What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

I have a peculiar name.
Actually, I should rephrase that to ‘I have a peculiarly spelled name’.
My parents, in the enthusiasm of naming their firstborn, decided on the name ‘Mediha’ as in Arabic, it means ‘Praiseworthy’. They decided on the spelling of ‘MEdiha’ instead of the customary ‘MAdiha’ because... I don’t know actually. I think I asked them this question but received an unsatisfactory answer. Or maybe I haven’t asked them. I’ll get back to you on that.

My name being unique has its benefits. People often remember things that are odd. There are people who have only met me once and after a few months of not meeting, they glance at me and immediately remember my name. Maybe they use that memory-aid of association...Ah...it’s the weird woman with the weird name...Mediha! That’s it.

If you want to win friends, make it a point to remember them. If you remember my name, you pay me a subtle compliment; you indicate that I have made an impression on you. Remember my name and you add to my feeling of importance.
Dale Carnegie

The spelling of my name have sometimes led to confusion and mix-ups. The teachers at school would always ask me to repeat the spelling of my name loud and clear at the start of every term. An ustaz at the university insisted that my name is spelled ‘Madihah’ despite me correcting him over and over again. Hello, it’s MY name, not yours, Ya Ustaz.
When I was practicing, I always had problems with Registrars and Judges who needed to record my name down. So much so that I would have a standard introduction “Would it please the court, my name is Mediha Mahmood, M.E.D.I.H.A M.A.H.M.O.O.D, counsel for the Plaintiff”

I like my name.
I do. It is the source of many anecdotes.

Like the time this High Court Judge interrupted proceedings after I introduced myself by bellowing “Young lady, do you know that your name is redundant?”

Of course, being a young lawyer and still in awe of High Court Judges, I gazed at his Lordship, all wide-eyed and gulped “I’m sorry, Yang Arif?”
This huge robed being then peered down at me and bellowed “Your name. Mediha means praiseworthy. Mahmood means praiseworthy. It’s redundant!”
Completely flabbergasted (I was there to uphold justice for my client… I was not expecting having to justify my name!), I looked up at him... and was absolutely at loss for words. Which is a rare thing for me!
The creature then smiled benignly at me, leaned back and said “It’s a good name. Now carry on, let me see you live up to it.”

People that are really weird can get into sensitive positions and have a tremendous impact on history.
Dan Quayle (1947 - )

And then there was that idiot time-keeper during a debate session in Wellington, New Zealand. She needed to fill-up a form with the name of the debaters and she and I ended up having the most ludicrous conversation ever.

“Name please”
“Mediha Mahmood, third speaker. Spelled M.E.D.I.H.A M.A.H.M.O.O.D.”
“How do I spell that?”
“M.E.D.I.H.A M.A.H.M.O.O.D”
-pause-
...ok...uhm.. M.A.-”
“Sorry, no. It’s M.E.d.i.h.a”
“What? (((blank look))) I need the spelling of your name.”
“Yes, it’s M.E.D.I.H.A M.A.H.M.O.O.D”
“Okay...M.D.I”
“No, M.E.D.I.H.A”
“...M.A.E.D”
“No no...come, why don’t I just write it down for you”
“NO. Sorry, but debaters aren’t allowed to fill out this form on their own. Just give me the spelling of your name.”
(Have I not been doing that for the past few minutes???)
“It’s M.E.D.I.H.A M.A.H.M.O.O.D”
“Right. So, M.A.D.I.H.A”
“It’s M.E. ME. ME-diha”
“Yeah, and me-Claudia” (((roll eyes at the Neanderthal’ness of this silly Malaysian girl”
“You know what. Just go ahead and spell my name whatever the heck you want it to be.” (((getting very pissed-off at this silly Wellington girl)))
“O.kay...M.A.H.I.D.A M.A.M.U.D...There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

*sigh*

Therefore, for my darling firstborn, we have to be very particular in naming him/her.

I have decided to name him or her with a name that has a good meaning, is universally familiar and easily spelled.

Yes, I get to name the child because:
a) The child will already have a ‘Wan’ in front of his name, in lieu of his daddy being a Kelantanese
b) The child will already have Wan’s full name behind his own name

Therefore, the Mommy gets the honor of naming the tot.

If the baby’s a boy, his name will be Mikhail.
As in ArchAngel Mikhail.
If the baby’s a girl, her name will be Marissa.
As in ‘precious gem’.

I pray that Mikhail or Marissa will face minimal problems with their names and not have to indulge in banal conversations with eccentric judges or overly-intelligent time-keepers.

Of course, I know that I can’t completely eradicate name-related-problems with my firstborn. I already have the baby’s uncles and aunties dubbing the names I picked as ‘Mickey & Mimi’.

A name is the first gift parents give to a baby.
All I hope is that Mikhail or Marissa will be pleased with the name we have bestowed on him or her.

Have regard for your name, since it will remain for you longer than a great store of gold.
Ecclesiasticus, Aprocrypha (Ec. 41:12)