Namkaran sanskar is an old age custom  in indian families.Considerable thinking goes into giving a name to a newborn child.surnames and caste callings are also tagged along.Also it is a matter of pride to have indulgences and references that are good in relations to ones own name.I am amazed at the variety of names.Some people are named after various incarnations of god like RAM LAL,KRISHNA CHANDRA ..There are also the ones given names in contrast to their personality like a fair complexioned person named KALU.Some people are named after cities like MATHURA DAS,BANARSI PRASAD…Western influence makes RAM LAL SRIVASTAV becomes R.L.SRIVASTAV.Also INDERSEN becomes ANDERSON,SHAMINDER becoming SAM.

Surnames make funny situations many times.if one KHAN DEWAL is on a selection board,then there is a likelihood that a KHANDEWAL aspirant may find favours.Certain places and regions are known to have typical surnames like the SOODS of Shimla or bahadurs of almora.Women carry their maiden names.After marriage the girls generally adopt their husband’s surnames.

Caste names give rise to emotional attractions and repulsion too.For example,if you meet someone who introduces himself as RAMAN-it is all right,but if he introduces himself as AGNIHOTRI ,youfeel,”Oh..he is a brahmin and i am not”.”It gives an instant feeling of attraction or repulsion which may not be conducive to national integration.

In lighter vien,one may say that ”It is better to have a unique first name to avoid looking for inumerable aggarwals and jaswals in a telephone directory”.