What is a name?

Noval…?Ical…?Vinal…?…Misal…?

I’ve been called all sorts of name. It’s hard having an unpronounceable name, especially if you’re in the media. Your source can’t remember you, even though you have called about a million time. You have keep repeating and reminding who you are, where your from and of course what your name is.

So is my reporter friends in the early days when I start to pop up at the court or the anti-graft commission. I think some of them still forget my name. They know the face, they know what paper I’m working for, but they don’t know my name. But hey, I don’t care.

Not to mention the many versions of pronunciation. No one is exactly sure how to pronounce it. I have watched and noticed that it takes at least seven tries for people to say my name properly or at least the popular one. I’m not even entirely sure how to pronounce it. I don’t care basically. Me old boss even resort to just simply “hey you”.

Having a wierd name…it’s hard to command respect. It’s cute when you’re a kid…have you ever heard of a politician or a president or a tycoon named Nivell before?

But that has been sort of a challenge for me. Proving I’m not as silly as my name.

I guess it’s the Padangnese obsession of having a unique name that landed me into this mess. They got all sorts of wierd name. Take a normal name, Harry and turned it into Harrismar….or Harvey into Harfizon.

I know many relatives that also encounter this problem. Cousin Yanuar, told his friends that his name is Johnny. Cousin Yulismar, is known to his peers as Martin. Cousin Labiah told his friends to call him Jeffrey.

Not me though, I just stick with the name my father gave me.

My mother however, gave my kid brother and sister “normal” names. Indra Mayora Rayda and Edwina Ratna Amella Rayda. Wished she had stepped in and intervened with daddy’s decision.

Indonesians like to say that your name reflects your parent’s wishes and hopes, it is almost a prayer. I’m only guessing what they actually wished me to be.

Shakespeare says ‘what is a name’. I guess he have no idea heh?