How to Become a Hindu - Importance of the Hindu Name Table of Contents How to Become a Hindu The Importance of the Hindu Name Of all the aspects of fully embracing the Hindu religion, the legal changing of one's name is certainly the most public, requiring adjustment on the part of friends, relatives, neighbors and even business acquaintances. If the immediate family becomes genuinely concerned, this will be overcome by the obvious love, sincerity and depth of conviction of the individual. Having one's name legally changed is not unusual.
Women do it all the time, at marriage.
Movie stars rarely use their birth name. Name changes for religious reasons are almost as common. Heavyweight boxer Casius Clay startled the world in 1967 by proclaiming his conversion to Islam and changing his name to Muhammed Ali. But anyone who has gone through the experience of a religious name change knows that there are real obstacles. The tendency to use the old name when you are among your non-Hindu friends.