From: dsb@godzilla.pi.macsch.com (Deepak Brar)
Subject: Re: Asian indian names
Followup-To: alt.culture.asian-indian
Organization: The MacNeal-Schwendler Corp.
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 92 22:03:07 GMT

In article <5221@dove.nist.gov>, hira@cme.nist.gov (Ron Hira) writes:
|> In article <1992Aug28.162200.9437@nas.nasa.gov>,
|> raghavan@wk21.nas.nasa.gov (Venkatraman Raghavan) writes:
|> |>A taiwanese friend of mine told me that when he applied for his passport
|> |>he randomly chose a christian first name and he has been using it officially 
|> |>using it ever since.
|> |>
|> |>Would such a thing be tolerated in the Indian-american circles? Are would
|> |>parents be willing to do it for their children? 
|> |>
|> |>(I am not raising the question if it is necessary, probably it is not
|> |>necessary at all. This is not a right or wrong issue. Also I am not
|> |>talking about inter-cultural marriages )

Even though you say no inter-cultural marriages, I thought I would get in my
2 cents worth after lurking for a few weeks.

|> |>
|> |>Regards,
|> |>Raghavan
|>                            
|> Well, my real name is Ronil, but being an ABCD I shortened it to Ron.
|> It was definitely a matter of convenience, but tends to confuse desis 
|> a bit. Growing up as minority in America, I found that it was one less
|> thing to be ridiculed about, so IMO the point about names being a factor
|> in the way people treat you is valid.
|> 
|> I use my full name for official stuff like checks, tax returns, etc.
|> 
|> Anyways, my bro and sister in-law (whose white) had a kid recently and 
|> named him Sean Colin. Hardly desi hindu. :-)

Well, Ron, why do you think the kid is being raised as a hindu? Actually,
you probably know, since this is your brother we are talking about. What
plans do your brother and sister-in-law have re. religious beliefs for
the kid? Was there conflict between his hindu beliefs and hers?

|> 
|> Ron (or is it Ronil?)

I am married to an American woman and we have just (actually, 3 months ago)
had a baby daughter. Neither of us is very religious (my religion is sikh;
she is a protestant) so we are holding off the question of our daughter's
religion and will let her make her own decisions.

I empathize with what you say about being ridiculed as a kid growing up.
I am not an ABCD, but went to high school, etc. here in the US. Needless
to say, I had numerous self-image problems, etc. related to my not being
white around the suburban upper-class white students at my high school.

Americans naturally have problems pronouncing my name, especially the
"Th" part of Deepak. As a kid I would sometimes introduce myself as
Sam or John :-). Kids can be extremely cruel, and acceptance among one's
peers is one of the most important things for a child growing up here
in the US. Given my experiences in high school, my wife and myself decided
that if we had a boy he would be Deepak Jr. with a Christian middle name
and if we had a girl she would have a Christian first name and an
Indian middle name (and ofcourse an Indian last name). She is free to
use whichever she prefers in whatever context (Indian name in India,
Christian name here, etc.). We decided on Jessica Shivani. Best of both
worlds.

Deepak
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Newsgroups: alt.culture.us.asian-indian,misc.talk.philosophy