?What?s in a name?? some people would ask. The low importance they give to a name sometimes proves justified. In fact, if one stopped calling a rose a rose, it certainly wouldn?t stop being a rose!

The last World Cup final has shown that one may still be a global winner and top of the range goalkeeper while bearing the name ?Buffon?. Similarly, being called Kaka did not prevent that Brazilian player from defending the colours of his country on the German fields.

Some names can be very misleading indeed, for instance, a landmark in the history of European or white domination was when the first cannon ball was fired by Bertold Schwarz in 1313. Well, its interesting to note that Schwarz means black in German. Was his name a bad omen for the many lives, which were to be claimed by conquerors through gunpowder or is it one of those many examples of non linear relationships between names and personality?

In Mauritius, like elsewhere, some people find it hard to claim a slave ascendance in such way that, locally, the name Mozambique is often used in a pejorative manner. Had they realised that Mozambique may be the Latinised name of ex-Muslim chief of the region, Moussa Bin Beik, their outlook may be less demeaning.

Although names are not a seal of guarantee for the bearer, one cannot consider them as trivial. In fact, while some people name their children according to fashionable trends others do it in a more traditional manner. For example, some would name them after saints they venerate while others would place their offspring under the protection of those saints and deities from whom they borrow the names.

Some decades ago, Jean stood out as the most popular name in Christian France whereas Enzo, an Italian name, which has no religious connotation, is now the most attributed name to newborn French boys. Joshua, a biblical name, stands out as the most fashionable name in the United States.

Some people also favour the tradition of naming their offspring after themselves or a beloved member of the family. It is not uncommon to find several generations bearing the same forenames making it easier for research and referencing while the bearers sometimes find it difficult to have a name borrowed from their great grand fathers, which they do not necessarily consider ?fashionable?.

Although names do not necessarily uphold their meanings, people who give them to their children wish they are bestowed with the qualities they represent. For example, if one would like one?s daughter to be sweet like honey, one would surely call her Madhu, while naming one?s son Akash (sky) is a wish for the latter to uphold the beauty of the dome of the world.

Even big businesses grant great importance to names. Maruti, for example, means offspring of the Hindu wind god Marut. How can something which is derived from the Gods in its very name be questionable? Similarly Mazda derives its name from the Persian light god Ahura Mazda while Indonesian airlines Garuda wears the name of mythical bird Garuda, the flight carrier of lord Vishnu!

Some celebrities call their offspring after places they like, such as Brooklyn, Paris and the like. If we do the maximum to make their stay memorable on our island, who knows, one of theirs might be called after Port-Louis, Goodlands or Vacoas someday!

?Giving a name? as Carlyle would say, ?is a poetic art: all poetry is but a giving of names.? That is why, in spite of all that can be said, I give much importance to names.

Alain JEANNOT