WHEN a baby is born, parents wonder about a suitable name for the child. In Britain, Asian parents are aware the name has to pass the “playground test”.
I mention this because an intriguing new book has come my way – What’s in a Name? Friendship, Identity and History in Modern Multicultural Britain by Sheela Banerjee (Sceptre: £18.99).
The cover picture is of Sheela as a little girl with her parents. Sheela herself has named her daughter, Ishaana. Lovely name. More after I have read the book (right).
The Daily Telegraph, I recall, had a Gujarati bus driver who allowed his name, Naresh, to be changed to “Nash” by his English compatriots.
My advice to him was: “Next time someone says his name is ‘Bill’, just say, ‘That’s hard for me to pronounce. Can I call you something simpler like Duryodhana?’”
Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, looks on during a rally organised by Unite The Kingdom, in central London on May 16, 2026.Getty Images
