Whenever somebody asks us for an introduction of ourselves what do we usually begin with? Well, the answer is pretty obvious..our names!!
A name is an integral part of our personalities and life. You will perhaps walk the same way, eat the same food, breathe the same air even if your name is changed or you don't have a name at all. But still how many of us will be fine with getting our names changed or the extreme case-not having a name at all?
As time passes by, we tend to develop a bond with our name just as we develop relations. We start identifying ourselves with a word containing a few alphabets which we call our name. It gradually becomes our identity. Some people have fancy sounding names and actually take pride in flaunting their names while there are some who are not fully satisfied with their names but still somehow or the other are not very comfortable with the idea of changing it.
Names eventually become brands. Nobody today can challenge the aura of Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and people like that. Of course, they have immense talents but doesn't their names throw jitters in our very minds and bodies, such is the power of the name. You just cannot dissociate the name with these personalities. It doesn't happen. Who are they without their names?
Indians particularly are obsessed with the legacy of their names being carried forward. We have things like "naam roshan karna" into practice since time immemorial.All of us will be familiar with "Raj, naam to suna hoga" dialogue, its so famous. There is something with this name thing boss and you cannot deny it..!
Not only with people, the significance of names is associated with brands also. We recognize brands with their names( now that is pretty obvious!) Brand reputation and brand image is very closely linked with the name over the years.
We spend so much time in actually giving a name to a new born baby and have grand ceremonies like "naamkaran". If it is not so significant then why is the tradition going on since so long?
Even directors and producers are so cautious in naming their films and they take into account so many things before actually coming to the conclusion. The recent example of this is Shahrukh Khan starer"Jab Tak Hai Jaan" which was called "A Yash Chopra Romance" till so long and then after much deliberation the makers came up with a name.
Therefore, we see people somehow try to come up with catchy names for people, films, brands, names of restaurants and hotels and what not. Having a catchy name has become a part of commercialization now.
If names don't matter then why do we have a certain feeling when we hear "Khan", why this discrimination at all?( in fact it is a shame)
Thus, we see that as times are changing, Shakespeare's words:-
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet" is losing its meaning.
