Monday, March 16, 2009

Moniker

How many names can u have on ur passport? On the re-issue form they have a space for Surname, and the next space for other names. Now i have a good number of names that have never been used, in addition to the names that i use. (What?!! Multiple names? I have a cousin who goes by four different names. Her mom calls her one name, her dad another, her grandparents call her another and she has an official name she answers in school. Whenever i'm talking to our (school) friends, i'm always tripping over her names cos i say one name and they give me a blank confused look)

I am the possessor of an Edo name (dad), Ibo name (Moms), English name (Moms), Arabic name (dad), and Baptismal name (i picked). Of all the names i absolutely hate the Baptismal name that I PICKED!!! Forgive me, i was 9yrs old. My sister and i were given 2 choices, both were names of our cousins. Thus i was baptized as Ruth and she as Celestina..................... LOL. I bet she has buried that name in the innermost abyss of her mind. I loved my cousin Ruth, so i picked her name. I hate it now.

These days i automatically go by Ibo name, and that all started when i got tired of saying my Edo name 10 times. It's really not THAT hard, but these people can never get it right. Well, i don't even say it the way my parents say it, so i guess i shouldn't complain (too much). The only names i haven't even gone by are Ruth and my Arabic name. A couple of my sisters go by their Arabic names but none of us have an Arabic name as a first name.

Wondering about the Arabic name? My grandfather was an imam. What do u think about that?!

First time i stepped in a church was when i was 7 for a cousin wedding -- my first and only gig as a flower girl. Next time i went to church with a house help was when i 8, and i got into deep shit. I remember thinking "what's the fuss about?" We went for evening service. My mom and us kids started going to church regularly when i was about 10, amidst A LOT of drama and threats of divorce. I still remember thinking "What's the fuss about, people!!!" What i remember most from being a Muslim, honestly....... celebrating Sallah!!! All that food. We were never really practicing muslim cos my dad who was the owner of the religion wasn't around to begin with. He's a full pledged atheist now, but that's another story, or not!

Back to the name issue..... officially on my birth certificate i don't have a middle name written down. However, on all my official documents, i have my English name (Which is a three letter name, who can guess what it is) as my middle name. I had the choice to put that whatever name i wanted since people don't generally have 2 middle names on documents. I don't really like my Arabic name cos it reminds me of a certain animal.

My immediate younger sister is named after the 2nd holiest city in Islam (google it). If i that was my name, i probably would have put it as my middle name. I went with my English name even though i never really liked it, i felt it went with my first and last name since it's only three letters and it fit nicely in between. Le sigh! That name is on ALL my documents now. The crazy people at my honor society even had the audacity to make my first name an initial and call me that middle name (eg B. Hussein Obama) I had to go correct them before the ceremony, unfortunately that's how they engraved it on my plaque.

So the question still is (after all this long story) how many names can i have on my passport?

Since we are on the topic of names, i'm seriously considering renaming Lenie....... i hate that name. Yes, i picked it so i shouldn't be complaining, but i think i must have been high that might. My thought process was Genie --- Lenie! I know it makes no sense now but it did then. I'm not asking for suggestions. You guys were very helpful the last time.

22 comments:

  1. ok, i really get miffed by people that go by 10 names. as in, u go to their houses and ask for Ronke, and they tell u that she goes by Elizabeth, but in church she's Mary....too much drama!

    i have lots of names, but i only use 2. my baptismal name i picked myself...dont really use it.

    Ur name? I'd say Joy.

    and pls dont rename Lenie!

    ReplyDelete
  2. LOL.......... i can't believe u bumight. No comment on the middle name. I was wondering if it was baptismal or baptism... i'm off to change it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. lol..wow..that was a lot to digest..

    i have no idea mehn, i have just 2 names on my passport..my 1st name n my surname!

    i actually like the name, ruth....celestina..looooooool!

    im with bumight, please dont rename lenie..its such a cute name!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sorry Burrercup, it was an unintentional long post.

    Hyber hugs my sweet. Hope u are ok?

    ReplyDelete
  5. you be edo girl?

    hmm, so u shld understand my predicament, i have 7 of those ones with vw and n together, had to go change it, I answer to the english name now

    Leave lenie's name, its cute

    ReplyDelete
  6. Even i had a hard time pronouncing Edonames,so ican'tsay i blame the oyibo ppl 4 not getting it right.

    As 4 ur sisters baptismal name...HILARIOUS!

    Please sharply make up your mind on which two names you want to use and in what order, b4 u start to have identity crises.

    ReplyDelete
  7. awww Medina is such a beautiful name.... ok, Ruth "abokoku" (can a yoruba person translate for her)....
    On my passport, i have my first name and a middle name which i hate with all my heart. my mum said i was a troublesome pregnancy... i dont believe her tho.....


    and dont rename lenie

    ReplyDelete
  8. I just saw a post with Lenies before and after pictures, what happened to it?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Does Lenie rhyme with genie? If so, I've been mispronouncing it all along!

    I have no idea how many names fit on a passport. I have 2 middle names so what I do when filling out forms is I see if I have enough space to put all three names (there's always enough room for the surname) and if I don't then I just put my full first name and the first of my middle names.

    I think the key is consistency: as long as you always put the same names, in the same order, you should be fine.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ladi is my hausa name which means "a girl born on sunday" but I was born on tuesday oh! I was named after my late Grandma.

    I've been called my English name all my life, even in the village now the name sounds Hausa oh!, and my surname is not even Nigerian (its a popular Kenyan lastname) so I meet Kenyans trying to feel familiar. It was my Grandpa's first name.

    So if I don't tell you myself, you'll think I'm yoruba or something random.....

    ReplyDelete
  11. lol @ edo names...i think your middle name is Ann?? Eva?? Meg??...Thats all i could think about..
    First time here!! Will be back

    Later Luv!!
    F.

    ReplyDelete
  12. There was a huge naming ceremony for my younger brother when he was born. The poor boy ended up with 10 names from all over the country. He shelved all but two of those names. His middle name is my Dad's middle name also. It must have been a tough life if he had kept all those names.

    ReplyDelete
  13. There was a huge naming ceremony for my younger brother when he was born. The poor boy ended up with 10 names from all over the country. He shelved all but two of those names. His middle name is my Dad's middle name also. It must have been a tough life if he had kept all those names.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I am very surprised! I love my muslim name. Its Fab and several people call me that actually. When people hear they go WHAT? You are a muslim? It gives me the sweetest pleasure to say yes as most people can't believe it.

    The fuss about going to church continually exasperates me. I have cousins who are deacons or choir members and we all roll together.

    LOL @ Funms comment. Is your middle name Ann? I am naming my daughter Medina. I so love the way it sounds.

    ReplyDelete
  15. lolll@celestina' i nor envy ur sista at all :-)
    so ur english name is a 3 letter word shebi' i m guessing its JOY

    ReplyDelete
  16. i think you can fill in as many names as you want, as long as it doesnt exceed the space given.

    people dont usually believe me when I say i have only 2 names.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Ah me i dont know o, i think you can only have two names on your passport...at least i have only two on mine!

    ReplyDelete
  18. i think ruth is a nice name, ur dad is an iman hmmm intersting.. 3 letters; its either joy or ann

    ReplyDelete
  19. I know who you are and I WILL GET YOU! MAKE NO MISTAKE!

    In case you decide to do anything stupid, my police pals are already on to you, BITCH. Catch you if I can indeed.

    Now who is following a blind trail of artificial intelligence, wussy essy (there is a clue in there somewhere, hehehehe) Do not EVER underestimate me EVER!

    ReplyDelete

Hey guys, welcome to my blog. Sit back, relax, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!

  © Blogger template Writer's Blog by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP