From: mba2@Rosie.UH.EDU (D-Poon)
Subject: Re: Asian indian names
Reply-To: mba2@Rosie.UH.EDU
Organization: University of Houston
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 19:25:18 GMT

In article <1992Aug29.161343.155@menudo.uh.edu>, mece1xg@Jane.UH.EDU (purna) writes:
>hi all!
>
>boy, oh boy.  you miss reading the news for one day and *BAM*, there're
>a zillion articles to catch up on.  *sigh*........
>
>In article <1992Aug28.162200.9437@nas.nasa.gov>, raghavan@wk21.nas.nasa.gov (Venkatraman Raghavan) writes:
>>Saumyen Guha writes:
>>
>>>P.S.- I never thought 'purna' a woman. I am yet to meet an woman named
>>>purna whereas I have lots of male friend called Purna or Purna Chandra.
>
>actually, it is purnachandra (which means full moon, for those who care), 
>but it got shortened to purna when i came to the u.s. at the age of 4.  
>of course, it probably would have happened anyway as my folks use 'purna'
>when talking to/about me.
>
>>
>>I have also seen a few Bengali, Hindu, male first names which end with
>>a 'a', such as Amitava, Apoorba, Debabrata etc.  I was one of the fools 
>>who thought Purna was a female name until he corrected it. (But you should
>>have seen his early postings. :-))
>
>what do you mean by that? have i changed? :)
>
>>
>>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 )
>>
>>Regards,
>>Raghavan
>
>well, i think people become more assimilated as time goes on.  it's kind
>of like a slow-acting poison :)  anyway, my younger brother is named
>nischalchandra (still moon, for those who still care), but goes by 'neal'.
>of course, my folks picked the name with this idea of having an easy
>to pronounce american nickname being extracted from it.  now, 'neal' has
>become so much more common that even my folks call him that!!
>
>another example is my cousin pavitra.  my uncle and aunt chose it with
>the nickname 'pat' in mind.  in fact, his middle name IS patrick!
>
>then there are the obvious shortenings of names, such as jaitra or jayant
>becoming just 'jay'.  however, i am of the fortunate (or maybe that's
>unfortunate :)) ones whose name, when it became shortened, is not an
>americanized name.
>
>peace,
>-purna

Howdy, Hope Yall don't mind me joining in this conversation.  I'm new
to the Ether, but hope to be a semi-regular.  I've been sitting here
drinking my Sunday Morning Coffee, listening to you folks talk.  Kind
of Interesting.  Thought I might say a few words.

By the way Purna, interesting post on the II/IA discussion.  Amusing.

Anyways, as for names.  Some time ago. Oh I'd say back when I was a tike
of 9 years, I was given a nickname "Pete".  I kept that name only for
purposes of working in the Red Cross, but kept my given name for everything
else.  In High School, I had the opportunity of havin my real name
pronounced "Puntee", "Puneea (that's french folks)", "Punt", "Punit", "Ponet",
etc...  I was severly depressed concerning this.  In college I got
nicknames such as the "Punt", "Poon", "Poon-tan... (there are ladies present)",and 
and most recently "Darth-Poon".  When I started work I took on the name
"Pete" so that I could get through the cultural barrier that we have in
my industry.  My industry is cluttered with "Good Old Boys" and "Frenighers
(that's Foreighners)"  Recently Though I've swithced back to being
called "Puneet (my real name" or "Sharma (my last name)".  

Before I was unwilling to have my given names bastardized, but have come
to realize that's there is more to a name.  It's who you are.  I am not
a "Pete".  I may be a "Darth-Poon".  Definition:  One who advocates all
evil as the true course (i.e. live long, drink beer, party hard, drive
fast, enjoy life) instead of the good (study harder, have no social
life, be a vegetable at the end of the day).  Anyways, folks been nice
chatting with you, but I have to back and to studying.  Hope you don't
mind the intrusion.  This is my first attempt at posting, so please
don't criticize me too much.  

D-Poon
Vaya Con Dios 

Newsgroups: alt.culture.us.asian-indian