What's in a Name?

Names! Names! Names! Names are so important and it is incredible how careless some parents could be in naming their children. The importance and interpretation of names were especially very crucial during biblical times from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

In my village in Penang where I was born and raised, it was interesting to note the names given to the children. These names would often make me think of the book, Animal Farm. The girls were called "Ah Zhuah" (snake), "Ah Phang" (Bee), "Ah Thor " (rabbit) "Ah Niau (cat) etc. while the boys could be called, "Ah Too" (pig), "Ah Kow" (dog) "Ah Gau" (monkey), "Ah Beh" (horse)., etc.

Of course, poor me was not spared either. I grew up, conscious that my name, " Choo Choo" often stirred up a lot of teasing and laughter from my classmates, especially during Malay lesons. For the sound alike word for grandchild is "chuchu". I remember once asking papa why he called me this "cute" name and he explained that I was his blessed mistake, his youngest daughter who was born six years after the supposedly last child, my sister. This explains the huge 16 year age gap between my eldest brother and me. Many of the Malay folks who dropped by our home would often be surprised to see the new addition, and would ask grandma, "Chuchu awak" (Your grandchild?) Hence since my two older sisters are called "Lee Lee" and "Ean Ean" papa called me "Choo Choo". Many of my friends would write my name as Choo to the power of 2 - Choo2. Hence you could understand why I turned down a suitor with the surname of Choo. I did not wish to end up as Mrs. Choo Choo Choo! Choo3!

There was a lady food vendor who was married to a civil servant. The husband was somewhat westernised, making his illiterate wife appear like a gross mismatch. Her youngest daughter was looked after by my neighbour, and one day, I heard her cry out in desperation, "Aiyoh, this husband of mine ah....Chinese don't want to give Chinese name, must call all the daughters what lah Jessy...... Patsy..... Lucy....Wahsy ...... boh ho see! She even rhymed the names with boh ho see, meaning not easy to die!

I was often at the mercy of new teachers who found my name so easy to remember. Hence during the first few weeks of term, I would be extrra vigilant, for my teachers would surely call upon me to answer questions in class!

Of course, with the advent of TV and videos, the song "Choo Choo Train" bcame widely heard. Hence when I went to Canada, I decided to adopt the more sophisticated name of "Lena" but the moment the Canadians knew my Chinese name, they gleefully called me "Choo Choo". "Suits you better dear ..... so cute, and you are like a train .... constantly on the move"!

During my four years in Alberta, I would go downhill skiing without fail. During these four years, not once was my name ever spelt correctly on my ski passes. The names came out as "Chor Chor Kam, Choa Choa Kam, Chom Chom Kam, Chow Chow Kam". The Canadians found it to too coincidental that papa could really give me a name that reminds them of a train.

Welcome on board the train, anyone?

Gan Chau