Name

Whatta NAME

In the suburbs of Mindanao, toddlers are commonly called “inday” or “dodong.” Before, I was fondly called by this name. Today, my ears still ring to the sound of it.

When I reached college and transfer to this place, I experienced a slight version of “culture shock”. In the place where I used to live, it is common to hear people conversing via “hard cebuano.” But when I arrived here, OMG! Some of my friends can’t understand some of my lingo. I come to a conclusion that this area has a local tongue of tagalong and cebuano fused.

Months later, thankfully, I learn how to adjust. Years later, I was able to totally adopt the way of living in Mindanao Metropolis.

Time made me a Big sister to my nieces and nephews. Time is really evolving. These children grow up with royal names. I have a bunch of royalty nieces and nephews. They are Princess Lorraine, Princess Angel, Prince Boyen and Prince Louie. May they grow up willing to share the royalty and wealth they have with the underprivileged and may they grow up with rich grey matters and eventually use it with aptness.

It gives me a chuckle to bring into mind an article I recently browsed. It is about funny names which Filipinos disregards. To the mommies-soon-to-be please you can spare your children from those.

To take as examples are the respected names of the Philippine Senator “Joker”, and famous actor “DingDong”.

As I contemplate, I remember some people and even classmates with Surnames like Duhay-Lungsod (Two Mountains). We even jokingly call our High School Teacher “Spotted” as substitute for his surname, “Cabang”.

I have mice before which my sister and I named after Twidle dee and Twidle dum from Alice in Wonderland. Considering that it is too long, all of us end up calling them dee-dee and dum-dum.

Is there really something in a name?

Since my world began up to my high school days, I really taught that I don’t share a common name with other people. Unfortunately, through the internet, I was awaken to the reality I don’t have a rare name. A number of Caucasian people who are mostly older than me have personal sites of their own. Uh-oh…