What's there in name?

Everybody has a name. It’s an identity of an Individual in this big world. There is a story behind how we got our name? There is a story behind how we carry our name. Did our parents search lot of books for our name? Why did they like that name for us? Did somebody suggest our name? We have nickname as well. The real name has several versions as in my case. Sometimes I feel how unfair Shakespeare is to say “What’s there in name?”. It is an identity we relate to our self and every body else relate to us. One realises what is there in name when one’s name is repetitively pronounced wrongly, like mine.
                   My name is Indrayani. Many people told me my name is unique, long and difficult to pronounce and spell. I was the only girl named “Indrayani” in my School and college. So I enjoyed a privilege of being unique in that sense and felt proud as unique name helped me escape the mess created by similar name like swapping of exam papers, roll numbers etc. My teachers and friends used to call me “Indu” or “Indumati” which I hate. Yes! These are the two absolute no no versions of my name. In my Pune office non maharastrian people for whom my name was new used to call me “Indrani”, some of them actually thought the meaning of my name is “Wife of Lord Indra” and began to call me “Indra ki Rani”. But that is not the meaning of my name. Again I had to clarify and clear the air. I was never linked with any boy in my entire college life and now I am being linked to King of Gods – Lord Indra. Ohh! Poor me. My Bengali colleagues called me “Indro”.  Every time I made it a point to correct them but all efforts went in vein. When I joined office in Dubai, the things went worst for my name. Many versions of my name were waiting to greet me. Local colleagues called me “Indrayana” or “Indriyani”. I had colleagues from Africa, UK, US, Shrilanka, Pakistan, etc. Most of them actually found my name as a toung twister so they chose a name “Indra” for me. I had to agree happily (?). Rather than hearing many wrong pronunciation this was better. But all my family members call me “Indrayani” without a single mistake. Even after I got married, thankfully new family members learned my name easily and pronounce it correctly. The meaning of Indrayani is “A woman having command on languages”. I am not sure if I am living up to that but as I am writing this article on the usual drama and confusion on my name, I feel extremely proud to have a name that’s unique, meaningful and long. Thanks a ton Aai and Baba for giving me this name. And Thanks to Aaji for suggesting it.