Baby X - The Predicament

What’s in a name?

Yan was in the last stage of pregnancy, expected to deliver within a couple of weeks and I still didn’t have a clue what’s to name our baby girl (we knew beforehand from scan test result). A father’s duty started even before the baby was born, and finding decent sounding and meaningful name for your kid would be a good warming-up exercise (spoken like a pro with a dozen of kids!).

The criteria were simple; name with good meanings, hasn’t been used already by our (mine and Yan’s) family and close relatives, and lastly, it would give a decent short calling name. The first step was quite simple enough. I bought a book listing Islamic names and their meanings and scouring the internet. I ended up with more than 20 to 30 names that I liked (did this pretty easily). Second step, cancel-out names that have been taken up(did this effortlessly). My only predicament was that there wasn’t any left on the list.

Time to consult the other half. Naturally, Yan had had a few. No go, too fanciful a name ( note: I expected this already, that’s why I dare not ask earlier!Sorry honey! Same goes to kids grandma, I didn’t want to end up with names like Kuntum, Kembang, Kuncup... well you got the idea!). And time sure did fly. Before I knew it, there was this baby girl in my arms. I should have a name, and for that time being, the name was X, baby X. To make it worse, I had to register the baby to the NRD within 2 weeks ( if I’m not mistaken) or pay the fine. Finally, 10 days after we had our baby girl, after a lengthy soul-and-net searching, I found THE name. The one I’ve been searching for, Izzah Maisarah. Izzah means might, power (strength); Maisarah means wealth, richness (prosperity). Looking at our baby face, I knew the name matched her very well. Sarah was the nickname.

Morning 14th June 2002, a proud father of two stepped into the local NRD office, ready to announce to the whole country the new additional Malaysian citizen, the one that would serve the nation well …only to be met with a long queue and forms to fill in.

A Rose by Any Other Name Is Still a Rose?

Yes and no. Yes if you know it is a rose. No, if you don’t have any idea it is a rose in the first place. I’m sure you have encountered the embarrassing awkward moments when the person you addressed as Cik Norizan on the other side of the phone, corrected you and introduced himself as Encik Norizan. Turned out that Norizan was a thorn, not a rose that you have imagined!

I read it in the newspaper years ago in mid eighties, one proud father, very much consumed by the prevailing patriotism spirit, presumably encouraged and fueled by the constant airing of patriotic songs, poems, documentaries; named his son Muhammad Nasionalism Shah (the birthday coincided with the Independence Day). I respect his choice but then.. why oh why? !!Right, since we are in the age of consumerism, would you ever name your kid, Abdul Konsumerisma? After all, we are becoming more and more a slave(abdul) to consumerism! What am I talking.. off to bed then!