Bitesize: Why are some names more popular than others?

Ruminations on the names of the Mahabharata

Storified by Meenakshi Madhavan · Wed, Aug 26 2015 09:08:55

Muse: some names in the Mahabharata more popular than others. The 5 Pandavas live on today, but no little girls called Draupadi.

— Meenakshi Madhavan · Tue, Aug 25 2015 12:50:53

@reddymadhavan the other name of Draupadi, Krishnaa is still relevant.

— Amrita Thavrani · Tue, Aug 25 2015 13:00:41

Actually, not all five. When’s the last time you met a Yudhistra?

— Meenakshi Madhavan · Tue, Aug 25 2015 12:51:17

@reddymadhavan I think Yudhistira is still common up North, but names like Sahadev and Draupadi have fallen out of fashion.

— Vishwanath Nair · Tue, Aug 25 2015 12:57:34

& then the older gen: no Kuntis, no Madris, no Gandharis. All very pretty names. Pritha (Kunti’s other name) still popular though.

— Meenakshi Madhavan · Tue, Aug 25 2015 12:58:01

@reddymadhavan that's because they're not their names! They're titles indicating origin or parentage.

— Alok ಪ್ರಸನ್ನ कुमार · Tue, Aug 25 2015 12:59:51

I guess no one wants their kid to be a Bheema. Poor fellow, full of devotion, but not very sexy. @charitmay

— Meenakshi Madhavan · Tue, Aug 25 2015 12:59:17

& then deeper into Hindu mythology: no Brahmas (but he was cursed to be forgotten), even though everyone else is a popular name.

— Meenakshi Madhavan · Tue, Aug 25 2015 13:01:51

No Vyasas or Dritarashtras. You don’t want to name your kid after the bad guy (Duryodhana)

— Meenakshi Madhavan · Tue, Aug 25 2015 13:03:18

but you’re ok w/your kid bearing the name of a kid who died at 16 (Abhimanyu) or the illegitimate warrior (Karna)

— Meenakshi Madhavan · Tue, Aug 25 2015 13:03:55

I think it’s interesting what parents want their kids to inherit: hero, swift, beautiful etc. Not virtuous, or strong.

— Meenakshi Madhavan · Tue, Aug 25 2015 13:06:38

@reddymadhavan Why would then even dhrishtrashtra name his sons such? A school of thought suggests its suyodhan and sushaashan!

— Abhishek Sahay · Tue, Aug 25 2015 13:07:25