I understand how people can forget each other's names and have to ask third parties in hushed tones to remind them (heck, Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada made it an art.)
I understand how people can sort of remember names, but still kind of get them wrong - Vidit becomes Vipul, Anita becomes Anupama - nearly there, but not quite.
What I do not understand is why people take it into their head to call me whatever Christian name strikes their fancy. I've been called Anthony, George, Joseph, and all sorts of things bearing little or no resemblance to my actual name. And these misplaced appellations are delivered with the air of someone who is accustomed to using them, instead of the sheepish, uncertain tone with which one delivers a "Vi...pul?" or even the absentmindedness that might characterise something like "As I was saying to Anupama the other day..."
No, no. I get a confident, almost stentorian "George, what were we supposed to look at in this document?" or a firm, self-assured "I think Anthony is right - it would be a problem to enforce such a restriction." (The former is an actual quote from an intern at work yesterday; the latter was uttered by a professor in the middle of class. Both of these people are not in the least unfamiliar with my name.)
Are these people even trying?
18 comments:
ok then, george, what is your name?
Was it not made sufficiently obvious?
Tchah.
thomas george. thomas john. both have the same ring to it.
similar ring to anthony thomas john. so stapling names on now.
john, joseph. both start with a J.
now, if you were called wallace or graham or john, that'd be worrying.
I have been called John.
And no, that doesn't help.
LOL. I love this post. And have no explanation for your problem.
I really think they just think "Christian" and come up with whatever they can think of.
They'll be calling me Clarence next at this rate.
Hahahahahahaha
Oh Thomas. I know what you mean, my name has been bastardised beyond belief in the Middle East. Apparently there is no 'P' in Arabic, so my name automatically becomes Briya.
And of course I have been called Pirya, Priyanka, Peerya, Praiya, Birya...
Not of course, as generalised as yours. Amar, Akbar Anthony, anyone?
My, that's some innovative fucking up of a fairly simple name.
But at least yours are attempts (albeit terrible ones) at your name. Being called Anthony just makes you feel like people aren't even trying.
My name is Anthony. Snake Anthony.
Oh, very funny.
i thought you were looking very joel today.
and slightly aloysius with your kurta buttons open last night..
A light green T-shirt and tan pants makes me a Joel?
Interesting.
I feel your pain, young thos. My name is Anoopa. Besides being called a variety of names starting with 'a', including Aparna, Apoorva, Apoona (which is not a name, really) and Annapurna, Airtel has assumed that I am a man and stuck with this assumption for 3 years now.
Mr. Anoopa Anand
I may never get lucky.
Ouch.
Now you have me thinking of that episode of Friends in which they mention that Chandler's magazines are always addressed to "Miss Chnandler Bong".
this problem is not unique, this genericide happens to christian surnames as well. In North India (where North Indians, a not particularly bright bunch, live) if you're christian then you're assumed to be one of either a dacosta, d'souza, d'mello or gonzalves. Protestations of a lack of Portuguese origin (or connection) are completely wasted.
And anoopa...hellos...what are you doing here my frund?
Small world, isn't it? :)
They're all Mallu names so people figure that one in half a dozen will definitely work. :P
I feel your pain though...
I wish these were people who knew enough to even think that much.
*sigh*
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