The Art of Nomenclature

I couldn't help but burst into laughter when I encountered a girl named Maya during my trip to Rishikesh, living the life of a hermitess. Maya and hermitess don't exactly align, but there it was. Despite the irony of her name, synonymous with worldly illusions, she was on a mission to dodge Moh-Maya's grip.

Observing this made me realize the significance behind the names we assign to things in our daily lives.

The entire market revolves around the art of Nomenclature and how products are named:

1. In foreign countries these days, the crystalline form of deodorant is becoming very popular. Surprisingly, it's nothing but Fitkari (Alum). They're branding it as a crystal stick that kills harmful bacteria and is unscented. Tadow! Quite shocking, right? and it was reviewed by a user, "Crystal Mineral Deodorant Travel Stick is made of mineral salts which provide an invisible, protective barrier that blocks odor before it starts. This effective deodorant is non-sticky, non-staining, leaves no white residue and prevents odor for up to 24 hours. Vegan, cruelty-free and made for everybody! Prevents body odor for up to 24 hours. Effective odor protection is in our nature. Don’t affect the clothes."

2. The case of water lily seeds and how they amazed everyone. In an episode, the founder of Bohana, a startup selling "popped water lily seeds," which are essentially Makhana, won the hearts of millions with their branding and sales strategy. That's a brilliant marketing move.

3. Cheesecakes (Indian version), Rasmalai, and Alia Bhatt's favorite cake at L'eto cafe in London, Tres Leches milk cake, attracted people's attention. The marketing and art of naming were also successful here.

4. Next time you dine at an upscale restaurant, take a look at the menu. They've given their dishes the most appealing names. A samosa is no longer just a samosa; it's a white flour baked rissole with a mashed potato filling. Impressive, isn't it?

5. In the world of cars, Tata Nano, the smallest and cheapest car, made a mistake by emphasizing "cheapest" instead of opting for "affordable." Maruti's Swift, meaning fast/easy, lives up to its name by being quick.

6. At our college's annual Entrepreneurship Development Fest in 2020, we set up a stall selling beverages/shots. We offered three shots in soft drinks, two in coffee, and the rest as options for tea and cold coffee. The night before the event, while deciding on the menu and pricing, we gave creative names to our offerings, such as Mandarin Punch (Orange flavored), Citrin Eureka (Lemon flavored), Jamun Tadka (Blueberry flavored), CocoMoco (Espresso Shots), and Frozen water cubes Cappuccino (Cold Coffee). And voila, we made significant profits.

Lastly, sharing a personal experience from when I was in sixth grade: my name was Nakul, but an astrologer suggested changing it to initiate with the alphabet "S" for prosperity. After consultation, I was given the name "Sakshay," meaning evidence/proof. However, due to various reasons, I ended up leaving the prosperity lane and sticking with my registered name, Naman Nagpal, ngl it is a giving life. Interestingly, upon research, I found that name numerology is also an intriguing subject.

~namann 🫀