What's in a name

Inspired by Malcolm Gladwell's 'Tipping Point' chapter on baby names I have an upper middle class India version:

The most popular name for girls these days are:

a) Simran

b) Isha/ Ishita/ Ishani

c) Anushka/ Anusha



The most popular name for boys these days is... drumroll.. Aditya! Followed by Aman and Aryan.



'A' is the most popular letter for boy names.

And complicated Sanskrit sounding names are all the rage - don't know how many are real and how many invented. Perhaps all the new baby name books are responsible. Here's a sample of some of the most unusual ones I found (in case any of you soon-to-b is looking!):

-Rwik

-Yudhajeet

- Sidhisha

- Balaharihar

- Mrigankshekhar

- Vamshikha

- Vedshri

- Shrujal

- Hrudansh

- Advik

- Shubhecha

- Sanjuti

- Arikta

- Argaja

- Rushaan

- Mannan

- Avishka

- Aryamitra

- Mannkushi

- Joushura

- Pratyay

- Vartul

- Rameesha

- Poorvija

-Alinda

- Nishyavitha

- Arkoprabha

- Yatharth and... Blessly



In case you're wondering, all the names and my analysis is based on the pamphlet distributed at Apeejay school, Nerul on the primary section 'Appreciation Day' held yesterday.



Yeah they don't call it 'annual day' or 'prize distribution' like in the old days because there are no exams till class 5. So no question of distributing certificates to the kids who stood 1st, 2nd and 3rd!

334 kids were on stage and we parents had to keep ourselves amused through various mandatories like the Principal's speech. So now you know the secret... Would be interesting to collect data from various schools and cities and do an in-depth study!

I do think Simran is probably the result of DDLJ. And Isha and Anushka too are celeb-inspired. The kids were all 6-10 years old which is just around the time the likes of Esha Deol and Anushka Shankar came into the public eye.

As for the complicated new names in fashion the interesting thing is that in New Bombay parents are trying to be unique, but Indian. I am sure if the same survey were to be conducted in Bandra or Andheri you'd find more globally acceptable Anglo-inventions like Tia, Anya, Sonya and so on. But I don't know for sure.

Incidentally, my daughter played the role of a 'tree'. She was on stage for a full half hour but we spent 20 minutes trying to figure out which tree she was. Finally I realised it was the one swaying the most.
But never mind - making the tree out of thermacole and cardboard was a lot of fun. We rescued it and it's now making her room a more colourful place.
Just like all these names. The days of Ram, Shyam, Seeta, Geeta seem to be over but you never know. If retro clothing can return, so could retro in names!