Whats in a name?

According to Shakespeare, nothing. A rose by any other name, would still smell the same. And i guess he is right. If i hadnt had the name i have now, i would still be the person i am. But i am still very grateful that my parents did not pick out the classic biloo/pinky kind of names (not just as nicknames, people's real names are sometimes this silly). My name is free from reproach of silliness (however susceptible i might be to it). But still, the importance of name does go beyond that of just not having a silly name. I remember the play "Importance of Being Ernest" by Oscar Wilde - an extremely funny and interesting play. The way the two females fall in love with the name or perhaps the man the name represents.

Getting back, i have never encountered anybody with the same name as myself. ok ok.. so there is an actress with the same name as me. But i have never met her, have i? I am very proud ( silly i guess.. to be proud.. but i am!) that i have never met anybody of the same name. Its a pleasure to know that there are not many with your name.. of course i could have lived in the bubble of denial that nobody has my name had not that actress decided to have the same name. copy cat!!! to make things clear i was not named after her. I think my name is out of a prayer ( as is most people of my generation, not that it made me one bit religious). My dad got to chose this one. He said he chose it because he liked it. And that is the only answer i ever got if i ventured to ask what my name means and why it was chosen. (My mom always diverted me to him saying he was the one who chose it). Nobody knew what my name meant. which meant that whenever anybody asked what my name meant (like really just because it is my name i am supposed to know everything about it), i had no answer. Trying to find the meaning of name was unsuccessful. For once, the web was completely useless. Most baby names book do not carry my name. guess i should be thankful for that.. it means less people are likely to use the name. But not knowing the meaning didnt matter much. I like the sound of it and it has been my name all my life. There is somthing to be said for that. You grow to love your name. and as i said, its nice to have an unique name.

Though i must say, its not easy when people keep misspelling my name. Ofcourse my relatives have also misspelled, so i can scarcely be shocked when strangers do so. The frequent misspelling has not made me used to it, rather i have become quite stubborn if not obsessed with it. But i am glad that my name has not been mispronounced. (Ofcourse i havent had my name pronounced by foreigners much who would probably destroy it)

If my name was something else, i would still be me.. but i wouldnt be Ranjitha. And i like being that. So Shakespeare be damned!!!

PS: I have recently found out that my name means colourful, happy. i approve!!!
thanx dad, for the name! i also like it.