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After all, what is in a (Mallu) name?

Mallu names can get super-hilarious! …like the name I just found on the name plate outside one of the cubicles in office – Jiljin Kuzhiyil! For all you non-mallus out there, lemme explain: “Kuzhi” means ‘a pit’ and “kuzhiyil” means ‘in the pit’! So, when put together, it reads “Jiljin in the pit”! Sorry folks… when it comes to some mallu names, my ability to understand the gender of the person is very poor. In this case, I assume this is a guy, so lemme address Jiljin as “he”. Poor thing; he is carrying his name as a funny tag all through his life – for people like me to write blog posts and for others to have a really good laugh! 

Jiljin is just one of the 1000s of victims – of the creativity of people from God’s Own Country! One of my colleagues Saju Mathilmel is yet another example. ‘Mathil’ is fence and ‘Mathilmel’ is ‘on the fence’. And I wonder; will it not lead to logically incorrect situations, like… even if Saju is in the loo, he remains on the fence (going by his name)!!!

Like I mentioned in my first post on my mallu friends having funny names, one of the most common trends observed among Malayali parents is that they take a few alphabets from their names and create an out-of-the-box name for the child. Think of the kid whose mother’s and father’s names were Pinky and Geo. If anybody shouts, “You Pig…!!”, the poor kid, throughout his life, will have to turn and ask: “Yes… did you call me?! To make it sound more fancy, the ultra-inventive parents might add a ‘mon’ or ‘kutty’ as a suffix. So that makes him, Pig Kutty!!

After all, what is in a name, right? Especially in a mallu name!!!

20 comments:

g2 said...

I thought Telugu names get funny sometimes but clearly, we don't stand a chance!

I know two sisters named "anuraagam" and "athmeeyam".. apparently their dad was staunchly atheist and did not want to name his daughters after any of the mythological characters...

The joke is that the next kid will be named "anumaanam"

Harish P I said...

Lol.. my fav is Father Koottathilchavutti..

Prathima said...

Hilarious! I wonder how difficult it is for them to pronounce it to non -mallus or for that matter non Indians:)poor guys:(

Vishnu Somasekhar said...

Huh! You really think Mallu names are that hard to read or pronounce or funny enough to laugh at? Look around yourself and you would be able to see many a number of people who are not mallus having names that are funnier than mallu names. And please go through this post which is titled "I am a Malayali".

And how many people to whom you get acquainted asks you to explain the meaning of your name? Also, this guy, whose name is made fun of, has his house name appended to his name. Thats a common practice here.

Rohan said...

Mine is Kurisinkal!! Its far better than 'Thengummootil' rt???
Awesome post!! We should be proud these!!!

Abhilash said...

Shalini... I think ithu koodipoyi... anyways you can write anything you feel in your blog...

I hope these names that appear funny to us don't read this blog.

My colleague's name was Biga... a malayalee

They are three children to their parents...

1. Abga
2. Biga
3. Ciga

Any comments?

Hey! forget to ask... what happened to the American Desi... your husband... sorry "future husband"

Pink Mango Tree said...

@ g2 - these are like some art movie names to me! :P

@ harish - That is a killer name for sure! I just cannot stop laughing!

@ Prathima - I don;t think it is even worth the effort trying to explain!

@ Vishnu Somasekhar - no offenses to anybody; yes... there could be people with funnier names from other states!
Thanks for the link; that is a good one!

@ Rohan - 'KURUSHINGAL' sounds like that of Mohanlal's or Sureshgopi's tharavadu in a stunt movie! ;)

@ Abhilash - wow! creative parents I should say!
Abt the American Dude - do u think i will dare to meet him one more time?! Well, i got married later... obviously to a different guy! :)

Deepak said...

I have a friend who's last name is Unniparambath. He calls himself "Littlefield"

Also, there was this guy whose last name was Chalikkulam!!!

Anita Jeyan said...

Lol...I always had my moments with such names...! But being a Mallu myself and fortunately no such funny second name, I manage not to laugh...but the post made me giggle :D Mathilmel is an awesome name Lol!

Shiva said...

"will it not lead to logically incorrect situations, like… even if Saju is in the loo, he remains on the fence (going by his name)!!!"....it would with your pen and keyboard doing the aiding :D

Pink Mango Tree said...

@ Deepak - 'chalikkulam'... that s innovative! :)

@ Anita - thank you! :) :)

@ Shiva - Dankyu! :)

Deepthi said...

ha ha ha... excellent!!!! i knw a person whose name is pandarapparambil kuryakkose...

Pink Mango Tree said...

deeps - that s way too hilarious! :)

Tan said...

:DDDDDDDDDD

Haddock said...

And there was this mother who was Shiny and father was Tomy, and adding up Shi+To they named their child Shito
Probably Toshi also originated the same way.

Blunt Edges said...

LOL!! Even I have a few friends with rather funny names, especially the combo of the parents' names. Great read! :D

Sh@s said...

Good one. Most of the times it is difficult to pronounce their names.

Pink Mango Tree said...

@ Tan - :) :) :)

@ Haddock - hahah... could be. and lets not under estimate mals. it could actually happen! :P :P

@ blunt edges - Thank you, tons! :)

@ Sh@s - yes, absolutely... especially to a non-mallu!

sPs said...

As i said in my last comment I have been waiting for a bad post from you to 'criticize!'... ;)
this one is not that funny!! ..making fun of our elders, our ancestors is not sound good or appreciable..

rgds
Shiju P S
(Shiju 'Palliparambil!' Salam!!) ;)

NB: well written! :))

Anonymous said...

LOL he he he he....
cant stop laughing at how eccentric,silly,insane,lunatic or whtever,ppl can bcom...lol
Keep rocking loved ur post....its seems lyk i have to read all ur posts !!

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