"In America, can people name their children whatever they'd like?"
This was the question asked to me by my Hungarian colleague. I didn't think I understood the question. Why couldn't you name your child whatever you want?
Then, she explained. In Hungary, there is a book that consists of all possible first names. When your son or daughter is born, you have to use one of these pre-approved labels for them. If you want to use something else, you must write a letter to a board that will make the decision.
I was dumbfounded.
It's not that this is a horrible idea, it's just that I'd never heard of it before - anywhere. The justification is that a child with a strange name could be picked on, and I think that's quite reasonable. Someone named We Need More Toilet Paper Smith would probably have a difficult time in life.
On the other hand, do names really need to be regulated? Being called something unique can make a boring person seem exciting and mysterious. I'd like to give a better name to every Mike I meet.
This is definitely one of those cultural differences that I can experience as an American living in another country. In the United States, people have all kinds of names because they come from all over the world. It would be impossible to judge what are appropriate, traditional names, and who just came up with the idea while watching television.
In Hungary, however, most people are Hungarians and their ancestors have lived here throughout all of recorded history. Names are so important to them that they have "Name Days". Each day of the year has a name (or names) assigned to it, and those people are treated special. If your name was Telephone Number, you'd be left out.
I would like to work for the group that makes the decision about the different names. Those people probably have some really funny stories to tell when they get home from work. How can I get that job?
In Germany, names must be biblical
ReplyDeleteAlso in Hungary. It is because of our christian roots. But, to tell you the truth, there was a big revolution when the Dallas story came to Hungary. Then we had a lot of Pamelas, Jockys, Samanthas. Nowadays these names are given only to gipsy children. However I know a person called Kovács Mozdony (Locomotive Smith) and his brother had a similar peculiar name. I dont know how could their parents convince the authorities....
ReplyDeleteNat (ive)
Just another short remark:
ReplyDeleteYou wrote:
most people are Hungarians and their ancestors have lived here throughout all of recorded history
that is not exact.
You cant find a fullblooded hungarian here. We were mixed with turkish people (they were stationed here for 150 yrs, we have a lot of turkish origin words, than we were mixed with germans,(we also have a lot of german words) etc. From time to time we were overran by different nations and we always took the opportunity to mix with them..)As you know the last nation were the russians, fortunately we didn't mix them....
Thanks for all the information! Like I said, I had no idea that names had to follow certain guidelines anywhere in the world. At least Hungary and Germany have these rules, does anywhere else?
ReplyDeleteI would like to find out the list of names so I can start looking for others with unique ones. Locomotive is a pretty cool name, but it is quite strange!
I'm not at all surprised that Turkish and German things have mixed into Hungary (glad to hear Russia wasn't as lucky). This is something else that I will have to start looking for. These are the sorts of things that I'm really interested in and would like to learn more about. Unfortunately, it's not easy, so please keep telling me information like this!
Alex
These are the sorts of things that I'm really interested in and would like to learn more about. Unfortunately, it's not easy, so please keep telling me information like this!
ReplyDeletewith pleasure, but what are you interested in exactly? (however history wasn't my favorite lessons-but I'll try to do my best...)
Nat
Anonymus (above) is peculiar; seems to have some kind of agenda.
ReplyDeleteYour description is apt, and correct.
Being Hungarian (magyar) is not a bloodline defined identity. It's far much more complex. It's what you feel and declare yourself to be; it's very much CULTURAL.
Take a foreign example of Sarkozy, the French President. He is only quarter French by parentage/bloodline. (He's Half Hungarian, quarter Greek Shepardim Jew, quarter actual French). However he considers himself, and identifies with, the French, and accepted as such, by the French themselves as well.
To Nat,
ReplyDeleteI think the best way to describe my interest is the "culture" as opposed to the "history". History is important, factual, and doesn't change.
I'm intersted in the culture because it's something that I can only learn from a Hungarian, like yourself, not out of a book. So I would really appreciate if you could keep leaving comments like this to give me perspective on the things I haven't noticed (or can't notice). I enjoy being corrected, and I like it when you point out something I've overlooked!
To Anonymous (number 2),
Thank you for your comment! I'm constantly struggling to understand the Magyar culture and identity, so I really like to hear all opinions about it.
I find it very interesting that you each have a different point of view about the Hungarian background. I hope you will keep reading and commenting on my observations, because I'm curious to see if you agree or disagree with them. Your example was great, because I had no idea that Sarkozy was half Hungarian (although, I now realize his name does fit!).
Thanks to both of you!
Alex
I have to second the name police, as my parents had a difficult time getting my name approved back in '76. This seemed very strange to me too, especially since my name isn't that strange, it's Gyöngyvirág which means the flower lily of the valley. The reason behind declining my name was that no one asked to name their child this name yet, and I wouldn't have a name day. My parents were defiant and wouldn't chose a name for me if I couldn't have that name, so it got approved. :)
ReplyDeleteLilly
That's really cool! So what happens in a scenario like this, is a name day created for your name?
ReplyDeleteAlex
No there wasn't a particular day created for my name, but I do remember asking my mom as a young child which day was my name day is on since I couldn't find my name anywhere in the calendar. She said it's on April 24th, which is St. George's day (Szent György napja). How she came up with it, I still don't know.
ReplyDeleteI'm a native Hungarian and was born and raised there but name days never really had much importance to me. Perhaps beacuse April 24th, my designated name day (which of course nobody else outside of my family knew) was only 4 days after my birthday. Can't blame the family for not wanting to observe another day about me 4 days after doing it. Still, I have to admit, it's still not as "bad" as some of my South-American ESL students (from the states) told me, that they were named after the name day on the very day they were born.
I think the other reason why I'm not so much into name days, is that as I mentioned, no body else knew when my name day was, since, simply enough, it wasn't in the calendar. To understand how significant this concept of name days was to a child back then, you'd have to know that to most people name days are actually more important than their own birthdays. While growing up and attending grade school, I observed that all the Andreas, Ildikos, Szilvias, and Judits, etc, had it easy on name days. Everyone was cheering them on and celebrating. So why would I want to celebrate other's name day when no body knows about mine? Of course now, after living in the US for 15 years (where no one heard of name days) all this name day business sounds kinda silly to me, although I enjoy people's reaction when I mention name days to them.
I believe your name day would be March 18th, since your first name is equilivent to Sándor. There's a little folk song that goes something like: "Sándor-József-Benedek zsákban hoz majd meleget". Which means that Sándor, József, and Benedek will bring warmth in their sacks. Those name days are in March 18th, 19th, and 21st, and basically means that's when the weather will start to warm up.
Lilly
That's unfortunate about your name day. I suppose that's the cost of having a unique name.
ReplyDeleteThanks for telling me that folk song about my name! I've been told that Sándor is my Hungarian equivalent, but I didn't know about that song. I like it!
Alex