parked. Ha ha…hilarious. For sure, none of the girls were able to eat dessert for some time as the use of the word ‘pudding’ stuck in their heads for all the wrong reasons!

Another confusion I’ve come across is with Washington State, and Washington DC. We live in Washington State currently and many times are asked is this the capital city. Again the confusion with the name. Washington is one of the states in the United States of America. While Washington DC…refers to the capital city…DC – District of Columbia. Both were named after the first President of the United States, George Washington.

One way of knowing the difference, is when people who live in Washington State…will always say Washington. While those that live in the Washington DC city, call it DC.

DC is not a State but a federal district that serves as the seat of the federal government. Washington State is known for its stunning natural landscapes, mountains, forests and coastlines. Its in the Pacific Northwest region, bordered by Oregon to the south, Idaho to the east and Canada to the north with the Pacific ocean to the west. Seattle is the largest city in the State.

See the confusion with a name. 

Fellow Mavericks, take a double look, dig deeper always and don’t just go by your first thought about a name. 

yes, name matters!

Do share your thoughts at ‘theordinarymaverick@gmail.com’ and follow me on Instagram #theordinarymaverick.  I love hearing from you. This is Ajey, signing off and wishing you have an amazing rest of the year and kickstart the new year doing what makes you happy! Keep well. 

This podcast series was put together as a team effort from the Bhardwaj family.  Concept, design, title, researchers and reviewers: Ajey, Sanjana, Avantika and Niharika Bhardwaj; Script– Sanjana; Cover design – Niharika. All rights reserved.