I happened to notice that indians have strange kind of first names, like for example, if I read an indian name I never know the gender of that person!
There was this person called PUNAL and somehow we got added to eachother Msn list by mistake, I did not know that person before.
I was talking with that person to find out how we got added to eachothers msn thinking all the time its a SHE(girl) but as she told me she is sending me her pic and I took a look it was a HE!!! Gosh and all the time I thought I was chatting to a female.
Indians do have funny name or is it only me who thinks like this
Why just Indians? Why not Russians, Germans or MiddleEastern ppl, or ppl from NIgeria or some far off places? Why just Indians?
Dont you have anything better to ask?
IMO, indian names are exquisite! most of them carry very interesting meanings, usually a description of a positive quality, running parallel to a figure of speech alluding to a God(ess) or object. these names may sound strange to someone who isnt familiar with indian culture and language. i am sure you would have found "jane" or "peter" quite funny and asexual if you werent so familiar with them. (what the hell does "jane" mean anyway? "peter" means stone in hebrew. funny?).
most pakistanis ancestors would have carried similar names until 800 years back. one thing that beats me is, how come persians retained their native persian language names (which they share with zoroastrians and many persian jews, and are very similar in meaning to indian names) despite converting to islam; while in the indian subcontinent, almost all muslims choose to go for arabic or persian names, brushing aside their native names. why? is it such a necessity to obliterate one's identity so ruthlessly?
Generally people take on names from whichever culture they are impressed by at the time. It's not just Pakistanis that take on names from cultures that aren't indiginous. Check out Bollywood for a long string of Bobby's and Pinky's.
Lots of Africans, Malaysians etc also have Arabic names. Maybe Queer can suggest a nice sub-continental name for me and I'll consider it. What about Shamla Shish Kebob? is that close enough?
arabic names are understandable, given the special status arabic holds for muslims. but persian names? must be the impressive culture part.
there really arent many bobby's and pinky's in bollywood (the ones you find have larger indian names that have been shortened into a "bobby" or a "pinky"). that too, despite bollywood being one of the most wannabe-western areas of indian society.
as for a nice sub-continental name for you, Mian Popat Lulla would be a neat pick.
and since you mention indonesia, arabic names do exist, but quite a lot of indonesians, muslims as well as christians, have retained their old sanskrit origin names. "Megawati Sukarnoputri" is more sanskritized than most current day indian names are.
Queer is right. Sub-continental Muslims didn't retain the traces of their heritage in their names.
They went for Arabic/ Persian names apparently.
AS for Indian names being strange, pleeeeeeeeze gimme a break.
Most Indian names have Sanskrit roots and have a meaning.
Like 'Priya Darshini' may sound very 'Strange', but it means 'Pleasure TO Look At' in Sanskrit, unlike 'Jane' which means Sh*t, if it means anything at all!!!!
Andhra for once look at it with a neutral view without the eyes of an Indian and you will notice that most indian names are very hmm very unusual, names like 'Preeti' or some more but the name 'Priya Darshini' you mentioned is cute and has a wonderful meaning. I did not know that your name have some meaning behind them. As for you Jane may be s*it for you, the same is for people not fimluar with indian culture.
just expanding on this theme of people taking on names of cultures they are impressed by, what do you think NYA or Chaltahai-hai would pick given the choice - George, Rudi, or Big Chief Sitting Bull?
just expanding on this theme of people taking on names of cultures they are impressed by<<
Well, the point is that is the sad part.
The whole World loves Indian food and culture and regards India as an exotic place, as Mark Twain put it so eloquently.
I forget the exact quote.
You got a whole Ocean named for you and every major personality in History from Alexander to Columbus looking for you!!!
And here are Indians who are trying to obliterate their own heritage on account of Religion !!
Maybe not narayan muhammad. but if you can have shireen ahmed, i am sure you can also have madhuri ahmed. shireen and madhuri both mean "sweet". interestingly, many christians in kerala use ethnic indian first names, and it really goes well with their christian middle name and last names which is usually the family name.
Queer --no matter what hindi name you really have but this english word(QUEER) is the most appropriate .Why not indian change there name to english meaning b/c that is the SINGLE most commonly spoken ,even more than hindi which is confined to few states?
Andhra— can you give one reason why a Pakistani muslim should be named Madhuri Ahmed …i can understand Indian muslim but in Pakistan,hardly anyone will understand madhu or madhuri or priya or prem!!!
Methink you all are ardent student of Naipal who wishes no outside influence had come to india or hinduism.He himself speaks only in foreign colonial language ,spent large amount of time in islamic country Pakistan,yet wrote two books bemoaning it ,& then married a muslim pakistani NADIRA,…hypocricy
Diamonds Are Made Under Pressure
[This message has been edited by Fatimah (edited March 28, 2002).]
Aah, another pair of Bharati Hindus living in denial that Muslims have an identity that transcends borders and nationality! I know it's hard for you to understand the concept of universal brotherhood of all Muslims especially if you're not going to make a sincere effort to.
[quote]
Originally posted by Fatimah:
*Queer --Why not indioan change there name to english meaning b/c that is the most commonly spoken even more than hindi which is confined to few states?
*
[/quote]
do you even know anything about india at all? english is the most commonly spoken language in india? since when?
[quote] but in Pakistan,hardly anyone will understand madhu or madhuri or priya or prem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]
the sindhis certainly will.
[This message has been edited by queer (edited March 28, 2002).]