What's in a name?

really. What is the deal about a name?

What is a name? but a noun?
And what do nouns do? They simply enable more effective communication... and how is that?
imagine talking on the phone with a pal.. and you wan to tell her/him about something that you saw... but there isnt a name for that... you had to describe it thoroughly before she/he maybe able to guess it. imagine, instead of something, a someone... you had to again, describe the person... of cos, this is a simplistic, overly generalised example... but still.. im sure you get it.

but can i convince you that nouns (at least- names) arent as important as you think they are? READ "as important as you think they are" not "are not important". Nouns are a building block of communication - verbal and written... so they are exceedingly important. but only as important as any other building block of communication - verbs, tense etc etc.

but moving away from this standpoint... just how important are names? names of people- meaning Muthu, Ravi, Ahmad, Siti, John, Li Li, Tan Ah Kao etc etc.? i mean, changing names are quite common nowadays... and some have multiple names (English names, Chinese names, Surname, Baptisted names, nick-names, pet-names, even fake names and online names etc etc etc.) if you see the person... even if you dont recall the name... you will still know, who he/she is, how he/she is etc rite? So... in this instance i.e. understanding what the person is like (characteristic, personalities)- names are not important/ useful.

Now, in the same instance... the naming of brands are not as important, because it is the marketing effort that goes into making the name what plays a part... the brand look & feel & sound is like the name... and the marketing effort builds the person.
So, Apple (Mac, ipod etc) could very well be called... erm... Mango... but if marketing/ history/ inventions etc remain the same... the world would be crazy about Mango for all the things we are crazy about Apple.

So, i explained one of my fav parts in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, 1594:

JULIET:
'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.


And lastly, i drop a point on Religion...
How important are the names Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism?
How important are the names of God, buddha, Allah, gods?
If i drop the names... and describe them in basic terms... what will i find?

It is not about the name... it is about the person.