Monday, January 21, 2008

What "religion" is your name..?

How does a name acquire a religion..? I've had countless number of people asking me why i was named Febin.. Apparently it is not a "Muslim" name... What anyway is a Muslim name..? or for that matter what makes a name belong to any religion..?

Okay, certain names can be categorized into religions. True.. Names like Krishna and Vishnu are obviously names chosen by people following Hinduism.. And Muslims choose names like Abdullah and Abdul Majeed. These names mean something, something that pertains to God or something connected to that.. What I am talking about are the million other names, especially Indian names that have been classified into religions, the reasons for which I do not understand..

How did Sangita become Hindu when all it means is music..? Abhay(fearless), Pawan(wind), Anand(happiness) are all "Hindu" names.. Why..? Who made it that way.? They are all beautiful names with meanings that are in no way religious.. What made them "Hindu"..? Faiza(gain), Gul(flower), Shabnam(dew drops).. What made these "Muslim"..? Aftab and Aditya mean the same (the sun).. then why is each one of a different "religion"..? Who made these rules..?

I'm glad my name belongs to no religion.. And i wish all names were chosen not for its religion but for its meaning...