I want to talk about namesakes in general and a couple of my own. The word namesake refers to someone who shares the same name as another. Most of us have namesakes—some more than others. Today, I want to share the surprising connections I’ve discovered through my name.
The Meaning of ‘Namesake’
In Tamil Nadu, where I hail from, the word namesake, borrowed from English, has acquired a unique colloquial meaning. The Tamil expression “பேருக்கு/perukku” literally translating to “for (the sake of) name”, is used to mean “in an insincere way.” Perhaps someone misunderstood namesake as carrying this connotation, leading to its local usage.
Patronymic Names in Tamil Nadu
Before diving into the story, it’s worth understanding the tradition of patronymic naming in Tamil Nadu. Here, surnames are typically patronymic, meaning they derive from the father’s given name. This practice likely arose as a way to move away from using caste names as surnames, helping to mitigate the regressive attitudes often associated with them.
My First Name
My first name, Menaka, is neither very common nor entirely rare. Throughout my time in various educational institutions and workplaces, both within and outside Tamil Nadu, I’ve never encountered another Menaka. For a brief period, there was a namesake living on my street, but her initials (or surname) differed.
Similarly, my patronymic surname is also relatively uncommon. My father’s name, Sankaralingam, is one I’ve rarely come across elsewhere. In fact, I’ve never met anyone else with this name, though my late father used to mention that the birth name of the late actor Suruli Rajan was Sankaralingam.
The Surprise of Menaka Cards
Given the rarity of my first name, I was genuinely surprised to discover the Menaka Cards shop in Adyar when we relocated to Chennai’s Thiruvanmiyur. Advertisements for the shop appeared on television, radio and billboards, prominently featuring my name. It was a novel experience for me since my name isn’t as common as Priya, Geetha, or Kavitha.
The Owner of the Business
The ultimate surprise came when I learned about the shop’s owner. The founder, as it turns out, is Sankaralingam, and he named the business after his daughter. The coincidence was striking: not only did the shop share my name, but its owner also shared my father’s relatively uncommon name.
Occasionally, I’ve noticed the name spelt as Shangaralingam, but in Tamil (சங்கரலிங்கம்), it remains the same. Normally, I wouldn’t give a second thought to a cards business or its owner. Yet, this coincidence struck a chord with me, creating an unexpected sense of connection.
The Digital Namesake
During the early days of the internet, I was fortunate to claim an email ID with menakas on a popular provider—something that felt like securing a piece of my digital identity. However, this uniqueness didn’t stop the occasional confusion. Time and again, friends mistakenly sent emails to smenaka with the same provider and then wondered why I hadn’t replied.
Of course, the confusion worked both ways. Occasionally, I’d receive emails intended for smenaka. These misplaced messages were usually mundane, but one day, my curiosity got the better of me. I decided to write to the other Menaka, introducing myself and explaining the mix-up.
To my surprise, she responded warmly. She was a doctor, originally from Sri Lanka but now settled in London. It was fascinating to learn how her life journey is so far from mine, yet our shared name—and a twist of digital fate—had connected us.
It amazes me how the internet bridges gaps and creates unexpected relationships. Our names, once confined to the places we lived and the people we knew, have become global identifiers. While this sometimes leads to humorous mix-ups, it also offers moments of serendipity, like meeting a digital namesake from halfway across the world.
Over the years, my sense of uniqueness around my name has subtly shifted. After discovering the Menaka Cards shop and my digital namesake, I met two more: a Menaka and a Menaga, both of whom lived in the same apartment complex as me, one after another. My name is not very uncommon anymore!
What’s in a Name?
Perhaps names carry more weight than we realize. They’re not just labels but threads that link us across time and space, creating bridges between strangers. It’s remarkable how something as simple as a shared name can foster a sense of connection.
Do you have an interesting story about your namesakes? I’d love to hear it—share your experiences in the comments below!
