Manasi Krishnan Iyer.

This was the name given to me by my parents the day I was born. From what i have heard, a lot of thought went into giving me this name. In fact this was one of two names that my parents had narrowed down. Manasi and Janani. But my Manasi was chosen for two reasons; the first being that my mother really liked it, the second being it had a story behind it. A certain power to it.

A few months before I was born, my parents went to visit the Mansa Devi Temple in the holy city of Haridwar in India. The temple is one of the Five Pilgrimage temples and is located atop a mountain. My pregnant mother and my father climbed up to worship the goddess Mansa Devi and decided that this would be what they named their child if it was a daughter.

This story behind my name alone forms a large part of my identity. The goddess symbolises strength and leadership, both qualities that my parents brought me up to have these qualities. Naming children after gods and goddesses is a tradition in India. Many believe that this will result in their children possessing those qualities of the god. My family’s strong belief in Hinduism contributes to my identity as well and has shaped my thinking.

But since I am a global citizen and have moved around the world throughout my life, it is natural that many people pronounce my name wrong. Most often I correct them but sometimes I fail to do so and the incorrect name sticks. I don’t particularly enjoy it when my name is pronounced incorrectly, but I have realised that I probably do the same with foreign names and it is not offensive that some people may be unable to pronounce a certain name.

But when I am around close family, I have nicknames that they tend to call me. Often if people other than family use it I don’t like it as I associate it with family and something that only people who know me well enough can use.

My name is a large contributor to my identity but I would say there are many other things that play a bigger role than my name.