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Monday, September 19, 2011

What's in a name? Part 2

Statutory Warning - All names used in this blogpost are purely fictional and are result of the blogger's fertile but idle brain. Any similarity or resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental and out of pure luck.


It is not true that only women change their names in Bangladesh when they get married and append their husbands' surnames. In some instances, some men also do change their names when they get married - not to their wives - but to their professions in some cases. They become so infatuated with their profession that they not only reflect the change in their names as surnames but as forenames - above and before everything they are eventually called as.


It is interesting how military ranks of people working in the armed forces become a part of their names and gets written almost everywhere - visiting cards, name plates even on epitaphs. So Mr. Robiul Islam becomes Major Robiul Islam and carries the designation as part of his name even after he retires - when a suffix is added as (retd.) to denote 'retired'. The one instance of a working profession being part of someone's name is 'doctor' - I think we have grown up hearing people being called ‘Doctor so and so’ that it really doesn't sound odd when real people are called not often by their names but rather by their professions - Doctor Quddus Mia or Daktar Shaheb! Interestingly 'doctor' seems to be a gender neutral designation which gets prefixed in front of medical professionals (doctors) of both genders and we are fine with it.


However, what really intrigues me to write today's blogpost is when people use professional or academic designations such as 'engineer' or 'architect' as their first names - so we have Engineer Joglul Kabirs or Architect Khurshid Khans for example. I am sure although our parents would have loved that we become doctors and engineers when we would grow up, I am sure our future possible designations were never mentioned as part of our names during our 'akika' (naming ceremony) in childhood. I wonder what makes us use designations such as these in the front space of our actual names. Also, I wonder why only engineers and architects can be called Engineer Joglul Kabir? What about who works as a manager in banks or in telecom? Shall he write Manager Musabbir Mridha? Or Telecom-wala Talha Rahman? Also, I am doubtful whether Chashi Nazrul Islam spent more time farming or producing and directing Bangla films. I assume it is only his name and not a designation.


Software Engineer Bill Gates meets Apple Seller Steve Jobs. Nah..doesn't sound right. Actions of professionals can speak louder than words - making an inflated cry about the designation rather redundant and ornamental. I still can't make a general statement about the intentions of those using professions as part of their names (other than doctors and armed forces) - if you know why, please let us know.

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