What in heaven's name?

Can an unusual name shape your destiny? We asked Grafila, Romanch, Juwair and many more

- Anushree Chatterjee

Raise your hand if you know (or are!) an Aryaveer,Ahana, Samaira, Qutdsiya, Hridhaan, Dhairyav or Akaay. And don’t hate your parents. They grew up with Rahuls, Rohits, Nehas, Aditis, Salmans and Kirans. All they wanted was a name that would make their kid stand out. How were they to know that every other parent wanted the same thing?

Parents globally have been picking unusual names, hoping it offers their child an edge. Japanese parents have named their children Akuma (Devil) andHaato (Heart) since the 1990s. In December 2023, the Japanese set down new stipulations in the Family Register Law that restricts parents from giving their kids kira-kira (shiny, flashy) names. The decree, which goes into effect in two years, requires all first names to be pronounced the way they are read – no wordplay, no outlandish puns.

Russia passed a bill in 2017, prohibiting parents from registering baby names that included numerals, symbols, obscene words, titles or abbreviations. It’s a response to babies being named Air Traffic Controller, Lexus, and Lettuce.

India has no laws when it comes to naming children. It means that our unconventional names are as diverse as our common ones. See how some Indians have given theirs the live, laugh, love treatment.