This story goes back a while. My family has been following a naming template for two generations now. Uncles, cousins, siblings, all follow (or are made to follow) the naming convention in the name of upholding family honour. As a result, we are called Mahendra, Upendra, Amarendra, Samarendra, and Vijayendra (me) respectively and in that order.
I was never comfortable with this arrangement. My mother tells me that at the time of my naming someone suggested Kumarendra and everyone almost went with it. Had a wise elder cousin not come up with my present name, I would be just another Mr. Kumar today.
Some time in my early teens, I decided to name myself. I wanted to call myself something that marked me as unique and not as a part of the Nepal royal family.
So, I did what young Tom Riddle did. I took my given name, and made my new name with it. I called myself Vimoh. It is sort of an acronym of my first and last name. In addition, it is Sanskrit for 'enrapture'. You may have heard of mythological sages and hermits getting all vimohit due to heavenly apsaras giving them private performances. The name stayed with me through my school life and college. It was one of my first email usernames. On many web services even today (like on stumbleupon), it remains the way I identify myself as.
Ironically, Vimoh may also mean 'free of attachments'. Sanskrit is a funny ancient language I know. I choose to go with the first version.
I have nothing against my mortal family and the given name. Just that I think one's name should be one's own.
I was never comfortable with this arrangement. My mother tells me that at the time of my naming someone suggested Kumarendra and everyone almost went with it. Had a wise elder cousin not come up with my present name, I would be just another Mr. Kumar today.
Some time in my early teens, I decided to name myself. I wanted to call myself something that marked me as unique and not as a part of the Nepal royal family.
So, I did what young Tom Riddle did. I took my given name, and made my new name with it. I called myself Vimoh. It is sort of an acronym of my first and last name. In addition, it is Sanskrit for 'enrapture'. You may have heard of mythological sages and hermits getting all vimohit due to heavenly apsaras giving them private performances. The name stayed with me through my school life and college. It was one of my first email usernames. On many web services even today (like on stumbleupon), it remains the way I identify myself as.
Ironically, Vimoh may also mean 'free of attachments'. Sanskrit is a funny ancient language I know. I choose to go with the first version.
I have nothing against my mortal family and the given name. Just that I think one's name should be one's own.
