(Photo courtesy of Pandu and Dany)
Baby Names
As a girl, I would fantasize quite a lot about marriage, what kind of party i will have, the number of kids I will give birth to, what house I will live in, so on and so forth. Then, baby names come up in my mind. For me, names are a crucial part of a person's life. You know how celebs names are usually different from their real name? I don't want that for my children. If ever my children become celebrities or some really famous important people (WHICH THEY WILL HAVE TO BE AS LONG AS THEY STILL LIVE UNDER MY ROOF, EATING MY FOOD), i would not want them to change names. I want them to proudly bare the name that my husband and I gave them. In my mind, my children’s names have to be really good.
So what should a baby name be like?
1. Different
My children will have names that are never used on a child before, but nothing weird like Anakku Lelakiku, or Banyu Air or something like that. It will have to be an appropriate name, that won't make the child be embarassed at school, but so different that it will evoke thoughts and gain curiosity.
2. Idealistic
In the name, there should be hopes and images of how great the child will be. In this sense, I would love to have Javanese essences for this. I think Javanese have great philosophy and local wisdom. An uncle of mine said that Islam did not land in Java coz the Javanese are already wise and strong enough to the extent of not needing any religion to help and guide the people. Unlike the Arabs who were barbaric back then, and secretly still are until now.
3. Short and Catchy
A name doesn’t need to be as long as railroad tracks to show that the person is great. I believe that if the short names are already unique, then short will do. It has to be catchy and easy to remember, so the child could leave lasting impression on people.
However, the most important of all is not about the name, but about how to work hard and raise the child as hard as you can. Do not ever let yourself be impregnated if you do not have the money. This is the problem with the people in my village here, on the outskirt of Depok near the borders of Jakarta. People give birth as if milk, food, and schooling is the government's treat. They don't realize that their children need a good childhood in order to become a fully functional person in the society. Furthermore, if you then could afford a child, you will have to teach goodness to them. Make them practice it by becoming a model yourself.
In conclusion, having children is a very tough circumstance, yet the reward will be unimaginable.
